How much will it cost for a commercial painter?
To keep tenants satisfied, facility managers must maintain the interior of office buildings. Individual unit residents are often responsible for their maintenance and decoration. Whether you are a facility manager or a business owner, the cost of painting has an impact on your bottom line.
Any pricing we discuss here is for fast reference only and reflects our pricing realities at this time. This blog in no way represents our price list. When the time comes to choose a commercial painting contractor, we recommend that you contact us for a more exact quotation. Before preparing a quote, professional estimators gather a lot of information.
- Are there any major repairs required?
- What colours do you have in mind?
- Is there a colour change? How many coats?
- Are we painting highlight walls?
- What about the doors and other trim?
Other questions are more general and have nothing to do with the scope of work.
- Can we paint during business hours?
- Is the office centrally located?
- Do you have parking spaces accessible for clients and contractors?
- Does the building have a loading elevator?
- What is your preferred timeline?
- Is the space empty or heavily occupied?
- Do you want the painters to move the furniture?
- What about specialized systems furniture?
- Are we coordinating the office painting with carpet installers?
- Are there security considerations?
How Do Commercial Painters Estimate?
Painting is a service, not a commodity. There is no standard pricing, like with most services. Every company hires painters of different skill levels, has different qualifications and insurance, and, of course, wants to be profitable. While price estimates vary, most established painting companies are within 20% of each other’s price.
Is an expensive estimate a guarantee of a good job? It is sometimes, but it is not always the case. A good estimator is up to date on the company’s overhead statistics and the painters’ output rates. Most painting businesses have low net profit margins. Pricing low on a few large contracts can put most contractors in financial danger.
Five Steps for Calculating the Price
- Measure units, linear feet, and square feet with precision.
- Quantify prep work and clean-up
- Calculate the time (hours) it will take based on historical production rates
- Multiply the hours by the company’s hourly rate*
- Calculate paint quantity based on their spreading rates. Include any equipment that was rented especially for this project.
*The hourly rate covers painters’ salaries, payroll contributions, overhead costs, and the targeted net profit.
How much does it cost per square foot to paint a commercial office?
When referring to “price per square foot,” keep in mind that this refers to painted surfaces instead of floor area. It is a common misconception that floor measurements should be used for estimates. Even though some clients and general contractors request it, this is incorrect. Each space contains unique elements that should be measured and counted.
How Many Square Feet Can a Professional Painter Paint in an Hour?
A professional painter can paint 150 square feet in one hour, based on industry averages and our own experience. Imagine the wall surface of an office with dimensions of 14′ length and 14′ width and an 8′ ceiling height. The painting surface is 448 square feet. The painter will need roughly 3 hours based on the above averages.
What is the labor cost per square foot?
Contractors who specialize in office painting charge between $50 and $65 per hour. If we assume an hourly rate of $60, the labor cost for the above task is just over 40 cents per hour.
What is the cost of paint and prep supplies per square foot?
Aside from labor, other job expenses include paint/primer and prep supplies. Different manufacturers produce various types and grades of paint. One gallon of paint covers 300 to 450 square feet of surface, depending on the porosity of the substrate and the quality of the paint. Commercial paints, such as Benjamin Moore’s Ultraspec-500, cost around $40 per gallon and cover 400 square feet. Prep goods and sundries for a typical office are around $15.
How Much Does it Cost to Paint an Average-Sized Office?
According to the above, painting the walls costs 0.46 cents per square foot, including labor and materials. One coat of paint for the above space will cost around $206. Keeping in mind that this number is simply for debate, please keep the following in mind for more accurate estimations:
- For an extra coat, double the measures.
- Doors and baseboards are priced differently (see below).
- Moving furniture and repairing walls will increase labor time.
- Custom work includes specialty coatings such as dry-erase whiteboard paint.
- Large window walls in some offices might be excluded from the cost.
How Much Does it Cost to Paint Boardrooms or Bathrooms?
After learning the basics of measuring for painting, any room may be estimated using the same technique. Boardrooms are just larger rooms that serve a different function. Some clients request that we paint a feature wall in an accent color. Accent colors raise the price of the room by around 15%.
Other clients want a dry-erase wall. Whiteboard paint is a specialized epoxy finish with specific instructions. Inquire with your contractor if they offer this service.
Smaller but more challenging to paint are bathrooms. Aside from surface measuring, other factors influence the cost. Ask your contractor about boardroom or bathroom painting costs.
How Much Does it Cost to Paint Doors and Trim?
The doors and trim are not usually painted at the same time as the walls. They are painted with semi-gloss or satin paint, which is more resistant to wear and tear than wall paint. Another reason not to paint the doors is to save money. Trim painting is more time-consuming and costly. Painters rarely estimate the size of doors because most of them come in standard sizes and styles. It is more practical to count them and price them by the unit. Office baseboards are typically constructed of vinyl or carpet. Wood baseboards are occasionally found.
- Flush (flat) Doors $80-$100.
- Steel Doors $90-$120.
- French Doors $220 – $280
- Raised panel doors $120-$150
Some doors require more preparation than others, particularly those that are damaged or peeling.
Call JXF Painting Service at (647) 889-7967 for a complete proposal and a specific price for your project. A representative from our company will carefully estimate your project and offer you a complete proposal.
We believe that before inviting painting contractors to bid, facility managers should consider prequalifying them. By eliminating administrative work, you will be able to focus on what is important to you and your organization during the bidding process. Please consider adding JXF Painting Service to your list of eligible bidders.