Cost Of Painting

Buildmen

Me and a friend have painted and worked on and off for construction companies for several years but have always been the help.We have an opportunity to go out on our own starting with some apartment buildings needing repainting.The maintenance men on site said they will take care of all the prep work.Unusual because most painters would rather do their own prep work which makes for a better finished product.But anyway after its prep-ed they just want it painted over,its rental property and obviously are not concerned with the best available outcome.The job will require mostly one coat and all walls and trim are latex paint with the trim being semi-gloss.These are HUD housing.My question to everyone is what is a fair or general price per sq.ft painting?There will be several apts.available to paint and would like to get the job but I am not sure how to price it.Thank You for any of your help.CJ

joecaption

Pricing questions do not end well here.
Not sure how anyone here would know how fast you can paint, what the local labor rates are, what equipment you have to do the job.

Gymschu

Joe is right on......I will add this: Painting apartments is about the most difficult way to make money in the painting business that you could possibly find. There is always someone undercutting your prices. Working for landlords, gov't agencies, and, property mgt. companies will leave you without cash for long, long stretches of time. Why? Because they take forever to pay........sometimes 60, 90, even 120 days. Maintenance guys prepping before you paint.....hahaha, good luck with that. You will spend more time correcting their mistakes than if you do the work yourselves. Run, run as fast as you can......there are other ways of making money in the paint business. Painting apts. is not one of them.

joecaption

That and motel and hotels.

Grants Painting

I agree with what everybody said here. However apartments did help me start my business. I worked on those till the wee hours for little pay just to pay for flyers. Until I finally had to sue them. Taking those scamming #Q@$%!#@$%@#$^% to court was then also the best thing for me too. I guess its how bad you want it.

For HUD though they have to tell you what they are paying currently when they open up bids. That being said race and sex and wars will have much more to do with it than price.

Good Luck and plan on doing that prep yourself. That's a common one. Tell you it has to be painted but you dont have to prep. Then if you paint around what not preped and they wont pay you because its not ALL painted.

ddawg16

As mentioned above....your not going to get prices here....

But for a starting point....just figure out how much you need to pay yourself per hour....then double it...then figure out how much material is going to cost....factor in your tools...gas for you truck...and how much it costs to pay for and insure that truck for the year...then you have self employment taxes...business insurance....medical insurance...etc....

When you have added all that up...double it....if you get the job....you just 'might' make a profit.

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chrisn

Unless you have found the miracle paint, one coat is not gonna work.

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ltd

not to pile on ,but ok I will .how old are these hud apts. older then 1978.anywho , I say get insured get certified and jump in .its time to spread your wings grasshopper.

Brushjockey

Being a painting contractor is a Business, like any other. Not just the skill of the trade, but the skill of the biz.
Learn that.
Understand production rates.
Understand overhead.
Understand and get legit- ins, work comp, etc.
Go all in or your not ready.

Here is a great link to the pro board- read it. Then read it again.
-so-you-think-you-want-painting-contractor

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"It's better to come here with questions before you screw up than to come here after and ask how to fix them."- JS

Grants Painting

Love the quote! It is better to ask first.

Brushjockey

Stole that gem from Joe Sheridan..

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"It's better to come here with questions before you screw up than to come here after and ask how to fix them."- JS

jsheridan

Has timeless value round these parts, does it not?

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Grants Painting

It does

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

jsheridan

I'll have to think about that one.

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Gary in WA

Buildmen, welcome to the forums! You may have missed this after joining; "How much will it cost?" Asking for price estimates here.

As this thread has gone severely off topic, it will now be closed, any further questions that don't have to do with proicing, start another thread. Posts have been removed. Thank you for your understanding on this, Gary

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