What to put in a painting quote

Last updated Oct 22, 2026

The price is one line. The rest of the page decides whether you get paid it, or argue about closets in week two.

1. Header: who, where, which quote

Your business name, phone and address. Client name and job address. A quote number and date, so a callback finds the right version. PCA's proposal checklist asks for the contact details and job address. Licensed? Print the number: CSLB says a California contract should show it.

2. Scope: room by room, surface by surface

“Paint the downstairs” starts arguments. List each room, then each surface: walls, ceiling, trim, doors, windows, with coats and color. PCA's checklist also wants measurements or counts in the description.

Primary bedroom: walls, ceiling, trim, 2 doors, 2 windows (2 coats, SW 7015 Repose Gray)

One scope line from a Sheenbid quote. Extras get their own line: “Patch and paint 2 drywall repairs.”

3. Prep: say what you'll do

• Move and cover furniture and floors; protect fixtures and hardware.
• Fill nail holes and minor cracks, caulk gaps, spot-prime repairs.
• Daily tidy-up, full cleanup at the end.

Those are Sheenbid's default “Included” lines. Edit them per job. Heavy prep (wallpaper off, skim coat, stain blocking) is its own priced line.

4. Not included: write down what's out

Silence reads as “included.” PCA standard P23 lists items outside a painter's scope unless the contract names them. The ones that bite on a repaint:

• Closet interiors.
• Vents, grilles, switch plates.
• Cabinets and shelves.
• Furniture and floors.
• Door bottoms, and door tops out of view.
• Prefinished items.

P23 is written around specs and contract documents; your client hasn't read it. Put your own list on the quote. Sheenbid's: wallpaper removal, major drywall repair, lead-safe work in pre-1978 homes, moving pianos, safes or other heavy items.

5. Product, sheen, coats

Per surface: brand, product line, sheen, color, coats. “Two coats eggshell” invites a cheaper can. CSLB tells California homeowners a contract should describe products in detail, down to color and manufacturer model number. Say where primer goes, too: spot or full coat.

6. Price, deposit, payment terms

One total for the scope. Then the deposit to schedule, the balance and when it's due, how they can pay, and any late fee. PCA's checklist asks for a payment schedule, accepted methods and late-payment fees.

Deposit rules vary by state. California caps a home improvement down payment at $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, with no exception for special-order materials (CSLB). On the sample quote below, Sheenbid's default 10% deposit is $337, under California's $337.50 cap. Sheenbid rounds deposits down, so they never pass the percent you set. Set yours to what your state allows.

7. Days on site

Estimated days and a start window. PCA's checklist says pad the timeline for weather, supply problems and other delays. Sheenbid prints crew days from your hours and crew size.

8. Changes: priced and signed before the work

Client adds the hallway on day two? Price it, write it, get it signed, then paint it. In California, CSLB says any change to price or scope must be a written change order signed by both sides before the change. Sheenbid's quote ends: “Price covers the scope above. Any change is quoted in writing before work starts.”

9. Valid-until date

Paint prices and your calendar move. A valid-until date stops a six-month-old number coming back. Sheenbid defaults to 30 days; change it in settings.

10. Signatures

A signature and date line for the client, and one for you. Keep a signed copy. California requires a written contract for home improvement jobs over $500 (CSLB).

Pre-1978 homes: the lead pamphlet

EPA's RRP rule: anyone paid to disturb paint in a home, child care facility or preschool built before 1978 must be certified, sole proprietors included, and follow lead-safe work practices. Before work starts, give the owner and occupants EPA's Renovate Right pamphlet and document it. EPA's small-entity guide: the job must start within 60 days of delivery; keep records three years. Some states run their own program.

On the quote: ask the build year, and say whether lead-safe work is included and priced.

Signed at the client's kitchen table?

The FTC Cooling-Off Rule gives buyers three days to cancel certain sales made at their home, including when they invited the seller in; in-home sales under $25 aren't covered. Where it applies, the seller must tell the buyer about the right to cancel and hand over two copies of a cancellation form. There are exceptions (emergencies, deals finished at your place of business, sales made entirely by phone or online), and some states add more. Check whether it covers your jobs.

Not legal advice. Rules differ by state and city: check yours.

Get the number right first: room price calculator or the full price calculator. The whole bid: how to bid a paint job. Price by margin: margin vs markup. Rather a spreadsheet? Free estimate template.

Sources

1. PCA blog, by Estimate Rocket: Job Estimate Best Practices Checklist (Oct 2023; fetched 2026-10-22)
2. PCA Standard P23: Implied Exclusions from Scope of Work (PDF; fetched 2026-10-22)
3. California CSLB: What is a Contract? (fetched 2026-10-22)
4. EPA: Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program (updated Jun 17, 2026; fetched 2026-10-22)
5. EPA: RRP Program Work Practices (updated Dec 9, 2025; fetched 2026-10-22)
6. EPA: Small Entity Compliance Guide to Renovate Right (PDF, Mar 2026; fetched 2026-10-22)
7. FTC: Buyer's Remorse: The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule May Help (fetched 2026-10-22)