Free painting quote calculator for contractors
Price a painting job in seconds: enter the wall area to paint, your material and labor cost per square foot and your markup. Free, nothing to sign up for.
Use feet or meters (sq ft or m²), the same in every box.
Quote total, before tax
Your own rates, your own currency.
Want the real quote, done for you?
This is a rough number. Vorkeon builds the full painting quote from one sentence:
- Materials with waste, and crew time from your own pace
- Current prices from building-supply stores near the job
- A clean PDF with your logo that the customer signs on their phone
- Then the invoice, reminders and your crew's hours, in one app
What drives the price of a painting job
- Prep work. Patching, sanding, caulking and masking can take longer than the painting.
- Number of coats. Big color changes or new drywall often need primer plus two coats.
- Ceiling height. Tall walls and stairwells need ladders, planks or scaffolding.
- Trim, doors and ceilings. These are slower than open walls and are often priced on their own.
- Paint quality. Better paint costs more per can but can cover in fewer coats.
- Furniture and occupied rooms. Moving and covering contents adds time.
A worked example
Example only, made-up numbers, not a price guide. 1,200 sq ft of wall area, two coats, with paint and supplies at 0.50 and labor at 1.50 per sq ft: 1,200 × 2.00 = 2,400. Add 10 doors at 60 each (600) for 3,000. With 30% markup the quote is 3,900 before sales tax. Your local paint prices and labor rates will be different.
What to put in your painting quote
- Rooms or walls included, and the area of each
- Prep steps: patching, sanding, caulking, priming
- Paint brand, sheen and the number of coats
- Whether ceilings, trim, doors and closets are included
- Who moves furniture and covers floors
- Colors confirmed by the customer, in writing
Prices vary by region and change over time: use your own supplier prices and labor rates. Updated October 30, 2026.
Painting quoting questions
How do I work out wall area to paint?
Add up the length of the walls, multiply by the ceiling height, then take out big openings like large windows and garage doors. Many painters leave small doors and windows in to cover the extra cutting-in time.
How much paint does a room need?
Check the coverage on the can, often around 350 to 400 sq ft per gallon per coat on smooth walls. Divide your wall area by that, multiply by the number of coats, and round up.
How do I price a painting job?
Multiply the wall area to paint by your material and labor cost per square foot, then add your markup to cover overhead and profit. Add tax on top when you send the quote.
What markup should I use?
Use the markup that covers your overhead (vehicle, insurance, tools, office) and leaves the profit you want. Many contractors land between 15% and 35%, but your own costs decide it.
Is anything saved or sent?
No. The maths runs in your browser. Nothing you type leaves your phone or computer.