Can you paint my room?

Can you paint my room? 

Well that depends, can you afford to paint your room?  It is the New Year and I was given my monthly motivational talk by one of my coaches, with every post he asks me, WHAT ARE YOU SELLING? 

Here goes, the first one is always free.  

I will teach you how to speak painter today.

By the time you finish reading this you will be confident enough to do the following:

1. Talk intelligently to a painting professional.

2. Articulate your desire to have a room painted in a manner that you could receive multiple bids and equally compare them.

3. Learn to properly scope a job and ensure that both your interests and the interest of the painting contractor are covered.

So lets begin. 

A square foot is defined as length multiplied by width.  Lets say we have 10x10 room that we want painted, well that’s 100 square feet correct?

Give me a price to paint 100 square foot room.

Wrong.

Here is how you go about doing it.

First - Define the area in the space, there are three major components, Walls, Ceiling and Trim.  Lets dive into the details

• Ceiling Area - The ceiling area is just what it says it is.  In a 10x10 room the ceiling area is 100 square feet.  What affects the price to paint the ceiling is another question, here are some things to consider: Is there crown molding, are the ceiling heights above 8 feet, is there texture, is the ceiling vaulted, is the ceiling color dark, are there stains?  

• Wall Area - The wall area of a room is calculated as follows, wall length multiplied by height.  So in our room, if the walls are 10 feet tall, and there are 4 walls, the total square footage is 400 square feet. The things that can affect the price of wall paint are similar to those that affect ceiling. The biggest factor is the texture on the walls and if there is patch work that will need to be done.  Textured walls are the worst, and most disagreements between homeowners and contractors occur as a result of not being able to exactly match the texture.  I will go into drywall at some other time, I have a lot to say about this topic as well.  

• Trim Area - the trim area is defined not in square footage but rather linear feet.  So in our 10x10 room we would typically have 40 linear feet of baseboard, at least one door, and a window.  For demonstration purposes, I am making this really simple.  Of all of the painting, trim painting is the trickiest, when done well it looks flawless, otherwise, well, we have all see the hinges in doors that have 20 coats of paint on them. 

Second - Define the paint.  Wait, all I wanted was a room painted, why so many questions? Because all of the decisions affect not on the quality of the job, but the cost. Factors such as brand, quality, color and finish affect the cost of any paint project, having these items nailed down prior to starting will help in ensuring you get the best job possible. So lets dive in.

• Types of paint - I know I will get comments from other contractors for this but I will say it anyway.  Paint comes in 5 basic formulas - Latex, Acrylic, Oil/Enamel , Water/Enamel and Lacquer.  Each has its advantages and disadvantages, I will create a separate discussion for each type and application at another time, but for our 10x10 room, we will focus on 2 types, latex and water based enamel.  

• Paint finish - Gloss, Semi-gloss, eggshell, satin, flat, matte, pearl. Each of these finish types will affect the cost of the project, everything from the type of primer to use and the number of coats will come into play.  So to say, oh just paint the walls; it ain’t that simple.  A good rule of thumb is as follows, flat walls look great but are a bitch to keep clean and touch ups are nearly impossible. 

• Color - Ah color, my favorite.  Just paint the walls white, again, not so simple.  There are hundred of shades of white and each one is affected by the light in the space.  Are the walls dark and going to be changed to light, or vice versa?  Color has a huge impact on the price, getting color right is the first step in getting the best value for your money.

• Application Method - Roll, spray, brush, sponge, faux.  Each method again will determine what the end result will look like.  On walls, roll looks great and is the most cost effective.  Spraying trim and doors look better, but the prep cost and material will drive the price up.  As long as you have reasonable expectations the chances of disappointment diminish.  In this example we will use brush finish for trim and doors and roll for the walls.  

Third -  preparation of the space. Seems simple right, just paint the walls.  Here is where it gets fuzzy, who will move the stuff that is in the room, and who will move it back.  Space preparation also comes into how hard will it be to work in the space, is it easy to get access to the space, first floor, second floor, elevator, basement, you get the point.  Then comes the floor covering, will it be builders paper or Ramboard, or will it be drop cloths, each of these options has a price associated with it and each has it benefits and drawbacks.  Again, this will be expanded upon in another post.  

Ok, so now that we have that out of the way, what would you say to the painter to get a price on painting the 10x10 room?

Cue dramatic music: I will need a price to paint my room with the following criteria.

Area: Ceiling

Brand: Sherwin Williams

Product family: Emerald - Latex

Color: Extra White SW 7006

Finish: Flat

Area: Walls

Brand: Sherwin Williams

Product family: Emerald - Latex

Color: Spare White 6203

Finish: Eggshell

Area: Trim

Brand: Sherwin Williams

Product family: Pro Classic Interior Acrylic Enamel

Color: Extra White SW 7006

Finish: Semi-gloss

Floor Covering - All floor areas to be covered in Ramboard or Ramboard equivalent. All walking areas to and from the room will have floor protection as stated above and upon job completion all paper will be removed.  

Belongings - the job site will be turned over to the paint contractor free from clutter, all personal belongings and furniture will be removed prior to starting work.  Upon completion the area will be returned to owner is the condition in which it was received. 

Quality - the room will be free from defects such as light spots, drips and over application when viewed from a distance of 5 feet. Contractor will remedy cosmetic imperfections prior to receiving final payment.  

Payment terms - the contractor will receive the agreed upon amount as stipulated in the proposal and payment will be made on the following schedule:

30% Down payment 

30% Upon 50% completion of the project

30% Upon Completion 

10% After final inspection and punch out. 

And that my friends is how I would handle this small paint job.  Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter that I will be launching soon, I will give the inside tips into all aspects of construction. 

Also, if you need a contractor, and are in the Houston market, DM me (this is for you coach).  sid@sidandsarah.com