Free Painting Estimate Template for Contractors (2026)

Measure the paintable surface area (wall perimeter times ceiling height, minus big openings), then multiply by your labor rate per square foot. Add the paint by the gallon, list prep work as its own line, and finish with a 15–25% markup for overhead and profit. Interior work runs $2–$6 per sq ft all in, exterior $1.50–$4.50 per sq ft. Build it line by line in the painting estimate template above and print a branded copy.

Most painters charge $1–$4 per sq ft in labor for interior and $1.50–$5 per sq ft for exterior, then add paint on top. Doors and windows price per piece ($75–$250 a door), and cabinets run $25–$120 per linear foot. Price the prep separately because on a repaint, prep eats 50–70% of the labor time. Use the painting estimate calculator to size a single room fast, then drop the numbers into this template for the full bid.

One gallon covers 300–400 sq ft per coat, and most jobs get two coats. So a 350 sq ft wall burns about two gallons. Standard interior paint runs $30–$55 per gallon, premium $45–$85, and primer $18–$35. Bare drywall, raw wood, and big color changes add a coat. If you spray instead of roll, bump your gallons by 20–30%.

A single room takes 10–15 minutes to measure and price by hand. A whole-house interior or exterior can eat an hour or more once you add every surface, the prep, and the paint. That is the worst part of bidding: it happens at night after the actual work is done. EstimationPro turns photos and a quick walkthrough into a line-item estimate in minutes, so you get the evening back instead of hunched over a spreadsheet.

A complete painting estimate lists your company and license info, the client and project address, an itemized surface list with quantity, labor, and paint, the number of coats and the sheen, prep work as its own line, payment terms, a timeline, and clear exclusions. Spell out who moves the furniture and who patches the big holes. That one line saves more arguments than anything else.

Yes. Pressure washing, scraping, patching, caulking, sanding, and priming should be their own line items, not folded into the per-square-foot rate. On a repaint, prep is 50–70% of the labor, and homeowners almost never see it coming. Showing it as a separate charge protects your time and makes the bid honest. If the wall needs major drywall repair, note it as an exclusion or a separate allowance.

A 10x10 room (roughly 400 sq ft of paintable wall area, two coats) typically runs $300–$800 to hire a painter, or about $80–$130 in materials if you DIY. The range depends on ceiling height, how many doors and windows break up the walls, and the condition of the surface. If the room needs patching or a dark-to-light color switch, add $100–$200. Use the painting estimate calculator to size a single room, then drop the numbers into this template for the full bid.

Whole-house interior painting runs $3,000–$6,500 for a 1,500 sq ft home in 2026, and $5,000–$12,000 for 2,500 sq ft. Exterior adds another $2,500–$9,000 depending on stories, siding type, and prep. Per room, expect $300–$800 for a standard bedroom and $400–$1,200 for a kitchen or living room. Labor makes up 60–70% of most painting bids. If a quote comes in far below these ranges, ask exactly what prep is included.

Change orders come up when a client adds rooms, discovers problem surfaces (peeling, water damage, bare wood needing extra primer), or upgrades the paint. Write every change as a separate line item, price it before you do the work, and get written approval. A one-paragraph email confirmation counts. Use the free change order template to document the scope and cost before you pick up a brush.