How do I estimate paint for a room?

Author: Lonie Barrows  |  Last update: Monday, February 23, 2026

Divide the paintable wall area by 425 (the square-foot coverage in each gallon can) to find the number of gallons of paint you need for the walls. You can round uneven numbers; if the remainder is less than . 5, order a couple of quarts of wall paint to go with the gallons; if the remainder is more than .

How much paint is needed for a 12x12 room calculator?

How much paint do I need for a 12x12 room? For a 12x12 room with average 8-foot ceilings, you will need approximately 1.5 gallons of paint.

How to give a painting estimate?

When thinking about how to write a painting estimate for a job, be sure to include:
  1. A detailed outline of the project scope.
  2. A breakdown of paint and materials.
  3. The total cost, including labor, materials, overhead, and profit margin.
  4. An expiration date for the estimate.

What is the average cost to paint a 12x12 room?

Painters charge $400 to $1,000 per room on average, depending on the size. The average cost to paint a 12x12 room is $400 to $950.

How do you bid a room to paint?

Bidding on a paint job begins with inspecting the site to measure the walls and find any damage or other problem areas. Use the square footage to find the amount of paint and other materials you'll need. Estimate the labor costs of the job and add your overhead and profit margin to the final estimate.

How to Estimate Interior Paint Jobs

What is the formula for painting pricing?

(Height x Width) × Price per square inch

This formula is used for flat, two-dimensional work, like paintings, prints and drawings.

What are the 7 steps to estimate a painting job?

How to Estimate Painting Jobs
  • Measure Paintable Area. Begin by measuring the area you're planning to paint. ...
  • Calculate Paint Costs. ...
  • Calculate Painting Materials Costs. ...
  • Calculate Labor Costs. ...
  • Lead Paint Testing and Removal. ...
  • Prep Work. ...
  • Specialty Painting.

How do I quote a room for paint?

Some contractors use a rough base rate of $1.50 or $2.00 per square foot, some multiply 4 to 6 times the paint cost, some estimate the time the job will take and add it to an estimate of materials—and some may simply offer the lowest price to outbid the competition.

How long does it take a painter to paint a 12x12 room?

A professional painter can cover 150 to 350 square feet per hour with surface prep included. On average, painting a 12x12 bedroom with 9-foot ceilings takes a professional painter 2-4 hours.

Do I need to prime walls before painting?

Wall surfaces like drywall, masonry and wood are porous. If you don't use primer, they can absorb paint unevenly. You might end up adding more coats of paint than you planned to.

How many sq ft does a 5 gallon bucket of paint cover?

Q: How many square feet does a 5-gallon bucket of paint cover? A: A 5-gallon bucket of paint can cover up to 2000 square feet of space.

Do painters charge by wall square footage?

Most professional painters charge $1.50-$3.50sq/ft for painting interior spaces. You can expect that price to go higher when you factor in specific add-ons like trim or walls. Painting your home is a very labor-intensive task that requires experience, knowledge, and skill.

What is the formula for calculating paint?

Formula of Paint Calculator

Step 2: Calculate windows and doors area i.e 20*2+15*2=70 sqaure feet where windows is 15 feet wide and doors are 20 feet. Step 3 Now substract unpainted area i.e 420-70=350 square feet. Step 4: Divide that number by 350 i.e 350/350=1 gallon of paint needed to paint interiors od room.

How many coats of primer?

You will want to use 2-3 coats of primer to ensure there is a good bond between the new paint and the wall, and also to cover up any previous colors, especially if they are red, orange, or a strange outdated color. In short, you will typically need 2 coats of primer for most painting projects.

What is the easiest way to estimate?

The general rule for estimating is to look at the digit to the right of the digit you want to estimate. Estimating or rounding to the nearest whole number means looking at the digit to the right of the decimal. If you see a digit greater than 5, round up, and if it's less than 5, round down.

What is a good quote for painting?

“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.” – Pablo Picasso. “Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.” – Stella Adler.

How to calculate painting cost?

The following factors need to be considered while calculating the painting cost:
  1. Surface Area. Take a measurement of the surface to be painted. ...
  2. Type of Paint. ...
  3. Coverage Rate Of Paint. ...
  4. Number Of Coats Required. ...
  5. Price Of The Paint. ...
  6. Cost Of Labour. ...
  7. Clean Up. ...
  8. Cost Of Equipment.

How do I price my painting?

Multiply the painting's width by its length to arrive at the total size, in square inches. Then multiply that number by a set dollar amount that's appropriate for your reputation. I currently use $6 per square inch for oil paintings. Then calculate your cost of canvas and framing, and then double that number.

How to charge per square inch?

To calculate the price-per-square-inch of a work of art is simple: you multiply the length of the piece by its width to get the number of square inches, and then you divide the price of the piece by the number of square inches. (You can also use united inches instead of square inches.)

How do you bid painting?

This leads to more accurate estimates.
  1. Measure the Square Footage Accurately.
  2. Determine the Type of Paint Needed.
  3. Calculate the Amount and Cost of Paint Required.
  4. Estimate Equipment Rental Expenses.
  5. Estimate the Time Required to Paint Each Area.
  6. Calculate Labor Costs Based on Hourly Rates.
  7. Add Business Insurance Costs.

How do painters set their price for job?

Total labor cost ÷ total square footage

For example, if your total labor cost is $960 and the total square footage of the job is 1,200 square feet, the labor cost per square foot would be: $960 ÷ 1,200 = $0.80 per square foot.

Can you negotiate with painters?

To get quality work with high-quality paint, you'll likely need to up your budget and spend more than the lowest quote you received. Negotiating with your painter is excellent to ensure you get the best bang for your buck, but nothing beats paying for quality work.

How much should I get paid to paint a room?

The price rates to professionally paint a room can be calculated in a few different ways. Generally, painters in the U.S. charge between $25 and $100 per hour or between $1.50 and $3.50 per square foot. If you're painting baseboards, trim, and more, you can expect to pay $3 to $4 per square foot.

Previous article
Should ice maker be up or down?
Next article
What is better than fiberglass?