Estimating, Bidding, and Cost Management
Domain 3 tests quantity takeoff, pricing, bid assembly, and cost control for painting and decorating. The exam expects structured estimates, not single-number guesses.
Core rules
- Take off by substrate and coating system: walls, ceilings, trim, doors, metal, and special finishes. Include prep, masking, protection, and cleanup.
- Use production rates that match the crew, access, and surface. Separate spray, roll, and brush rates.
- Add labor burden for payroll taxes, insurance, benefits, and paid time off. Material quantities need coverage rates and waste.
- Include equipment, mobilization, overhead, profit, and a defined contingency. Do not hide contingency in a unit rate.
- For changes, price the actual added scope and document deductions fairly.
Worked example
An estimate covers 8,000 sq ft of wall, two coats, at 350 sq ft per gallon per coat. Material: 8,000 × 2 = 16,000 sq ft-coats; 16,000 ÷ 350 = 45.7 gallons; add 10% waste = 50.3 gallons; buy 5-gallon pails, so 11 pails (55 gallons). Labor: a two-coat rate of 200 sq ft per hour gives 8,000 ÷ 200 = 40 labor-hours. With 35% burden, that is 54 paid hours. The estimate must also carry prep and protection; otherwise the material math looks right while the job loses money.
Traps
- Pricing one coat when the specification requires two.
- Forgetting waste, pails, or tinting charges.
- Using bare wage rates without labor burden.
- Omitting prep and protection.
- Unbalanced bids that front-load early work.