Estimate · Painting
Free painting estimate template
Free painting estimate and quote template for painters: prep, coats, paint, options and signature. PDF, Word or Excel, or fill it in online.
- Formats
- PDF · Word · Excel · Fill online
- Paper
- Letter
- Currency
- USD
Free to download, no email needed. Fill it in online and sign up only when you send it to a customer.
Quick answer
A painting estimate shows your business name, contact details and license number, the customer and job address, an estimate number, the date and a valid-until date. It lists each room or surface, the prep work, the number of coats and the paint, with labor and materials priced separately. Add options such as standard or premium paint, sales tax where it applies, the total, any deposit, what is not included and a signature block.
What to include
- Business name, contact details and license number
- Customer name, job address, date and estimate number
- Rooms or surfaces, and what's not included
- Prep work, such as patching, sanding, caulking and priming
- Number of coats and the paint, by brand or grade
- Labor and materials priced separately
- Options, such as standard or premium paint, one recommended
- Sales tax line, where it applies
- Deposit and valid-until date
- Signature and date to accept
Example, line by line
| Item | Qty | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prep: patch, sand, caulk and spot-prime (each) | 1 | $450.00 | $450.00 |
| Living room walls and ceiling, 2 coats (room) | 1 | $1,100.00 | $1,100.00 |
| Hallway walls, 2 coats (room) | 1 | $450.00 | $450.00 |
| Interior doors, both sides (each) | 8 | $95.00 | $760.00 |
| Trim and baseboards (ft) | 220 | $2.50 | $550.00 |
| Premium paint, eggshell walls, flat ceiling (gal) | 9 | $65.00 | $585.00 |
| Total | $3,895.00 | ||
How to use it
- 1Download it, or fill it in online.
- 2Add your own prices and your customer's details.
- 3Send it, get it signed and collect the deposit.
Painting estimates, part by part
Two painting bids for the same house can differ wildly, and the customer rarely knows why. One includes patching, priming and two coats of a premium paint; the other is one coat over whatever is there. A clear estimate shows the difference, so you can win on quality rather than on the lowest number.
Start with your business name, contact details and license number where your state licenses painters. The FTC tells homeowners to look for a contractor's license number and says a written estimate should describe the work, the materials, the completion date and the price. Then the customer's name, job address, date and estimate number.
List the rooms or surfaces: "Living room walls and ceiling, hallway walls, all interior doors and trim." Then say what is not included, such as moving heavy furniture or painting inside closets.
Describe the prep in plain words: patching nail holes, sanding, caulking gaps, spot-priming stains. Prep is where most of the time goes and where cheaper bids cut corners, so make it visible. Then the number of coats and the paint, by brand or grade, and the sheen for each surface.
Price labor and materials separately. Many painters price by the room or by the surface rather than by the hour; either works, as long as the unit is clear in the line name.
Paint grade is the easiest place to offer options: standard, premium and top-grade paint, or one coat against two, each priced in full, with your recommendation marked. Customers like choosing, and most pick the middle.
Below the lines: sales tax where it applies, the total, any deposit, a valid-until date and a signature block.
Set it up once, then reuse it
- Download the PDF, Word or Excel version and save a master with your business details and license number.
- At the walkthrough, fill in the customer, job address, date, estimate number and valid-until date.
- List rooms and surfaces, then prep, coats and paint for each.
- Price labor and materials, and add paint-grade options.
- Add tax and deposit, then send it and ask the customer to sign.
Painting jobs this template fits
Painters use this estimate for an interior repaint, an exterior repaint, cabinet painting, deck staining and drywall repair and paint. It works for a single room and for a whole house priced surface by surface.
When the job is done, bill it with the painting invoice template. The painting industry page shows how Quoza handles painting estimates.
Download or fill it in online
Download the painting estimate template as a PDF, Word file or Excel sheet, free and without giving an email address.
Or use the painting estimate maker: fill it in on your phone during the walkthrough, see exactly what your customer will get, then tap Send to customer. You sign up at that step with nothing to retype, and your customer signs the estimate online.
Send it, get it signed, collect the deposit
Questions
What should a painting estimate include?
Your business details and license number, the customer and job address, an estimate number and date, each room or surface, the prep, number of coats and paint, labor and materials, options if relevant, sales tax where it applies, the total, any deposit, a valid-until date, exclusions and a signature block.
Is a painting estimate the same as a quote or a bid?
People use the words loosely. An estimate is usually your expected price, a quote a firmer price for a defined job, and a bid a price submitted against other painters. Whatever you call it, list the rooms, prep and coats so the customer can compare like for like.
How long should a painting estimate be valid?
Long enough for the customer to decide and pick colors, short enough that paint prices still hold. Put a clear valid-until date on every estimate. The Quoza estimate maker puts a valid-until date on every estimate for you.
Should I ask for a deposit on a painting estimate?
That is your call. It can make sense when you buy paint and supplies before the job or book a crew for several days. If you take one, put the amount and how to pay it on the estimate. Some states limit how much a contractor can ask for as a down payment, so check your state's rules before you set one.
Can my customer sign the painting estimate online?
With the downloaded file, they sign on paper or send back a signed scan. If you make the estimate in the Quoza painting estimate maker, the customer gets a link, reads it on their phone and signs online.
Can I download the template in Word or Excel?
Yes. The painting estimate template comes as a PDF, a Word file and an Excel sheet. All three are free, with no email required.