How Painting Contractor Determines Cost of Painting House Exterior
As you consult with painting contractor after painting contractor you have to wonder if they don’t just go back to their truck and shake a magic 8 ball and give you a number. It might seem that way, but it is not the case at all. How a painting contractor determines the cost of painting a house exterior depends on several aspects.
An exception to all estimation rules will be for much older houses and restoration homes. The house might need to be set level on it’s foundation or might have coats of lead paint that need to be stripped in a certain way. Houses like that are outside the scope of this article.
Repainting an existing house will most always be more expensive than painting new construction. The amount of preparation necessary for a quality job is much greater for repainting. The walls may need to be sanded and primed so the new paint will adhere properly. Fresh paint will make blemishes in the walls show up when they were invisible on the old paint. Extra coats of paint may be necessary if you are covering a dark color with a lighter one.
A painting company will come up with a system that yields consistent results. There will always be room for some leeway however.
• Smaller painting contractors. Don’t underestimate the small painting contractor. They tend to take on each contract as if it were their own house. They give a lot of attention to detail and use a unique method of estimation. They know the speed of their crew and can look at a wall and see time, not square feet. To them a 40 by 40 wall with two windows and a door is X number of man hours and will produce you an estimate with the paint and caulk from that. It sounds primitive and arbitrary but they are amazingly accurate.
• Larger painting contractors. Large painting contractors do things a little differently. With their size, they have to be very consistent for legal reasons. They use the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America guidelines. The organization has been around since 1931 and their guild is used for estimation. The guild formula considers many different factors including:
• Windows and Doors. These effect the price because of the extra time and expense of caulking and the trim work involved.
An exception to all estimation rules will be for much older houses and restoration homes. The house might need to be set level on it’s foundation or might have coats of lead paint that need to be stripped in a certain way. Houses like that are outside the scope of this article.
Repainting an existing house will most always be more expensive than painting new construction. The amount of preparation necessary for a quality job is much greater for repainting. The walls may need to be sanded and primed so the new paint will adhere properly. Fresh paint will make blemishes in the walls show up when they were invisible on the old paint. Extra coats of paint may be necessary if you are covering a dark color with a lighter one.
A painting company will come up with a system that yields consistent results. There will always be room for some leeway however.
• Smaller painting contractors. Don’t underestimate the small painting contractor. They tend to take on each contract as if it were their own house. They give a lot of attention to detail and use a unique method of estimation. They know the speed of their crew and can look at a wall and see time, not square feet. To them a 40 by 40 wall with two windows and a door is X number of man hours and will produce you an estimate with the paint and caulk from that. It sounds primitive and arbitrary but they are amazingly accurate.
• Larger painting contractors. Large painting contractors do things a little differently. With their size, they have to be very consistent for legal reasons. They use the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America guidelines. The organization has been around since 1931 and their guild is used for estimation. The guild formula considers many different factors including:
• Windows and Doors. These effect the price because of the extra time and expense of caulking and the trim work involved.
• Square footage. This one is very self-explanatory. It is the wall space that will need to be painted and the time and material to do that.
• Linear feet. Trim is estimated by the linear foot. That seems pretty straight forward, the more trim you have the more it will cost.
• Height. The higher the house, the more it will cost. Under the PDCA, it costs more to paint high than low because of the use of ladders and scaffolding. As you might imagine, the use of ladders and scaffolding can make a company’s liability insurance go up a good deal They also must plan for the additional time required for handling the ladders.
• Bushes. Yes, the PCDA suggest that more is charged when bushes get in the way. It does not matter if they a hollies or tomatoes plants, the excess is charged not to damage them.
• Screened porches and decks. This is a whole new world. There are a variety of ways that screened porches and decks will add to the bill because they are difficult to paint.
Estimation can be an art or a science. Either way there is a method to each painting contractor’s bid. Take the time to know where the number they give you comes from. Is administrative cost extra or is that built into labor? What about paint and primer? What about guarantees and testimonials? Who have they worked for before? These are all questions you can ask. An informed owner is a smart owner. A quality contractor should be very happy to explain to you what you are paying for and ensure that you will not be hit with any unforeseen or hidden fees. Use the information you learn to make an intelligent evaluation of what is right for you.
If you are unsure about the painting contractors and companies in your area and who is best qualified for your house exterior painting project, then be sure to check out our online directory.
Estimation can be an art or a science. Either way there is a method to each painting contractor’s bid. Take the time to know where the number they give you comes from. Is administrative cost extra or is that built into labor? What about paint and primer? What about guarantees and testimonials? Who have they worked for before? These are all questions you can ask. An informed owner is a smart owner. A quality contractor should be very happy to explain to you what you are paying for and ensure that you will not be hit with any unforeseen or hidden fees. Use the information you learn to make an intelligent evaluation of what is right for you.
If you are unsure about the painting contractors and companies in your area and who is best qualified for your house exterior painting project, then be sure to check out our online directory.