Painting Estimate Template (Free Quote, Invoice & Contract)
Part of Interior & Finishes
Quick answer
A painting estimate lists the area to paint, the paint and supplies, labor (prep and coats), and your overhead and profit. Build one free: get the gallons from the paint calculator, send them to the estimate maker, add your rate and logo, and download a clean PDF estimate, quote or invoice.
Painting is priced by area and labor — and labor is 70–85% of the bill. A solid estimate template captures the wall area, the paint and supplies, the hours, and a margin line, so the customer sees a clear, professional number.
What a painting estimate should include
- Your company name, license and contact details.
- The customer and the job address.
- Scope: which rooms or surfaces, how many coats, and prep included.
- Paint and supplies: gallons of paint and primer, plus rollers, tape and drop cloths.
- Labor: prep (patching, sanding, taping) and applying the coats.
- Overhead and profit (the margin on top of your cost).
- A valid-until date, inclusions/exclusions and payment terms.
Sample painting estimate (12 × 14 ft room, 2 coats)
| Line item | Qty | Unit | Unit price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interior paint | 3 | gal | $42 | $126 |
| Primer | 1 | gal | $35 | $35 |
| Supplies (rollers, tape, drop cloths) | 1 | lot | $40 | $40 |
| Prep & paint labor | 8 | hr | $55 | $440 |
| Cost subtotal | $641 |
Add your overhead and profit to the cost subtotal to reach the customer price — which is why a painted room typically lands at $300–$1,000. Gallons here come from the paint calculator (400 ft² of wall × 2 coats ÷ 350 = 3 gal).
Get your quantitiesPaint CalculatorWork out how many gallons of paint you need for a room based on wall area and number of coats.OpenPainting rates to price from
| Job | Typical price (installed) | Per ft² |
|---|---|---|
| Single room | $300–$1,000 | $2–$6 / floor ft² |
| Whole-house interior (2,000 ft²) | $4,000–$12,000 | $2–$6 |
| House exterior (2,000 ft²) | $3,000–$10,000+ | $1.50–$4 |
| Paint & primer | $25–$60 / gal | covers ~350 ft²/gal |
Estimate, quote, invoice, proposal or contract?
- Estimate — an approximate price that can change as scope firms up.
- Quote — a fixed price that becomes binding once the customer accepts it.
- Proposal — a quote plus your scope, approach and selling points.
- Invoice — the bill sent after the work, for the agreed amount.
- Contract — the signed agreement (scope, price, terms, schedule).
The maker covers the first four from one document: toggle Estimate ↔ Quote, and the same itemized sheet works as a proposal or, after the job, an invoice. Build yours in three steps: 1) enter wall area and coats in the paint calculator for the gallons; 2) open an estimate from those materials in one click; 3) add your labor, margin and logo, then download the PDF.
FAQs
What should a painting estimate include?
Your company and license details, the customer and address, the scope (rooms, coats, prep), itemized paint and supplies, labor, your overhead and profit, and a valid-until date with payment terms.
How much should I charge to paint a room?
Most painters charge $300–$1,000 per room, or about $2–$6 per square foot of floor area, with labor making up 70–85% of that. Build up from your paint, supplies and hours, then add your margin.
What's the difference between a painting estimate and a quote?
An estimate is an approximate price that can change; a quote is a fixed price that's binding once accepted. The estimate maker switches the wording with a toggle, and the same sheet becomes your invoice after the job.
Is there a free painting estimate template I can download?
Yes — the estimate maker builds a professional painting estimate, quote or invoice you can download as a PDF for free, with no sign-up. Start from the paint calculator to pre-fill the paint quantities.