Useful line items for painting
- Surface prep
- Labor by area or day
- Paint supplied
- Supplies and protection
- Patching and touch-up
Free painter estimate generator
Free Painting Estimate Generator
Start with the labor, materials, and job costs painters use most. Add your prices and download a professional PDF—no signup, upload, or watermark.
Price the whole job
- Prep time, which routinely takes longer than the painting itself
- Labor by area or by day rather than by the hour
- Paint and supplies, priced by coverage rather than by the gallon you happen to buy
- Masking, protection, and patching and touch-up afterwards
Before you send it
- Quote prep as its own line. Customers compare painters on the total, and prep is where a cheap quote cuts corners.
- Price walls, ceilings, and trim separately, by square foot or linear foot, so adding a room is simple math.
Licensing and permits for painters
Under the federal EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, firms that disturb paint in homes or child-occupied facilities built before 1978 must be lead-safe certified and follow lead-safe practices. Some states also require a contractor license for painting above a job-size limit. Check EPA and your state board.
General information, not legal advice. Rules vary by state and city.
From estimate to approved job
The PDF is free and stays in your browser. When a customer is ready, carry the same pricing into ForgeBill to send a secure quote, collect approval and a signature, then turn the accepted work into a job and invoice.
Need help pricing it? Read the painter pricing guide. Billing completed work? Use the painter invoice template.