Painting bid template with per-square-foot pricing, prep breakdown, and material costs. Residential interior and exterior rates. Free, no sign-up.
Painting bids are lost at two points: the estimate is vague about what "prep" includes, or it doesn't distinguish materials from labor. Clients who get three bids and see one with a specific prep scope, paint product callout, and separate material and labor lines will almost always call that contractor first — even if the total is the same. The sample below covers a common residential interior paint job: living room, dining room, and three bedrooms.
Bid from
Summit Painting Co.
Prepared for
The Okafor Residence
April 2026
Interior Painting Bid — Main Level + Bedrooms
Interior painting of main level and three bedrooms (approx. 1,800 sq ft of wall surface). Includes all prep, two coats finish paint on walls, one coat ceiling, and trim in semi-gloss. Doors and closet interiors excluded.
Fill nail holes and minor cracks with spackle (sand flush after dry) Spot-prime all patched areas Tape all trim, outlets, windows, and floor edges Light sanding on trim for adhesion Drop cloths on all floors and furniture Note: damaged drywall repair (beyond nail holes) is not included — quoted separately if needed after inspection.
Paint — walls (Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint, client color): $285 Paint — ceilings (flat white, 2 gallons): $80 Paint — trim (semi-gloss white, 1.5 gallons): $75 Primer (spot-prime only): $30 Supplies (tape, drop cloths, brushes, rollers): $55 Materials subtotal: $525
Prep and masking (6 hrs): $480 Walls — 2 coats (14 hrs): $1,120 Ceilings — 1 coat (4 hrs): $320 Trim — 1 coat (5 hrs): $400 Cleanup and touch-up (2 hrs): $160 Labor subtotal: $2,480
Materials: $525 Labor: $2,480 Total: $3,005 50% deposit required to schedule. Balance due on last day of work. Estimated duration: 3 days (crew of 2).
Painting doors, closet interiors, or ceilings above 9 ft (requires scaffold, quoted separately). Exterior painting, wallpaper removal, drywall repair beyond nail holes, painting of garage or utility spaces, and moving furniture (client must clear room before crew arrives).
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These ranges reflect common pricing in mid-tier U.S. markets. Rates vary by region, crew size, and job complexity.
| Service | Typical Rate |
|---|---|
| Interior walls (per sq ft, 2 coats) | $1.50–$3.50/sq ft |
| Exterior siding (per sq ft, 2 coats) | $1.75–$4.00/sq ft |
| Interior room (including trim, per room) | $400–$900 |
| Exterior full house (labor only, 2,000 sq ft) | $3,500–$7,000 |
| Cabinet painting (per linear foot) | $60–$100/linear ft |
| Deck staining (per sq ft) | $1.00–$2.50/sq ft |
Separate materials from labor in every bid. A client who sees a flat $3,000 doesn't know if they're paying for good paint or cheap paint. Showing $525 materials (with the product name) and $2,480 labor reads as honest and professional.
Name your paint product in the bid. 'Two coats Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint' is a more convincing spec than 'quality interior paint.' Clients can look it up. It shows you're not using the cheapest product on the shelf and gives them confidence in the finish quality.
Define prep scope specifically. 'Prep work included' is not a scope. 'Fill nail holes, spot-prime, tape all trim and windows' is. The more specific your prep description, the harder it is for a client to claim you missed something.
Include a clause about drywall damage beyond minor patches. Cracked plaster, water-stained drywall, and popcorn ceiling removal all materially change the job. Noting in the bid that these are quoted separately if found protects you when you open a wall and discover something unexpected.
Specify what 'client must do' before you arrive. Clearing furniture is the most common friction point on paint jobs. Put it in the bid. Showing up to a room full of furniture costs you 90 minutes and changes your schedule.
Interior painting is typically priced by square footage of wall surface or by room. Common rates: $1.50–$3.50/sq ft for two coats on walls, or $400–$900 per room including trim. Break the bid into materials and labor. Labor typically runs 70–75% of the total on interior jobs. Exterior painting runs higher due to prep complexity and weather risk: $1.75–$4.00/sq ft depending on surface type and condition.
Room or surface list with square footage, prep scope (patching, sanding, masking), paint product and sheen by surface type, number of coats, materials cost, labor cost, what is not included, payment terms, and project duration. The 'not included' section saves more arguments than any other part of the bid. Clients assume ceilings, trim, and closets are included unless you explicitly say otherwise.
Provide the paint and charge a reasonable markup (10–20%). When clients buy their own paint, they often buy the wrong sheen, the wrong quantity, or a cheaper product than the job requires. You end up with coverage problems and they blame you. If you're sourcing the paint, you control the quality and margin. The exception: clients with a strong preference for a specific color or brand can bring the paint if they buy exactly what you specify.
Each color change adds time for cleaning equipment, reloading, and re-masking. If a client wants five different wall colors, note in the bid that each additional color beyond two adds $75–$150 depending on room size. Some painters include the first two colors and charge for each additional. The key is stating this in the bid so the client understands before committing to a 14-color scheme.
50% deposit to schedule, balance on last day of work. For larger jobs ($5,000+), a three-payment structure works: 30% to start, 30% at midpoint, 40% on completion. Never start without a deposit — materials cost is real and scheduling a crew against a phantom job is expensive. A client who refuses a standard 50% deposit for a $3,000 job is a red flag.
Exterior bids need more prep detail: power washing, scraping, caulking gaps, priming bare wood, and dealing with lead paint on older homes (which triggers disclosure requirements in most states). Weather contingencies should be noted — you can't paint in rain or below 50°F, so include a rescheduling clause. Exterior bids also need to specify which surfaces: siding, trim, fascia, soffits, and doors are often quoted separately.
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