How to Bid on Painting Jobs: The Best Practices
FEB 14, 2025 | LAST UPDATED ON FEB 14, 2025 BY ANGELICA NAIDU
If you go out in the market and ask five different painters for a quote, you will get five different answers. Ever wondered why that happens? It’s because they use different methods for calculation – by square foot, multiplying paint price, time and labor, etc. Sure, these methods work sometimes, but if you want to grow your business (and have happy customers raving about you), creating an accurate estimate from the start is the real mark of a genius.
For that, you not only need an estimate but also the best way to present it through a compelling proposal. Make it or break it – that’s the secret sauce you can add to your bidding proposal for painting jobs. Knowing how to accurately estimate a painting job to account for all costs and crafting a competitive, well-structured proposal that reflects both cost accuracy and professionalism can make a huge impact – that’s how you land your dream painting job.
Many contractors struggle with pricing mistakes or missing crucial cost factors, leading to lost profits. But with Super Proposal in your hands, that’s no longer the case!
Quick Insights:
- Calculate square footage precisely and increase by 20% for full coverage.
- Account for 25% extra on expendable supplies and rental equipment.
- Estimate labor time carefully, adding 10% for unexpected delays.
- Include overhead costs such as insurance and marketing.
- Apply a strategic markup, typically between 30-50%, to secure profitability.
The first and most important step is choosing the right project for you. Bidding on a painting job shouldn’t be a guessing game. It’s not a good idea to simply undercut other bidders.
Instead of wasting your time on unfinished or unprofitable projects, you can carefully evaluate each one to see if it aligns with your company’s financial goals and expertise. Take what rightfully belongs to you.
While it may be tempting to submit a lower bid just to outbid competitors, your focus should be on securing painting jobs that provide a platform to showcase your skills and generate good revenue. Your time, resources, and expertise are valuable (invest where you will see a return).
Prioritizing your company’s financial objectives during the bidding process is essential. Before submitting a bid, take time to understand your business thoroughly. Ask yourself:
- What are your strengths?
- What are your weaknesses?
- What financial goals have you set?
- What types of projects do you excel at?
The answers to these questions will guide you toward the right painting jobs and help you bid more effectively.
Review Bid Documents or Make a Site Visit
You will probably be answering a request for proposals (RFP), an invitation to bid (ITB), or a request for qualifications (RFQ) for new construction. It’s crucial to submit a request for information (RFI) if you have any questions concerning the project’s specifics or the contractor’s obligations.
Remember here, nothing is off the table. Bring it up if you don’t understand something. Clear communication and documentation will help you going forward. For painting contractors, an RFI should be used in the following circumstances:
- When important details are absent
- When there are ambiguous design details
- When the materials listed are insufficient or inaccurate
- When unforeseen problems or challenges occur throughout the project
- When installation specifications, site conditions, or schedules are inconsistent
Take particular note of Divisions 01 and 09. Information about qualifications, terms of payment, bonding, insurance, etc., is provided in Division 1. Specific details regarding the project finishes, such as painting product specifications and application techniques, are provided by Division 9.
One of the best ways to estimate a painting project, whether it’s residential or commercial, is to visit the location where the work will be done. Spend this time using a high-quality camera to capture as many images and videos as you can (an iPhone is totally fine here). Make sure you have adequate coverage of the job site. Calculating the square footage can help you decide how much paint you need or whether you need other supplies. The calculation of square footage is explained below in detail (under price your materials and Supplies). Aside from the paint cost, you should make sure that the project is within your service area or consider additional costs for your employee’s travel, meals, and lodging.
Pro Tip: Take your client’s preferences into account when placing your bid for a painting job, whether it’s for residential or commercial painting.
Perform a Quantity Takeoff
A quantity takeoff, also known as a material takeoff, is a count of the supplies or materials required to finish the assigned task. This is one of the first things you need to know about how to bid a paint job. You have to figure out how much your client is asking you to paint. It should come as no surprise that your paint job bid is based on the square footage calculation.
Quantifying the required quantities of paint, caulking, masking tape, masking paper, and other supplies is part of this preparatory work. You must determine the painting job’s surface area in order to conduct a painting takeoff.
Follow the steps for an accurate calculation:
- Reviewing the plans using estimating software, an electronic scale, or a ruler and highlighter can be done for both exterior and interior painting projects.
- Start by taking length and width measurements of rectangular areas. To find your square footage (ft2), multiply those figures together.
- If the area you are measuring doesn’t make a regular rectangle (like an L-shaped wall), divide it into smaller rectangles, measure each one, and then add up the square footage to determine the area’s total square footage for your paint bid.
- To obtain the most accurate paint bid, you will need to convert all of your measurements into feet if you discover that some of them are in feet and inches (or if you are using a different unit of measurement, such as yards).
- Determine how many coats of paint the entire area will require after you have the final square footage figure. Multiply the final square footage by the total number of paint coats.
- Lastly, increase that final amount by 20%. Note it down because we will revisit this figure at the end of these paint job bidding steps.
For example,
Gallons of Paint Required = Total Square Footage to be Painted / 400
Total Square Footage to be Painted = (Wall Height × Wall Length) × Number of Walls
Caulking and Masking Supplies Calculation:
Total Length of Walls = Wall Length × Number of Walls
Let’s put it with some numbers:
Wall Height = 10
Wall Length = 10
Number of Walls = 4
Total Square Footage = (10 × 10) × 4 = 400
Gallons of Paint Required = 400 / 400 = 1 gallon
If you are unsure of measurements and calculations you can use websites like Calculatorsoup for that.
Price your materials and supplies
One important aspect of creating accurate commercial painting estimates is determining as many of your costs and expenses as possible ahead of time.
Are you submitting a bid for a major project? Is the job smaller? Is the paint job commercial? Will you need the assistance of additional workers or contractors to complete the project? What is the required quantity of paint? What is the cost of the paint that the customer requested? There are several factors to consider based on the project’s requirements and supply costs.
Equipment and rental costs can have a significant impact on each estimate, affecting your total price to the customer and net profit. Always check to see if you require any additional tools to complete the task. The most experienced painters know that preparation saves money.
Typical supplies to include in your bids for commercial painting:
- The quantity of paint required
- Painter’s tape or masking tape
- Rollers for paint
- Trays for paint
- Drop cloths
- Various kinds of caulking primer, if required
- Ladders
| Expense Category | Calculation | Cost (Approx) |
|---|---|---|
|
Equipment Rental |
Estimate rental fees for special tools/machinery. |
$100 |
|
Extra Supplies (25%)
|
Add 25% to the current brush/roller cost. |
$50 (Current Cost) + $12.50 (25% Extra) = $62.50 Total |
|
Paint and Caulk |
Estimate the cost of paint and caulk needed for the job. |
$300 (Paint) + $20 (Caulk) = $320 Total |
|
Estimate Time Required |
Estimate travel to buy supplies, prep time, and paint time by area. |
$1,500 |
|
Labor Costs |
Time Needed x Hourly Rate x Number of Crew Members + 10% Cushion |
(20 hours x $25/hour x 3 painters) + 10% = $1,650 |
Estimate labor
Labor is likely to be your largest expense (as a percentage of revenue) for each job, accounting for 80-85% of total costs.
Start the labor cost estimation by analyzing how long it will take to paint each area. Include all tasks, such as painting and preparation(including travel to the paint store). Using historical project data is the most popular and reliable method of labor estimation.
A good crew typically costs around $800 per day. The total number of hours required will vary depending on the size of the property. Then, calculate your labor costs by multiplying the time required by your crew’s hourly rate.
For example, if 4 painters work 15 hours for $25 per hour, the total cost is $1,500. It’s a good idea to set aside 10% for unexpected expenses. Accurate labor costs make your bid look better and trustworthy. You should also create a difference between interior and exterior painting – with more prep, detail, and cleanup work, interiors can take 2 to 3 times as long as the same exterior square footage.
Take timing, delays in electrical or plumbing, and bad weather into the list of challenges you may face. Labor also includes costs such as insurance and taxes, so make sure to consider the big picture. To determine an employee’s “full cost,” consider the cost of wages, benefits, taxes, worker’s compensation, insurance, employer-specific taxes (FICA), and other labor-related expenses.
Pro Tip: Keep in mind that this number will most likely increase on jobs that require specialized skills, such as woodworking.
Add overhead and profit
You want to win the bid, but the ultimate goal of your painting business is to make a profit. To get this, you must specify a profit margin goal and apply the appropriate markup percentage to ensure job profitability. To help determine appropriate profit margins, subtract costs from the expected revenue for the job and divide the result by the projected revenue. Then, multiply that number by 100 to calculate your percentage.
Formulas:
- What you intend to charge – Cost = Profit.
- Profit / Cost = Profit Margin.
- Overhead + Profit = Total Markup.
You can further simplify this process by using a margin/markup table. Margins and markups interact, so you can use one to determine the other.
Let’s assume you have crunched the numbers and determined a profit margin target of 35% for this job. Assume you have a $2,000 budget for paint, materials, labor, and other expenses. Using the formulas and chart above, you’d need to charge $3,077 with a 54% markup percentage to meet your profit margin target.
Small painting contractors frequently aim for a 50 percent profit margin. Larger companies may aim to grow their business by 30%. Finding the right balance of profit margin and markup allows you to set reasonable prices without losing money.
Create a Professional Painting Proposal
Creating a bid and estimating costs for painting bidding jobs might be your area of expertise, but when it comes to getting a well structured proposal you need some help. Where we can find the ultimate proposal template that will bridge your gap of grabbing that bid?
Oh..Yes, you have come to the right place. Super Proposal helps to effortlessly create stunning, interactive proposals with real-time tracking and built-in eSigning to win more clients.
- Scope of work – Give a detailed description of the project’s entire scope including all of the tasks you will complete, from preparation to cleanup and customer review. Explain the surfaces that need to be prepped and the areas that will be painted. This part specifies the contractor’s duties, the timeline for completion, and the precise tools, supplies, and procedures to be used.
- Pricing breakdown -Calculate the cost of paint and supplies, keeping in mind that one gallon covers 400 square feet. Apart from materials and supplies, consider labor charges, any marketing costs that may arise, overhead, and profit. Use templates and table features to present this clearly. Paint, supply, equipment, labor, overhead, and marketing costs can all have markups added to them.
- Timeline – Time is Money – Give a realistic completion date from beginning to end. A painting job bid is essentially a contractor’s offer to take on the entire project or a specific portion of it, along with a timeline and price. The construction bidding process is typically divided into five phases: Bids are solicited, submitted, and selected. Contract negotiation, project delivery. Clearly outline the start date, milestones and, completion date.
- Materials list – Which hues are required? Does the customer have a preference for a particular kind of paint? Is it an interior or exterior painting project? You can create an accurate estimate and adjust your budget by knowing the answers to these questions. The equipment includes paint, brushes, rollers, rental equipment, and caulk. Equipment costs vary depending on whether you own or rent it; this is especially true for commercial painting jobs. For rented equipment, direct costs such as rental and fuel should be attributed to the job, while indirect costs are usually negligible.
- Terms and conditions – Your proposal should also address areas such as payment terms, change order policies, warranties ,etc. If you are using your own equipment, you must add additional costs such as depreciation, insurance, and maintenance, as well as loading, transporting and, unloading it. Define everything and anything that might come up in the future.
- Super Proposal helps create polished and branded proposals quickly. Super Proposal is here to make your business operations easier and smoother. With our pre-defined template all you need to do is add a personal touch of customization that highlights your USPs (Unique Selling Products).
Take your trial and experience the magic by yourself!
Review Your Proposal
Give your proposal a strong start that outlines the advantages and strengths of your business. Describe why your painting company is the ideal fit for the task, highlighting your background, skill, and dedication to excellence. You should avoid superfluous jargon and excessively technical language in favor of clarity and conciseness.
Making it simple for the client to comprehend your proposal and recognize your contribution to the project is your aim. Proofread, check grammar errors and, compare with recent proposals to make sure you are on the right track.
Submit Your Proposal & Follow-Up
After submitting the bid, it is critical to follow up. Get in touch with the client, answer questions, and address concerns. Your ability to bid on each painting job more precisely increases with the number of details you include on your template.
This aids in negotiating and closing the transaction. Good communication demonstrates commitment and professionalism.
With Super Proposal, you will get notified when your client engages with the proposal and see which parts they have spent the most time on. This way you will be better prepared to answer their questions.
How to Bid a Commercial Paint Job
To make sure accuracy and competitiveness, bids on commercial paint jobs must be strategic and detailed. Here’s a step-by-step guide for bidding on a commercial paint job:
- Key Differences from Residential Bids – Begin by conducting a thorough assessment of your commercial property. Consider the project’s size, the types of surfaces to be painted, and any specific requirements or challenges. A good first step is to physically visit the site to gain a better sense of its size and any challenges that may arise.
- Detailed Cost Breakdown – Calculate the amount and cost of materials required for the project, including paints, primers, and any specialized coatings. Estimate labor costs by factoring in the time required for surface preparation, application, and any additional tasks. Consider your overhead costs, which include equipment, insurance, permits, and administrative expenses. Knowing how to bid on a painting job is the first step toward gaining more clients and keeping them satisfied.
Total estimate of the project = cost of materials + cost of labor + marketing cost + Markup
- Market Research & Competitive Analysis – Determine the current market rates for commercial painting projects in your area. Analyze your competitors’ bids and pricing strategies to ensure your bid is competitive while remaining profitable.
Optimizing the Bidding Process with Technology
With estimating and proposal software, you can streamline your painting job bidding process. These digital takeoff tools improve accuracy and reduce miscalculations. Super Proposal will help you create the best painting bid proposal with its real-time tracking and e-signature. With the perfect blend of professionalism and customization, you will be winning bids. This is what makes Super Proposal better than any other proposal software:
- Unlimited Proposals: Super Proposal lets you create and send unlimited proposals.
- Custom Branding: Super Proposal offers the ability to incorporate your brand elements at $19.90 per user per month.
- Ease of Use: Super Proposal has an intuitive and user-friendly design.
- Premium Support: Super Proposal provides premium support and access to a dedicated customer success manager at no additional cost, ensuring you get the help you need without hidden fees or delays.
- Value for Money: Super Proposal’s features come at a low cost of $19.90 per user per month, billed annually
Bidding for your dream client is no longer a herculean task. With the right balance of competitive pricing and profitability, you can catch the big fish. By following Super Proposal’s step-by-step guide and using our proposal software, contractors can bid with confidence, win more jobs, and grow their businesses.
It’s your turn to simplify the bidding process with Super Proposal. Start your free trial today!
FAQs
How do you estimate a paint job by square feet?
Basically, you figure out all the wall space you are painting by finding the square footage. Then, divide your total cost (materials, your time, everything!) by that square footage to get your price per square foot.
Can you give me some how to bid on a painting job examples?
Sure! Start by figuring out the paintable area – measure walls, subtract windows, etc. Then, think about all your costs: paint, supplies, your labor, even marketing, plus your profit.
How do I bid on an interior painting job?
It’s all about the measurements! Get those wall dimensions, subtract the doors and windows, and then factor in all your costs, from paint to your time, plus a bit for profit.
What painting bidding websites do you recommend?
PlanHub, Bidnet Direct, and BidClerk are platforms that can help you find painting projects and submit bids. Don’t forget to tap into your network and past clients. Word of mouth can be powerful! Let previous clients know you are looking for new projects and ask for referrals.
How helpful is Super Proposal in getting painting bids?
Super Proposal proposal software is SUPER helpful for getting your painting bids. Super Proposal’s features enable you to create visually stunning documents that impress clients while also simplifying your workflow.
The best thing about the super proposal is that it includes all of the features in a single, affordable price plan.
Increase your close rates today!
Secure every pitch that you make with Super Proposal. Craft winning proposals, share and track them on a single, comprehensive platform.
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