Painting Estimate Template (Surface Area, Coats & Prep)
A painting estimate prices by surface area (walls + ceilings, not floor area), the number of coats, and — the part that decides profit — prep. Paint covers ~350–400 sq ft per gallon per coat; labor is the majority of the bill. A typical 3-bedroom interior repaint runs around $3,800. Below is the math and an editable template.
Painting bids live and die on two things: measuring the actual surface area (not the room’s floor size) and pricing prep honestly. Patch, sand, caulk, and tape time is real labor that amateurs give away. Here’s the structure that protects your margin.
The lines a painting estimate needs
- Surface area — wall linear feet × ceiling height, plus ceilings; subtract big openings. This is what you paint, not the floor footprint.
- Coats — usually 2 (plus primer on bare/patched/ color-change areas). Double the paint and much of the labor.
- Paint & materials — gallons = area × coats ÷ ~375 sq ft/gal, plus primer, tape, plastic, caulk, sundries.
- Prep labor — patching, sanding, caulking, masking. On older or damaged walls this can rival the painting time.
- Painting labor at your burdened rate.
- Markup → margin on the whole job.
A real example: 3-bedroom interior repaint
| Line | Detail | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Paint + primer | ~14 gal across walls/ceilings/trim, 2 coats | $560 |
| Sundries | tape, plastic, caulk, rollers | $190 |
| Prep labor | patch, sand, caulk, mask | $1,100 |
| Painting labor | cut + roll, 2 coats | $1,600 |
| Direct cost | $3,450 | |
| Price @ ~9% margin | ÷ 0.91 | $3,800 |
Labor (prep + painting) is ~$2,700 of $3,450 — painting is a labor business. Skimp on the prep estimate and the job runs long for free.
Contractor Estimate Calculator (works for painting)
Enter surface area, coats, coverage, prep hours, and your burdened rate; set a target margin and it back-calculates the price. Trade-agnostic — painting, drywall, and every trade. Excel + Google Sheets.
Same estimating backbone as every trade — see the full method, the Labor Burden Calculator, and markup vs margin.
Trade Templates Co. builds back-office templates for solo trade businesses, QA’d against real job numbers before they ship. Numbers are illustrative — use your local costs and the actual surface area.
Frequently asked questions
How much area does a gallon of paint cover?
Roughly 350–400 sq ft per gallon per coat. Compute gallons as surface area × coats ÷ ~375.
Do I estimate by floor area or wall area?
Wall and ceiling surface area — what you actually paint — not the room’s floor footprint.
Why price prep separately?
Patching, sanding, caulking, and masking are real labor that can rival the painting itself; estimating it honestly is what keeps the job profitable.
How many coats should I quote?
Usually two, plus primer on bare, patched, or color-change surfaces — which roughly doubles paint and much of the labor.
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