How to Estimate a Home Painting Job

Estimating a home painting job isn't rocket science. You can estimate the cost of the job before you start so you know what your investment is likely to be. But you also can check a contractor's estimate. To know if an estimate a contractor has given you for a paint job is consistent with the marketplace, you can do a rough estimate of the painting job yourself, using the calculator in the Resources section. It's a simple matter of measuring, determining the cost of the supplies and letting the numbers speak for themselves.

Tape measure
Room Paint Quantity and Cost Calculator in Resources

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the walls. Use a tape measure to determine the length and height of each wall in feet.
- 2
  Multiply the height by the length of each wall to get the square footage of each wall.
- 3
  Add the total square footage of all four walls to arrive at the approximate square footage of the room.
- 4
  Indicate the number and type of window or doorway, if any, on each wall. Do not measure these openings; the conversion chart factors these sizes in, based on an estimate of standard-size windows and doors.
- 5
  Determine the type and cost of the paint you plan to use; include primer, if necessary. From the label on the paint container, ascertain the square feet of coverage for the can of paint.
- 6
  Decide how many coats of paint and primer you need.
- 7
  Determine the estimated amount of time it will take to apply the paint.
- 8
  Plug the above figures into the Room Paint Quantity and Cost Calculator for the answer.

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