Ask Me Help Desk - Painting project estimate. Downtown Chicago

I'm new on the market and I don't have good experience in estimating, because I used to work as a employee.

Estimate is for Condo . They need to paint hallways and staircase. This is 5 story building - located in downtown Chicago, IL. Hallways are usually 10' height and staircase are 13'.

Walls are 4966 sq/ft
Ceilings 1248 sq/ft
Trims 822 ln/ft (and base trims are 7 in. height)

They need 1 coat of primer on ceiling, then 2 coats of white ceiling, 2 coats on the walls and one coat for trims.

How much do you think I supposed to charge per sq/ft and ln/ft for labor.

Daniel

Hi, wlochd!

In what manner is the paint to be applied, please? Brush, roller or spray, or maybe combinations of those?

Will you need to be doing any repairs to the surface areas to be painted? Also, are any of the surface areas to be painted textured in any way and who is going to be purchasing the primer and paint, you or the customer?

One more thing - Will you have to be making use of a scaffolding to paint in the staircases, please?

Thanks!

We can't use spray there, so brush and roller. I'm going to purchase praimer and paint. Walls don't need repair, because this building is not so old (5 years).
Of course we need to use scaffolding.

Thanks CLOUGH for help.

Take Care

Daniel

Hi again, Daniel!

The walls and ceilings will be priced by the square foot. If you use a brush on the trim, then it's going to be charged by the linear foot. That usually is four to six inches in width.

Around here, applying two coats of paint on a perfectly flat surface area using a roller, without the cost of the paint would be about .70 cents a square foot. With the cost of the paint, it would be in the app. $1.00 to $1.20 range per square foot. There are some variances that need to be taken into consideration because of the cost of the paint.

Applying one coat of primer to the same type of surface areas would be .40 to .50 cents a square foot.

The price per linear foot for brushing, around where I work, is app. $1.25 to $1.40 per linear foot for two coats. Again, cost of the paint is a factor here.

In your area, I would add at least .30 to .40 cents to the prices that I've quoted to you, without the cost of the paint.

If you're going to be renting or needing to set up scaffolding, then you can add more to the cost.

The important thing is to be competitive, but reasonable to the customer and to yourself concerning the costs. If the customer balks at a certain price, then it's within reason and potentially beneficial for you to negotiate with them. But, it's also important to at least be consistent with your pricing so that other potential customers will know what you might charge for a certain type of job.

Word does get around...

All the prices that I've quoted to you, are averages. But, at least there is something to go on as far as averages in prices in the painting industry. It's not the same way in the deck cleaning/stripping and staining industry. Prices are really wild there!

I'm assuming that you already have a contract formatted and at least liability insurance.

Do you have those things already in place, please?

Thanks!

Thank you so much for your help!!

Of caurse I do have all insurances. What does it means: "contract formatted"

Daniel

"Contract formatted" means that if you're doing an extensive paint job for someone, then it's best to have a written contract drawn up with specifications as to your responsibilities as well as the customer that can then be signed by both you and the customer.

It's for your protection as well as for the customer.

If you'd like to know what to include in such a contract, please let me know on this thread.

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough

Hi again, Daniel!

The walls and ceilings will be priced by the square foot. If you use a brush on the trim, then it's going to be charged by the linear foot. That usually is four to six inches in width.

Around here, applying two coats of paint on a perfectly flat surface area using a roller, without the cost of the paint would be about .70 cents a square foot. With the cost of the paint, it would be in the app. $1.00 to $1.20 range per square foot. There are some variances that need to be taken into consideration because of the cost of the paint.

Applying one coat of primer to the same type of surface areas would be .40 to .50 cents a square foot.

The price per linear foot for brushing, around where I work, is app. $1.25 to $1.40 per linear foot for two coats. Again, cost of the paint is a factor here.

In your area, I would add at least .30 to .40 cents to the prices that I've quoted to you, without the cost of the paint.

If you're going to be renting or needing to set up scaffolding, then you can add more to the cost.

The important thing is to be competitive, but reasonable to the customer and to yourself concerning the costs. If the customer balks at a certain price, then it's within reason and potentially beneficial for you to negotiate with them. But, it's also important to at least be consistent with your pricing so that other potential customers will know what you might charge for a certain type of job.

Word does get around...

All the prices that I've quoted to you, are averages. But, at least there is something to go on as far as averages in prices in the painting industry. It's not the same way in the deck cleaning/stripping and staining industry. Prices are really wild there!

I'm assuming that you already have a contract formatted and at least liability insurance.

Do you have those things already in place, please?

Thanks!

Excellent information Clough as always.

Thanks, Stringer!

I'm looking forward to working more extensively with you on this site than we have been in the past couple of months!

"Business" here has been kind of slow... Also, I need to get my "business" in gear to work with you!

Am presently house and dog sitting where I normally do that.

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough

Thanks, Stringer!

I'm looking forward to working more extensively with you on this site than we have been in the past couple of months!

"Business" here has been kind of slow... Also, I need to get my "business" in gear to work with you!

Am presently house and dog sitting where I normally do that.

Thanks!

You know that I am available my friend or I will make time.