Estimating paint jobs is a complex endeavor. A seemingly endless number of variables must be considered, ranging from the type of substrate to the prep required, from access issues to surface texture. But every aspect of a painting project can be quantified, and thus estimating paint jobs can be approached systematically.

No matter what task you must perform as a part of a painting project, that task will require some amount of time. For tasks that you perform frequently, such as painting the walls in a 10′ x 10′ room, you likely have a very accurate idea as to the time required. The same approach can be applied to any task.

The time required to complete a particular task should always be very similar. This includes the impact of variables. Estimating paint jobs then becomes a process of identifying each task involved, the relevant variables, and the quantity of each.

Using historical data eliminates guessing. Using a system helps eliminate oversights. The result is more accurate estimating, and thus, more profitable jobs. And that is a good thing.

To learn more about developing your own estimating system, click here.

In my last post I discussed variables in estimating paint jobs. On the surface, it might seem like there are an unlimited number of variables. However, in terms of essentials, the number is rather limited. For example, while rough-sawn cedar and rough-sawn pine are different, repainting such surfaces will not have any significant material or labor differences; a flush steel door and a flush wood door will require essentially the same time and materials to paint.

In other words, if we identify only those variables that impact labor and material requirements we can create a relatively small and manageable list. In my company, we have only two variables for siding—smooth or rough. (As with all surfaces, we also identify the height and level of preparation required.) The type of substrate— pine, cedar, etc.— does not affect the labor or material requirements; the surface texture does.

If we identify those variables that impact labor, materials, or both, and consider only those variables, our list shrinks considerably.

The exact variables a contractor should consider will vary. Residential work differs from commercial, and repaints differ from new construction. Building materials and architectural features differ across the country, and even within a city or subdivision. Consequently, it is necessary for each contractor to identify those variables which impact the work he performs and the extent of that impact.

Let us look at two common variables and how they impact production rates.

The texture of a surface impacts both material use and production rates. For the same surface area, a rough texture will require more material than a smooth surface. When applying paint by brush on a rough surface additional brushing may be required to properly work the paint into “valleys” and “crevasses”. Again, this will slow production. If the surface is adjacent to a surface that is not being painted, or is a different color, production slows further as the painter tries to maintain a straight line on an irregular surface.

The ability (or inability) to reach a surface directly impacts production rates. Surfaces that must be reached with a ladder will require setting up the ladder, climbing up and down the ladder, and then moving the ladder. While working on the ladder the painter’s reach is limited, which can further slow production. This factor must be considered in your estimating.

Both surface texture and access are variables that must be considered in every project. Each will have an impact on your costs.

In my next post I will offer some final thoughts on estimating. Click here to learn about our estimating e-book.

One of the most difficult–yet financially important–aspects of estimating paint jobs is the fact that we must determine the labor and materials required to complete a particular project before we perform the job. We must determine what our costs will be before we ever buy a single gallon of paint. Improperly estimating can price us out of the job, or worse, lead to a money-losing endeavor. How do we overcome these problems?

Many painting contractors rely on the “eye-ball” method. This involves looking at the project and assigning some number to it, such as the number of days or simply a price. The “eye-ball” method relies completely on the experience and subjective evaluation of the estimator. The evaluation of one person can vary significantly from the evaluation of another person. It may or may not be accurate. More importantly, when it isn’t accurate, the estimator has virtually no way of identifying where he went wrong.

Since the job price is determined subjectively, there is no accurate method for identifying the cause when a job goes over budget. Such situations become a bickering match, as the crew blames the estimator and the estimator blames the crew. Both sides base their argument on their own opinion, and neither has much ground to stand on. The crew will argue that they weren’t given enough time, and the estimator will argue that the crew simply didn’t work efficiently. That’s not a very good situation to put yourself and your company in. Nobody wins when this occurs

There is a way to overcome these problems. There is a way to accurately and consistently estimate paint jobs. In the next blog post I will introduce a systematic method for estimating paint jobs. Click here to learn about our estimating e-book.

Fairly frequently some new contractor will ask how long it will take to do X? This is the same as asking: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

And the answer is essentially the same: A painter can prep and paint X in X hours. (By the way, a woodchuck could chuck as much wood as a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.) In both instances the answer is pretty useless.

My crew might be able to prep and paint the exterior of a one-story, 2,500 square foot house in 3 days. They might be able to do it in three weeks. The size of the house really has no meaning in this context. But even less meaningful is what my crew can do. How will that help you? (That’s a rhetorical question.)

There may be situations in which asking for help on a specific item may be useful. For example: asking how many square feet of commercial wallpaper a decent hanger can install in an hour would be valid. But asking how long it would take to hang 4,000 square feet of paper isn’t—there are too many variables within a specific job.

Perhaps those asking such questions really mean well. But I have worked with hundreds of contractors, and most seem to think that every painter works at the same speed (or should). They don’t.

Many variables influence how long it will take to complete a specific job—condition of the substrates, access, proximity to surfaces that must be protected, surface texture, the type of the existing paint, and much more. Each individual variable must be identified and quantified to create an accurate estimate. Anything else is just chucking wood.