The 21-Point Painting Quote Checklist
- Customer and property details
- Rooms and surfaces included
- Approximate dimensions
- Existing surface condition
- Furniture moving responsibility
- Floor and furniture protection
- Filling and sanding allowance
- Caulking and minor repairs
- Stain, damp or mould treatment
- Primer or mist coat
- Number of finish coats
- Walls, ceilings and woodwork separated
- Paint brand and product range
- Colour-change assumptions
- Materials supplied by each party
- Access and parking
- Start date and estimated duration
- Working hours
- Waste and cleaning
- Exclusions and variation process
- Deposit, due date and quote expiry
Example Room Breakdown
| Section | Example scope |
|---|---|
| Preparation | Protect floor, fill minor holes, sand and spot-prime |
| Ceiling | Two coats white matt |
| Walls | Two coats durable matt in one agreed colour |
| Woodwork | Prepare, undercoat and one finish coat |
| Excluded | Damp treatment, major plaster repair and furniture removal |
Price the Preparation, Not Just the Paint
Preparation can use more labour than applying the finish. Inspect cracks, peeling coatings, new plaster, stains and damaged woodwork before fixing the price. Use an allowance or provisional item where the condition cannot be confirmed. Quoting software for tradesmen makes it easy to note a provisional item on site and turn this checklist straight into a sendable quote.
Define Materials Properly
Name the expected product quality and whether colour changes or premium finishes cost extra. If the customer supplies paint, explain delays or extra coats caused by insufficient or unsuitable products.
Good scope wording: “Price includes two finish coats. Additional coats required because of a major colour change will be treated as a variation with customer approval.”
Common Exclusions
- Major plaster repairs
- Active damp or mould remediation
- Wallpaper removal unless listed
- Moving heavy furniture
- Scaffolding or specialist access
- Work behind fixed fittings
Why This Wins Better Jobs
A customer is comparing risk as well as price. A professional itemised quote shows what will happen, which products will be used and how changes are handled. That makes a sustainable price easier to trust. See our full painting and decorating quote example for how to present the whole job, not just this checklist.
Measuring a Room for a Painting Quote
A consistent measuring method makes your quotes accurate and easy to explain. For walls, multiply the perimeter of the room by the ceiling height, then deduct large openings such as windows and doors. For ceilings, multiply length by width. Price woodwork separately — skirting and architrave by the linear metre, doors and windows per item — because it takes far longer per square metre than walls.
Colour Changes and Dark Colours
Going from a dark colour to a light one, or covering a strong feature wall, often needs an extra coat or a stain-blocking primer. State the number of coats in the quote and note that strong colour changes are priced with an extra coat. This prevents disputes when the second coat doesn't fully cover and the customer expected it to.
Exterior Work: Weather and Access
Exterior decorating depends on dry weather and suitable temperatures, and often needs ladders, a tower or scaffolding. Put access equipment on its own line, and explain how weather delays are handled — for example, that days lost to rain move the finish date rather than adding cost. Customers accept delays far more easily when they've been warned in writing.
Timelines and Drying Times
Each coat needs time to dry before the next, and some products need longer than others. Build these gaps into your stated duration so the customer isn't surprised to see you leave a room half-finished overnight. A realistic timeline on the quote is one of the simplest ways to look more professional than competitors who promise everything in a day.
Offer a Good, Better and Best Option
For larger jobs, offering two or three specifications helps the customer choose without going elsewhere. For example: walls and ceilings only; walls, ceilings and woodwork; or a full redecoration with premium paint and extra preparation. Describe exactly what changes between each option, so the customer understands what the higher price buys.
Follow Up After Sending
Many decorating quotes are won or lost after they're sent. A short, polite message a few days later — asking whether the customer has any questions — wins more work than most tradespeople expect, because so few of them do it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a painter and decorator quote include?
It should define surfaces, preparation, number of coats, products, materials, access, exclusions, timing, payment terms and how extra work is approved.
Should paint be included in a decorating quote?
Either approach can work, but the quote should state who supplies each product and the assumed quality, quantity and colour.
How long should a painting quote remain valid?
Many tradespeople use a defined validity period such as 14 or 30 days so labour and material prices can be reviewed afterward.
How do you measure a room for a painting quote?
Multiply the room perimeter by the ceiling height for the wall area, then deduct large openings such as windows and doors. Measure ceilings by length times width, and price woodwork separately by the linear metre or per item.
Why do dark colour changes cost more to paint?
Covering a dark or strong colour often needs an extra coat or a stain-blocking primer to get an even finish. That adds materials and time, so a good quote states the number of coats and prices strong colour changes accordingly.
Should a decorating quote include moving furniture?
It should say clearly either way. Many decorators move and cover light furniture as part of the job, but exclude heavy items, fragile items and full room clearance unless agreed and priced.
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