Painting Estimate Calculator
Build an interior painting estimate from room dimensions and your own rates. Calculate paint, labor, overhead and profit, then copy the breakdown or use it in an Estiggle proposal. Free, with no sign-up to calculate.
Quick answer
A painting estimate adds paint, supplies and labor, then overhead and profit. This calculator measures each room, subtracts doors and windows, converts the area to gallons using your paint’s coverage, and prices the labor and profit, so you can see how every input changes the total.
Key points
- Enter each room in feet. Add the ceiling if you are painting it.
- Gallons are rounded up to whole gallons you can buy.
- Choose margin (the share of the price you keep) or markup (added to your cost) and see both prices.
- The starting numbers are an illustration, not market prices. Replace them with your own.
How the calculator works
Wall area. 2 × (length + width) × height, minus doors and windows. The example room: 2 × (14 + 11) × 9 = 450 sq ft, minus 51 sq ft of openings = 399 sq ft.
Gallons. Paintable area × coats ÷ coverage per gallon, rounded up: 399 × 2 ÷ 350 = 2.28, so 3 gallons.
Direct cost. Paint (3 × $40.00) plus supplies plus labor (8 hours × $40.00) = $490.00.
Overhead. A percentage of direct cost: 10% of $490.00 = $49.00, which makes $539.00 before profit.
Price. With a 20% margin, price = cost ÷ (1 − margin) = $673.75. As a markup, price = cost × (1 + markup) = $646.80.
The same example runs through how to write a painting estimate, step by step.
What the calculator leaves out
- Trim, doors, baseboards and cabinets, which take more time per square foot than open wall.
- Primer, stain blocker and specialty coatings, which have their own coverage and price.
- Sales tax, permits, travel and equipment rental.
- Surface condition and access, which change the labor hours. Time your own jobs to know your real rate.
Turn the calculation into a clear scope
List the surfaces, preparation, coats and exclusions before you send a price. The painting estimate template for Excel or Word gives you an editable document; the painting invoice template helps you show completed work, payments received and the balance due.
For a proposal your client can sign online, choose Use in proposal above and review the scope and price in your workspace. See how Estiggle connects painting estimates, signatures and invoices.
Questions
Is the painting estimate calculator free?
Yes. Calculating is free, needs no sign-up, and runs in your browser. If you choose Use in proposal, a temporary draft stays in this browser tab. The reviewed scope and price are sent to Estiggle when you save the proposal in your workspace.
How accurate is it?
It is as accurate as the numbers you enter. It does the arithmetic from your room sizes, coverage, rates and percentages. Check your measurements, and use the rated coverage for the paint you plan to buy.
What coverage per gallon should I enter?
Use the rated coverage on the paint’s data sheet. Paint makers commonly rate a gallon at about 350 to 400 sq ft per coat (Sherwin-Williams). Rough, porous or heavily patched surfaces take more paint.
What is the difference between margin and markup?
Markup is a percentage added to your cost. Margin is the share of the price you keep. A 20% markup gives a lower price than a 20% margin on the same cost. The calculator shows both, so you can see the difference.
Does it include trim, doors and cabinets?
No. It calculates walls and, if you choose, ceilings. Price trim, doors, baseboards and cabinets as their own lines, because they take more time per square foot than open wall.
How should I enter labor hours?
Enter the total hours worked by all painters, not the elapsed time on site. Two painters working four hours each means eight labor hours. Include preparation and cleanup in your hours. The calculator multiplies those hours by the labor cost per hour you enter; it does not predict how long the work will take.
Can I use it for a commercial painting estimate?
You can model rectangular interior rooms with your own measurements and rates. This is not a complete commercial painting estimator: it does not price lifts, access restrictions, specialty coatings or separate preparation tasks. Review those costs separately before quoting a commercial job.
Can I turn the result into a proposal?
Choose Use in proposal to carry the room scope and price into Estiggle, then sign in or create a workspace and review them before saving. Your internal cost breakdown is not included. You can also copy the summary or use the free painting estimate template.