Coverage rates, prep factors, and room-by-room pricing. Choose a project type below for a complete step-by-step guide with formulas, waste factors, productivity benchmarks, and pro tips.
Interior room painting is priced by paintable square footage — the sum of all wall surfaces minus 50% of door and window openings. The formula is straightforward, but getting prep right is where margin is won or lost.
Exterior painting estimates are driven by siding type, surface condition, and story count. Prep — scraping, priming, caulking — often equals or exceeds the painting labor itself on older homes.
Cabinet painting is priced per door/drawer front or per linear foot of cabinets — not by square footage. It is among the most time-intensive painting work due to prep, priming, and the multiple thin coats required for a durable finish.
Deck staining is priced per square foot of horizontal deck surface, with railings, stairs, and vertical surfaces priced separately. Surface condition and wood type are the primary variables that affect labor time.
Fence painting is priced per linear foot of fence, with height and style (picket, privacy, rail) as the key variables. Both sides and end-grain absorption must be factored into material calculations.
New construction painting is faster and cheaper per sq ft than repaints — surfaces are clean, rooms are empty, and prep is minimal. But volume is the name of the game: accurate takeoffs from blueprints determine profitability.
Pressure washing is priced per square foot of surface cleaned, with surface type and soil level as the key variables. It is one of the fastest-turnover services a painter offers — high volume, low materials cost, and straightforward scope.