Painting, Estimating
And Hourly Rate Guide
Prepared by your partners in painting:
homepaintersinfo.com
HomePaintersInfo.com 2011
Page 1
Contents
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
INCLUSIONS AND ALLOWANCES IN THIS GUIDE ......................................................................................................................................... 4
MATERIAL COSTS ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
PROFIT ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
SPRAYING ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
REPAINTING ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
GENERAL PREP ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
REMOVAL OF LEAD BASED PAINT ........................................................................................................................................................... 4
EXCLUSIONS IN THIS GUIDE ........................................................................................................................................................................ 5
GST........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
BURNING OFF .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
SCAFFOLD ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5
NEW WORK PRICED ON SLAB AREA ............................................................................................................................................................ 6
OVERHEADS ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
OVERHEADS/HOURLY RATE CALCULATOR.................................................................................................................................................. 8
RESIDENTIAL WORK PRICING GUIDE ........................................................................................................................................................ 11
Exterior Areas ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 11
Interior Areas ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 13
Doors & Windows ................................................................................................................................................................................. 14
Wallpapering (Hang Only) ..................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Stain and Clear Finish ............................................................................................................................................................................ 16
HomePaintersInfo.com 2011
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INTRODUCTION
Print this Guide and keep it handy for when you are calculating quotes.
This pricing structure is a proven system that has been developed to assist with competitive business practices.
It has worked well and been profitable in both the new as well as repaint market. Experience is the best way to
learn how to price a job however it is handy to have a guide as a tool of instruction, and later a secondary
checking system to work with. Over time any tradesman should be able to look at a job and work out
approximately how long it should take and then be able to work out a price.
This guide will prove invaluable to anyone requiring an accurate reflection of the cost and expected profit of a
painting job. However, it is highly recommended and beneficial to have undertaken a course in reading plans and
estimation.
This information has been prepared as a guide to assist you in quoting and you will need to check the figures
against your own labour and material costs, overheads and profit requirements. Every business is unique in this
respect.
HomePaintersInfo.com 2011
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INCLUSIONS AND ALLOWANCES IN THIS GUIDE
MATERIAL COSTS
The figures include the cost of paint and materials which have been averaged out to approximately $10-00 per
litre of paint. Check your buying price as it may differ, so remember to take this into account.
PROFIT
The figures have allowed for profit. This guide has been designed to attract a fair profit, whilst providing
competitive quoting, retaining your business and encouraging repeat custom.
SPRAYING
Although spraying saves time in the application of materials, subject to the areas being sprayed, time should be
allowed for masking and cleaning up. Also material used increases from 10% to 20%. These rates have been
based on the use of brushes and rollers of a standard size.
REPAINTING
Remember to check the number of coats on the following spreadsheet, (i.e. if only spot priming, drop the priming
rate) you require for each specific job. Add the relevant figures, according to the number of coats required, to
get your rate.
GENERAL PREP
Means filling and light hand sanding of surfaces. Excess preparation should be charged at an hourly rate.
REMOVAL OF LEAD BASED PAINT
Remember to check for the presence of lead based paints in older properties and paint films. Refer to the
certification requirements and procedures in the Australian Standard (Guide to Lead Paint Management Part 2,
Residential and Commercial Buildings), for the removal and containment of Lead Based Paints.
DO NOT BURN OFF.
HomePaintersInfo.com 2011
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EXCLUSIONS IN THIS GUIDE
GST
No allowance has been made for GST and this should be added to your final price.
BURNING OFF
It is not recommended that you burn off paint coatings, if you are going to burn off, ensure that your public
liability insurance covers you and you adhere to all safety procedures.
SCAFFOLD
No allowance has been made for scaffolding or time for setting up trestles, drop sheets, etc. Setting up time
should be charged or worked out at an hourly rate.
HomePaintersInfo.com 2011
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NEW WORK PRICED ON SLAB AREA
Builders prefer quotes on slab/floor area; however it is not the floor that you are painting. That being said,
builders work that way and good luck trying to change them. (Dont just take the builders figures as to how
many m2 in a building get the plans and check for yourself)
In a 3 bedroom house that has 150m2 floor area you have the same number of doors, windows, frames etc. as
the same designed 3 bedroom house that has 300m2 floor area. The ceilings are double the size the wall area is
only slightly more however the difference doesnt compare.
150m2 house @ $40-00 per m2 floor area = $6000-00.Material Cost Approx $1000-00.2 men Approx 6-8 Days
300m2 house @ $30-00 per m2 floor area = $9000-00.Material Cost Approx $1300-00.2 men Approx 8-10 Days
150m2 house @ $40-00 /m2 each man earns approx $420 - $320 per day
300m2 house @ $30-00 /m2 each man earns approx $480 - $385 per day
Based on floor area prices the larger the home the more chance you have of making a profit.
You should be charging between $30.00 - $40.00 per square metre which includes all
internal areas and eaves externally for a 3 coat system.
HomePaintersInfo.com 2011
Page 6
OVERHEADS
The figures include most general overheads as can be seen on the What Should My Hourly Rate Be page which
should be costed in to your charge out rate. Your own overheads may in fact be more or less, and you should
remember to make adjustments accordingly when referring to these rates.
To help you establish your own rates we have included a form which you should complete. (The easiest way to
do this is by using your last tax return profit and loss statement and then breaking it down)
HomePaintersInfo.com 2011
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OVERHEADS/HOURLY RATE CALCULATOR
This table has been developed to work out your desired weekly and hourly rate based on outgoing expenditure.
The easiest way to do this is to start with last years tax return and just fill in the expenses you had for that year
If in the last financial year, your profit margin was insufficient to cover expenses and result in a gain, you may
wish to adjust these figures upwards. You can then break down those expenses to work out your optimal rate.
Expense
Yearly
Monthly
Weekly
Hourly
Advertising
Newspapers
Yellow Pages
Letter Box Drops
Job/Ute Signage
T-Shirts (Screen-printing)
Fees and Charges
Bank Fees/Charges/Interest
License Fees
Membership Fees
Accountant Fees
Business Name Registration
Workplace Registration
Office Expenses
Electricity
Telephones
Computer Repairs
Photo Copying
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Postage
Printing (Quote Books etc)
Insurance
Income Protection
Public Liability
Vehicle
Business / Stock
Property
Motor Vehicle Expenses
Fuel & Oil
Repairs &Maintenance
Rego & Insurance
Leasing Charges
Tools
Power Tool Repairs
Hand Tools Maintenance
Hand tool Replacement
Staff
Wages
Safety & Clothing
Training/Up skilling
Site Safety
Finance
Rent
Rates
Leasing Charges
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Waste Disposal
Other
Donations
Bad Debt
Total
HomePaintersInfo.com 2011
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RESIDENTIAL WORK PRICING GUIDE
This Table has been devised to provide a guide of what your costs on any given job will amount to. Current at
time of publishing, the estimated expenses. Print this table out and keep copies with your quote book.
*m2 per square metre
Lm per lineal metre
Condition
Prep
Required
Area *
Roofing (Corrugated Iron)
New
Weathered 4
Months
m2
$5.65
$4.50 $4.50
$14.65
Roofing (Corrugated Iron)
Repaint
General Prep
m2
$6.82
$4.50
$4.50
$11.32
Gutters/Downpipes
New
General Prep
Lm
$3.10
$2.70
$2.70
$8.50
Fascia
Bare Timber
General Prep
Lm
$3.10
$2.70
$2.70
$8.50
Soffit/Eaves
Bare Fibre
Cement
General Prep
m2
$4.30
$4.00
$3.40
$11.70
Weather/Chamfer Boards
Bare Wood
General Prep
m2
$5.20
$8.30
$6.10
$19.60
Brickwork/Blockwork (Roller Application)
Bare Cement
General Prep
m2
$5.80
$4.10
$2.90
$12.80
Raked Brick/Heavy Stucco
Bare Cement
General Prep
m2
$9.60
$6.20
$5.10
$20.90
Roll on Texture (Low Profile)
Rolled
General Prep
m2
$4.50
$8.30
$7.30
$20.20
Exterior Areas
HomePaintersInfo.com 2011
2nd
Prime Coat
3rd
Coat
Total
Price
Page 11
Roll on Texture (High Profle)
Rolled
General Prep
m2
$4.60
$13.30
$12.30
$30.20
Cement Render
New
Genera Prep
m2
$4.40
$3.80
$3.80
$12.00
Bare Timber
General Prep
Lm
$19.20
$16.75
$16.75
$52.70
New
General Prep
Lm
$15.80
$14.50
$14.50
$44.80
Decking
Bare Timber
General Prep
m2
$8.50
$6.10
$6.10
$20.70
Stair Stringers
Bare Timber
General Prep
Lm
$5.00
$4.50
$4.50
$14.00
Stair Treads
Bare Timber
General Prep
Lm
$5.00
$4.50
$4.50
$14.00
Battens/Fences/Trellises (one Side)
Bare Timber
General Prep
m2
$8.20
$5.80
$5.80
$19.80
Lattice (One Side)
Bare Timber
General Prep
m2
$10.50
$7.00
$7.00
$24.50
Window Hoods (Timber/Metal) 2 colour
Bare
General Prep
Per Item
$42.70
$42.70
$42.70
$128.10
Peeling
Feather to
Sound Base
m2
Timber Balustrades/Dowel/Slats (Both
Sides)
Steel/Hand Rails/Security Grills (Both
Sides)
Lead Based Paint Sanding
$35.00
Notes:
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Interior Areas
Condition
Prep
Required
Gyprock/Plaster Board
New
General Prep
m2
$4.10
$2.75
$2.75
$9.20
Fibre Cement Sheeting
New
General Prep
m2
$4.10
$2.75
$2.75
$9.20
Solid Plaster
New
General Prep
m2
$3.80
$3.50
$3.50
$10.80
VJ Boards
New
General Prep
m2
$6.60
$10.70
$8.45
$25.75
Texture (Low Profile)
Rolled
General Prep
m2
$4.40
$3.80
$3.80
$12.00
Gapping Between VJ's
Excludes
Materials
Filling all
Gaps
m2
Skirtings
Timber
0-150mm
General Prep
Lm
Area
2nd
Prime Coat
3rd
Coat
Total
Price
$11.50
$1.50
$1.50
$1.50
$4.50
Notes:
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Doors & Windows
Condition
Prep
Required
Area
2nd
Prime Coat
3rd
Coat
Total
Price
$20.00
$20.00
$20.00
$60
Door Flush Panel (Both Sides)
1 Colour
Roll & Tip
Per
Door
Door 2 Panel (Both Sides)
1 Colour
Brush & Roll
Per
Door
$24.00
$24.00
$24.00
$72.00
Brush & Roll
Per
Door
$28.00
$28.00
$28.00
$84.00
General Prep
Per
Frame
$22.00
$19.00
$19.00
$60.00
$18.20
$18.20
$18.20
$54.60
Door 4 Panel (Both Sides)
1 Colour
Door Frame
Windows (Including Frame) 1 Side
Bare/ 1 Light
General Prep
Per
Window
Windows (Including Frame) 1 Side
Bare/ 4 Light
General Prep
Per
Window
$22.75
$22.75
$22.75
$68.25
General Prep
Per
Window
$27.30
$27.30
$27.30
$81.90
Windows (Including Frame) 1 Side
Bare/ 8 Light
Notes:
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Wallpapering (Hang Only)
Condition
Stripping
Hourly Rate
Sizing Walls
Prep
Required
Area
General Prep
m2
2nd
Prime Coat
3rd
Coat
Total
Price
$4.20
Lining Paper (Hang Only)
Pre-Pasted Standard Wallpaper (Hang
Only)
Un Pasted Standard Wallpaper (Hang
Only)
Per Roll
General Prep
m2
Per Roll
$42.00
Per Roll
General Prep
m2
Per Roll
$56.00
Wall Height (Drops Per Roll) Approx
1.8 m
2.1m to 2.4 m
2.7m to 3.0m
Drops
5
4
3
Notes:
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Stain and Clear Finish
Condition
Prep
Required
VJ Boards
New
General Prep
m2
New
Rolled &
Tipped
Door Flush Panel (Both Sides)
Area
2nd
Prime Coat
3rd
Coat
Total
Price
$9.50
$11.70
$9.30
$30.50
Per
Door
$22.00
$22.00
$22.00
$66.00
$26.50
$26.50
$26.50
$79.50
Door 2 Panel (Both Sides)
New
Brush & Roll
Per
Door
Door 4 Panel (Both Sides)
New
Brush & Roll
Per
Door
$30.80
$30.80
$30.80
$92.40
General Prep
Per
Window
$20.00
$20.00
$20.00
$60.00
$25.00
$25.00
$25.00
$75.00
$30.00
$30.00
$30.00
$90.00
$1.80
$1.65
$1.65
$5.10
Window (Including Frame) 1 Side Only
Bare/ 1 Light
Window (Including Frame) 1 Side Only
Bare/ 4 Light
General Prep
Per
Window
Window (Including Frame) 1 Side Only
Bare/ 8 Light
General Prep
Per
Window
Skirting
Timber
0-150mm
General Prep
Lm
Notes:
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