Pricing built on proper preparation
Painting is often the shortest stage. The condition and material of the substrate decide what must happen first if the finish is to look right and perform as intended.
I quote for the work your property actually needs, rather than give a flat room rate. The preparation, materials and agreed work are set out in writing.
What the quotation means
Surfaces and areas included
Preparation and repairs within scope
Primer, coating system, finish and coats
Protection, access and working sequence
Items excluded or requiring separate assessment
Quotation, guarantee terms and handover record
I accept all major credit and debit cards, as well as bank transfer.
Four common scopes
01
Room size matters, but the existing surface normally decides the preparation programme.
Normally defined in writing
Common scope changes
02
Door count is only the starting point. Material, existing finish and adhesion determine whether repainting is suitable and how it should be prepared.
Normally defined in writing
Common scope changes
03
Exposure, safe access and the condition beneath the visible paint shape exterior pricing.
Normally defined in writing
Common scope changes
04
A complete home is built from a room by room survey, then coordinated into one practical sequence.
Normally defined in writing
Common scope changes
Scope illustrations, not quotations
These anonymised examples contain no fixed prices. They show why the visible size of a project is only one part of a written quotation.
01
Both rooms may have the same floor area, yet the work beneath the finish can be very different.
Lighter scope
A sound, previously painted room with limited filling, straightforward access and only walls and ceiling in scope.
Deeper scope
Cracked plaster, staining, loose previous coatings, detailed cornice and several doors or other joinery requiring separate preparation.
Why they differ
Repair extent, stain control, edge detail, joinery and the number of distinct coating systems change the preparation programme.
Recorded separately
Active moisture, structural movement or specialist plaster repair would be identified for diagnosis rather than hidden within a decorating allowance.
02
Door count helps describe scale, but the material and existing coating decide whether the cabinetry is suitable for repainting.
Lighter scope
Stable factory finished doors with accessible profiles, sound edges and hardware that can be removed and reinstated without alteration.
Deeper scope
Contaminated surfaces, damaged edges, complex mouldings or a failed previous repaint requiring extensive cleaning, abrasion and compatible primers.
Why they differ
Adhesion risk, repair needs, profile complexity and dismantling determine how much controlled preparation is required.
Recorded separately
Replacement doors, joinery alteration and hardware changes are recorded outside the painted cabinetry scope.
03
Neighbouring elevations can look alike from the road while carrying different exposure and coating failures.
Lighter scope
Accessible, stable masonry with localised preparation and a compatible existing system in a workable weather window.
Deeper scope
Salt exposure, widespread flaking, open joints, decayed timber or restricted access requiring towers or scaffolding.
Why they differ
Safe access, weather, coating removal and the condition beneath visible paint shape both sequence and labour.
Recorded separately
Scaffolding, rot repairs, failed render and specialist building work are identified separately wherever possible.
04
A room total cannot show how occupied, detailed or affected by repairs each part of a home will be.
Lighter scope
An empty property with sound surfaces, clear access and a consistent specification across rooms.
Deeper scope
A furnished, occupied home with phased access, period details, mixed substrates and room by room repairs.
Why they differ
Furniture, daily reinstatement, phasing, substrate variation and detailed woodwork add coordination as well as preparation.
Recorded separately
Hidden defects, added rooms and changes requested after agreement are discussed and recorded before the scope changes.
Before a figure is fixed
Major building repairs, specialist access or scaffolding, hidden defects and work outside the decorating scope are identified separately wherever possible. If a concealed area needs to be opened for inspection or a specialist needs to assess a defect, I explain that before including it in the price.
Changes after agreement are discussed and recorded rather than assumed. That protects the finish, the programme and the budget.
A useful first brief