1. Bring these facts back from the site visit
- Surfaces and measurements. List each room, elevation or exterior area, what is included, and how you measured it. Record doors, trim, ceilings and other separately priced surfaces. A photo supports the record; it does not measure the area.
- Condition and preparation. Note cleaning, sanding, filling, masking and the repairs you actually observed. State who handles damage outside that scope and which unknown conditions need review before a firm price.
- Access and protection. Confirm working height, equipment, parking, occupied rooms, furniture, weather exposure and who moves or protects belongings. Include setup and cleanup time in the hours you plan.
- Finish and materials. Record the chosen product, color, sheen, surfaces, preparation system and planned coats. Use the product instructions and your own experience to estimate coverage and waste; do not infer them from a photograph.
- Schedule and exclusions. Confirm the access window, expected sequence, customer responsibilities and items left out. If a finish or repair is undecided, mark it for confirmation rather than silently including it.
2. Turn the scope into your own cost assumptions
Separate materials, labor, subcontractors, equipment and disposal. Labor hours should include the work you promised: setup, prep, application, cleanup and any return visit. Apply your true hourly labor cost, then allocate overhead without counting the same expense twice.
A fictional small job might use 240 of materials, 18 hours at 35 per hour, 100 of allocated overhead and 80 of other costs: 1,050 total cost. At a chosen 30% margin, 1,050 ÷ 0.70 gives a 1,500 price and 450 of planned gross profit. These are example inputs in one currency, not painting rates.
Run your own costs through the free margin calculator. If you need to build the hourly cost first, use the labor burden calculator and overhead guide. The margin applies only to the costs you include.
3. Write a customer scope that can be checked
Give the customer a description of the agreed work and price. Keep your private wage, cost and margin assumptions in your own job record. The following is an illustrative scope structure to complete with confirmed facts:
Included: [named surfaces and areas], [confirmed preparation], [selected product and finish], [planned coats], [protection, cleanup and disposal].
Excluded: [repairs, surfaces or tasks outside this price]. Undecided items: [what must be confirmed before work].
Access and timing: [agreed access window], [customer responsibilities], [sequence or conditions affecting the dates].
Changes: additional work and its price will be recorded separately for review before it starts.
Review the finished scope with the customer and keep the accepted version. A detailed internal estimate is not a substitute for that shared understanding.
4. Keep changes and progress connected to the job
When you uncover extra work, document what changed, why it is outside the accepted scope, and the proposed price. A proposed change should not quietly become approved revenue. Record the customer agreement yourself before treating it as approved work.
In ScopeRate 1.2, you can keep scope, itemized costs, customer details, visits and work notes with the saved job. Photos and journal updates start private. Select only the updates you intend to include in a client report. Manual approval and billing records document what you enter; the app does not automatically send messages or process customer payments.
5. Review the finished job before pricing the next one
Compare planned and actual labor hours, material use, equipment cost and overhead. Record the revenue you actually intend to recognize, including the changes and credits you reviewed. A payment receipt alone does not establish the job’s profit.
Use the completed-job profit calculator to check the result. Identify the assumption that moved most: underestimated prep, a second visit, material waste or a scope change. Use that evidence to update your next estimate, while reviewing each new property on its own facts.
Questions people ask
Can I estimate a painting job from a photo?
A photo can document a surface and visible conditions, but it does not establish dimensions, coating compatibility, hidden damage or access. Confirm those facts on site or with the customer before committing to a scope.
Should I use a price per square foot?
A unit rate can be a useful check against your own completed jobs. It needs a defined scope: surface, preparation, coats, access and included work. Build the actual expected costs first rather than assuming one rate covers every property.
How do I price extra work after the estimate is accepted?
Record the additional scope, exclusions and price, then seek customer agreement before starting it. Keep the original accepted estimate and the separately approved change distinguishable. ScopeRate records your manual approval notes; it does not obtain customer approval for you.
Does this checklist give local painting rates?
No. It helps organize your own measurements, supplier quotes, labor costs and assumptions. The worked example is fictional and is not a recommended market price or production rate.