How to Read a Painting Quote (and Why an Honoured Price Matters)

Two painting quotes can look similar and describe completely different jobs. One might include scraping, sanding, caulking and priming. The other might say "paint exterior" and nothing else. If you only compare the bottom lines, you can't tell which one you're really buying. Learning to read a quote is the quickest way to protect yourself from surprises. Here's what to look for, and what to ask when something isn't there.

Start with what's being painted

A good quote lists the surfaces. For an interior job, that means walls, ceilings, trim, baseboards, doors and any rooms by name. For an exterior job, that means siding, trim, fascia, soffits, doors, garage doors and anything else on the property. If a surface isn't listed, don't assume it's included. Ask directly, and have the answer written down.

Watch for vague language. "Paint the house" can mean everything or just the walls you can see from the street. Specific wording protects both sides, because everyone knows what the price covers.

Look for the prep, because that's the real work

Prep is where honest quotes and thin quotes part ways. Painting is the quick part. What decides how long the finish lasts is what happens before it. A solid quote should spell out the preparation, and it should match the condition of your surfaces.

• Cleaning the surfaces so paint can bond.
• Scraping loose or peeling paint on exterior work and wherever it's flaking inside.
• Sanding rough spots and glossy areas.
• Caulking gaps at trim, corners and joints.
• Repairing nail holes, minor drywall damage and, on exteriors, minor repairs to trim or boards.
• Patching and blending texture where a repair interrupts it.
• Priming bare, patched or problem areas before the finish coats.

If a quote skips most of these, ask why. Maybe your walls really don't need them. Or maybe the contractor plans to skip them and let you find out later. Either way, you'll know before work begins.

Check coats, primer and what happens to your belongings

Ask how many coats are included and whether primer is separate. A dark wall going light, or fresh patches, may need more than one coat to look even. That should be in the quote, not a discovery on day two.

Ask about furniture and floors, too. Who moves things away from the walls, and who covers floors and fixtures? Do the painters handle cleanup at the end of each day, and at the end of the job? Small details like these make the difference between a house that's livable during the work and one that isn't. One customer noted the crew was "very clean and careful, took good care of our furniture." That level of care starts as a line in the plan.

Timing and weather belong in the quote as well. A quote should give you a start window and a rough finish window. For exterior work, ask what happens if it rains or gets too hot, because weather will affect the schedule. A contractor who plans for that is easier to work with than one who says the weather won't matter.

Confirm the licence, bond and insurance

Ask for the contractor's licence number and whether they're bonded and insured, then check the licence yourself with the state. A professional won't mind. PNW Paint Company is licensed, bonded and insured, and our Washington contractor licence number is #PNWPAPC773BP. Get the same information from anyone else you're considering.

Why an honoured price matters more than a low one

A quote is only worth something if the contractor stands behind it. The scariest outcome in a painting job isn't a high price. It's a low one that grows. Extra charges show up halfway through, a surprise add-on appears, and the number you agreed to is gone.

That's why one of our customers' reviews means a lot to us. Josh Parmentier wrote: "I've used PNW Paint Company on more than one occasion, and every experience has been outstanding. They have always given me a fair price, and just as importantly, they've always honored the price they quoted with no surprises." A fair number you can rely on is the real prize.

Ask any contractor how they handle changes. If you discover rotten trim halfway through an exterior job, what happens? A good answer is that they'll talk to you first, explain the issue and agree on the added work in writing before doing it. Nothing should be added without your say-so.

A short checklist to take with you

• Every surface named, inside or out.
• The prep steps written out and matched to your surfaces.
• Coats and primer spelled out.
• Start window, finish window and a plan for bad weather.
• Licence number, bond and insurance confirmed.
• A clear process for changes, agreed in writing first.

Want a quote that spells everything out? See our interior painting page at /services/interior-painting, or our exterior painting page at /services/exterior-painting, then call PNW Paint Company at 509-494-3608 and we'll walk through your project.