Estimating, Equipment, and Jobsite Production
Estimating turns measurements into money, and production turns money into schedule.
Takeoff
Measure and compute net area; many firms deduct openings larger than 21 sq ft. Add waste: 5-10 percent for paint, 10-15 percent for wall covering. Apply labor units in sq ft per hour by method, and use your own company history rather than a generic number.
Price
Material plus labor with burden, equipment, overhead, and profit. Add contingency and price change orders separately.
Equipment and production
Maintain the airless: clean filters, store tips, protect the pump from freezing. Sequence the job: protect, prep, ceilings, walls, trim, then clean up.
Worked example: 3,000 sq ft, two coats, 250 sq ft per hour per coat. 6,000 / 250 = 24 labor hours; add 15 percent prep, about 3.6 hours, for 27.6 hours. Burdened labor at 45 dollars per hour is 1,242 dollars. Paint is 6,000 / 350 = 17.1, so 18 gallons at 45 dollars is 810 dollars. Subtotal 2,052 dollars; 10 percent overhead and 10 percent profit brings it to about 2,483 dollars.
Traps
- Bidding one coat.
- Leaving out masking and prep time.
- No waste factor.
- Forgetting equipment and cleanup.
- No contingency for unforeseen substrate repair.