Free painting estimate calculator for contractors
Price an interior painting job room by room from your own labor rate, production rates and paint costs. Get hours, gallons and a price that hits your margin. No signup.
Works in your browser · nothing is saved
Painting estimate builder
Free · no signup- $1,750
- $1,209
Your rates Start from your own job history
- Labor
- 26.0 hrs · $1,170
- Paint
- 10 gal · $540
- Supplies
- $65
- Total cost
- $1,775
How to bid a painting job
Four inputs that protect your margin
- 1
Add each room
Length, width and height, plus which surfaces you're painting and how many doors.
- 2
Set your own rates
Burdened labor rate, production rates per coat, paint prices and coverage from the data sheet.
- 3
Pick prep and coats
Light, standard or heavy prep scales the labor, which is where most bids go wrong.
- 4
Price for margin
Set your target margin and the calculator returns a price, hours, gallons and profit.
The formula: price = (labor hours × burdened rate + paint + supplies) ÷ (1 − target margin). For the full walkthrough, read how to estimate a residential painting job.
Got a number? Turn it into a signable document with the free painting proposal template, walk the house with the painting estimate checklist so nothing gets missed, and price extra work later with a painting change order.
Painting estimate questions
How do I calculate a painting estimate?
Measure each room, work out wall, ceiling and trim area, then convert area into labor hours using your own production rates and coats. Multiply hours by your burdened labor rate, add paint and supplies, then divide total cost by one minus your target margin.
How do I bid an interior painting job?
Walk every room, note prep level, coats and surfaces, and price room by room from your own rates. Bidding one lump number per square foot usually misses prep, trim and doors, which is where margin disappears.
How many gallons of paint do I need?
Multiply the paintable area by the number of coats and divide by the coverage on the product's data sheet, then round up to the next full gallon. The calculator does this separately for walls, ceilings and trim.
What is the difference between markup and margin?
Markup is added on top of cost; margin is the share of the price that is profit. A 40% margin means dividing cost by 0.6. A 15% markup is only about a 13% margin.
Are the default rates industry standards?
No. The defaults are editable starting points so the calculator works on first load. Replace them with your own crew's production rates, labor cost and paint prices.
Want this on your phone at the walkthrough?
dropcloth prices the job as you walk each room and sends a signable quote before you leave the driveway. $0/month, 1% only when you get paid.