# Square Foot Estimating



## chipster (Dec 31, 2007)

I want to get a feel on what different folks charge per square foot to get a feel. Does by the square foot mean per coat, include prep, include paint, etc. 

Also do you charge extra for trim, by the linear foot, or is it lumped into your square foot figure. 

Do you adjust your square foot figures depending on the texture of the walls?


----------



## timhag (Sep 30, 2007)

********, you are opening up a can of worms with this post. You may want to look at previous threads. I am sure you will find what you are looking for.


----------



## Brian (Apr 10, 2007)

******** said:


> I want to get a feel on what different folks charge per square foot to get a feel. Does by the square foot mean per coat, include prep, include paint, etc.


A square foot of what? I charge a different price per square foot of ceiling vs. a square foot of wall.



******** said:


> Also do you charge extra for trim, by the linear foot, or is it lumped into your square foot figure.


Trim is extra, depending upon what it is.



******** said:


> Do you adjust your square foot figures depending on the texture of the walls?


Yes.

Timhag is right, do a search and read old posts. 

Brian Phillips


----------



## iPaint (Nov 30, 2007)

I guess I should also be encouraging you to do a search, but I have to give my 2c anyhow!

I don't wish to divulge my more complex estimating formula which separates wall, ceiling, trim, and doors/windows and is based on wall square footage calculations. But a friend of mine in this area who paints for a new-home contractor simply charges $3 per square foot based on FLOOR area. So if a house has a 2,000 sq. ft floor area, he charges $6,000 for everything: labor, supplies, and paint.

It's nicely simplistic, but it's lousy for trying to determine how much paint you'll need. Also, if trim and doors were already up, as in a re-paint, he might screw himself if there were a lot of trim and doors to paint and cut around. But in a new-home scenario, spraying the trim and doors before is where they save their time, which makes their estimating system the way to go in this situation.

Sorry, can't help you much with re-paint advice (some secrets are meant to be, don't you know...).


----------



## The paint whisperer (Oct 18, 2007)

I only do repaint.
I don't charge per Sqft . And I am not plan on doing it in the near future either.


----------



## CobraCDN (Jan 8, 2008)

We base our charge on floor footage (materials and labor included), this does not include ceilings nor does it include railings. We base our rate on 2-1/4" casings and base. It does include doors. Repaints we may juggle depending on the damage.

As far as estimating how much paint you need? Well simply do a board count. and take away the floor and ceiling. Average house will take us about 20 mins to do a complete board count at the framing stage. When you have been doing it for as long as I have I can walk into a repaint room by rooms and I just know what each room will require. I'm sure most of you can do that also.

Our best money is Texturing (Spay and hand). Profit is 3 times the amount that painting is.
Cheers


----------



## Housepainter (Jan 6, 2008)

I convert everything to SqFt and then apply factors that provide for gal of paint and labor for each area being painted. The factor float based upon coats of paint.


----------



## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

Sq Ft pricing does not take nearly enough information to be accurate enough for me
I suppose new const. is different, but for re-paints it just doesn't work well

I do take wall/surface sq. ft. measurements to zero in on product amounts, and use that to figure the bid


----------



## Wing 54 (Jan 3, 2008)

I never thought of the "Sq. Ft. of what?" concept. Very true because flat cielings can go lot faster than vaults. Walls the same.

:thumbup:


----------



## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

We do some estimating based on square footage to get preliminary budgets established on large projects. However, not all square feet are created equal. I would not want to live or die by it.


----------

