Painting quote
Painting quote example for an exterior repaint
A painting quote should price preparation on its own, measure the main surfaces, and say how old paint and rotten timber will be handled. This example from a Brisbane painter quotes the exterior of a 1930s Queenslander at $11,730 including GST, with the weatherboards priced per square metre and the fence and deck as options.
The quote, page by page
Every page as the client sees it and as it prints, pricing table included.
The pricing, line by line
- Preparation
- 1 × $1,850.00
- Weatherboards
- 210 × $28.00
- Trims, windows and doors
- 1 × $2,400.00
- Eaves and gutters
- 1 × $1,600.00
- Front fence (optional)
- 1 × $780.00
- Rear deck oil (optional)
- 32 × $24.00
- Tax
- $1,066.36
- Total
- $11,730.00
- Deposit due on acceptance
- $1,173.00
Section by section
- Title and quote details
- Reference, date, a 30 day validity and the owners, under a letterhead with the QBCC licence number.
- Scope
- The house, the surfaces and coats, eight working days, four inclusions, and how lead paint is handled.
- Investment
- Preparation, weatherboards per square metre, trims and eaves, with the fence and deck oil as options, GST included.
- Terms
- Deposit and balance, weather delays, timber repairs, a 3 year workmanship warranty and validity.
- Next steps and acceptance
- Tick options, accept and sign, then the start date.
What separates a good painting quote
Painting quotes vary more than most trades because the hidden part of the job, preparation, varies so much. A quote that lists only colours and a total gives the homeowner no way to tell a careful job from a quick one. This quote puts preparation first and prices it alone, measures the weatherboards, names the number of coats and the finish, and splits the trims and eaves into their own lines. The Queensland building regulator lists painting defects as a leading cause of complaints, which is one reason the warranty in clause 4 is against peeling and flaking specifically, and the note about old paint deals with the safety issue that comes with houses of this age.
How the price adds up
Preparation is $1,850, the weatherboards are 210 square metres at $28, $5,880, trims, windows and doors $2,400, and eaves and gutters $1,600, a total of $11,730 including GST. The fence adds $780 and oiling 32 square metres of deck at $24 adds $768; with both the total is $13,278. The 10% deposit, $1,173, books the start date, and the balance is invoiced on completion. Clause 2 makes weather delays move the finish date rather than the price, which is fair to both sides on an outdoor job.
How to adapt this quote
Measure the main surfaces and price them per square metre, with the number of coats in the description. Keep preparation on its own line. If the house is old, plan for lead paint and say how you will handle it; it protects your workers, the family and the neighbours. Put your licence number in the letterhead where your state requires one, and check whether the job size triggers any contract or insurance requirements before you take a deposit. Offer the fence or deck as options, since owners often add them once they see the house looking new.
What makes this quote work
Preparation is priced separately
Preparation is its own $1,850 line: washing, scraping, sanding, filling, priming and protecting gardens. Most paint failures start with poor preparation, and a homeowner comparing quotes can see which painter has allowed for it.
The main surface is measured
Weatherboards are 210 square metres at $28, two coats over a primed surface. A cheaper quote that does not state the area or the number of coats cannot be compared, and this one makes that obvious.
Old paint is planned for
The warning note says pre 1970 paint often contains lead, that it will be tested before sanding, and that wet scraping and containment are used if lead is found at no change to the price. On a 1930s house that is the risk the owners should ask about first.
Questions people ask
What should a painting quote include?
The surfaces and their areas, preparation, the number of coats and the finish, colours, how long the job takes, how old paint and rotten timber are handled, optional extras, GST, the deposit and balance, weather delays, warranty and validity. This example covers each on three A4 pages for an exterior repaint.
How much does it cost to paint the outside of a house?
It depends on the area, the preparation and access. This example quotes $11,730 including GST for a timber Queenslander with 210 square metres of weatherboards at $28 a square metre, preparation at $1,850, trims at $2,400 and eaves and gutters at $1,600.
Why is preparation priced separately on a painting quote?
Because it is most of the work on an older house and decides how long the paint lasts. Pricing it alone, as this quote does at $1,850, lets the owner see what has been allowed for washing, scraping, sanding, filling and priming, and compare it with other quotes.
What happens if a painter finds lead paint?
They should change how they remove it. This quote tests before sanding, and if lead is found uses wet scraping and full containment instead of dry sanding, at no change to the price. Houses built before 1970 often have lead in the original paint layers.
Does a painter need a licence in Queensland?
For painting work in Queensland the contractor generally needs a QBCC painting and decorating licence, and the licence number should appear on the quote. This example shows it in the letterhead. Check the QBCC licence search before accepting a quote from any trade.
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