A worked example

The same three-room repaint, from the notes a painter would actually dictate through to the quote the customer receives.

Demonstration data. Rates and prices are example values, not a real quote. The scope, hours, materials and price below are all produced by the real estimating engine — this page is not a mock-up.

Step 1 — The walkthrough

Living room is about 5 by 4 metres. Walls are in decent condition but there are around eight nail holes and one small crack near the window. Two coats on walls, Dulux Natural White. Ceiling one coat. Skirting and door frames need two coats semi-gloss. Hallway is around 7 metres long, same wall colour, ceiling doesn't need painting. Customer also wants the front bedroom walls painted, no trim.

Step 2 — Room-by-room scope

Estimated from walkthrough information — review before sending.

Living Room

20h 15m · $1,310.40 labour cost

Walls
43.2 m²Inferred
2 coats · light preparation · 10h 30m finish + 1h 30m prep
Inferred: 2 × (5 + 4) × 2.4 m, no deduction for the door or windows.
Around eight nail holes and one small crack near the window.
Ceiling
20 m²Inferred
1 coat · no preparation · 2h finish
Inferred: 5 × 4 m floor area.
Skirting
18 lmAssumed
2 coats · light preparation · 3h finish + 30m prep
Assumed: room perimeter less a 0.9 m doorway.
Door frames
2Assumed
2 coats · light preparation · 2h 30m finish + 15m prep
Assumed: 2 door frames. Count was not stated.

Hallway

9h 15m · $607.75 labour cost

Walls
33.6 m²Assumed
2 coats · light preparation · 8h 15m finish + 1h 15m prep
Assumed: 7 m long × 2 walls × 2.4 m. Hallway width was not given.

Front Bedroom

10h 45m · $694.20 labour cost

Walls
38.4 m²Assumed
2 coats · light preparation · 9h 15m finish + 1h 30m prep
Assumed: typical 4 × 4 m bedroom. No dimensions were given.

Step 3 — What it asks you to confirm

This is the part most estimating tools leave out. Nothing uncertain is smoothed over.

Things to confirm

9 items need your eye before this goes to the customer.

Confirm: Living Room: wall height of 2.4 was assumed, not measured — edit it if the ceiling is higher.
Confirm: Living Room — Walls: quantity is inferred, not measured.
Confirm: Living Room — Ceiling: quantity is inferred, not measured.
Confirm: Living Room — Skirting: quantity is assumed, not measured.
Confirm: Living Room — Door frames: quantity is assumed, not measured.
Confirm: Hallway: no dimensions were supplied — quantities are estimated. Confirm before sending.
Confirm: Hallway — Walls: quantity is assumed, not measured.
Confirm: Front Bedroom: no dimensions were supplied — quantities are estimated. Confirm before sending.
Confirm: Front Bedroom — Walls: quantity is assumed, not measured.
Assumption: Inferred: 2 × (5 + 4) × 2.4 m, no deduction for the door or windows.
Assumption: Around eight nail holes and one small crack near the window.
Assumption: Inferred: 5 × 4 m floor area.
Assumption: Assumed: room perimeter less a 0.9 m doorway.
Assumption: Assumed: 2 door frames. Count was not stated.
Assumption: Assumed: 7 m long × 2 walls × 2.4 m. Hallway width was not given.
Assumption: The customer said the hallway ceiling does not need painting.
Assumption: Assumed: typical 4 × 4 m bedroom. No dimensions were given.
Assumption: Coverage assumed at 12 m²/L with 8% waste.
Assumption: Trim paint volume was derived from linear metres using standard trim widths. Adjust the material line if the trim is unusually wide.
Assumption: A minimum job charge is configured and will be applied if the priced work falls below it.

Step 4 — Your numbers (never shown to the customer)

Internal estimate

40h 15m of work, including 5h of preparation.

Labour: $2,612.35
Materials: $390.00
Consumables: $136.00
Estimated cost: $3,138.35
Customer price (ex GST): $5,235.00
Gross profit: $2,096.65
Gross margin: 40.1%

Materials to buy

Derived from area, coats, coverage and waste, then bought in the cheapest combination of tin sizes.

wall paint — Dulux Natural White$318.00
21 L to buy · 20.74 L needed
ceiling paint$48.00
2 L to buy · 1.8 L needed
trim enamel$24.00
1 L to buy · 0.79 L needed

Coverage assumed at 12 m²/L with 8% waste — an example rate every business edits to match what it actually achieves.

Step 5 — What the customer receives

Same job, no costs, no rates, no margin, no assumptions flagged in amber.

Open the PDF

Harbour Painting Co.

5 Dock Road, Balmain NSW 2041

0400 000 000

alex@harbourpainting.example

harbourpainting.example

ABN: 12 345 678 901

QUOTE

Number: PQ-0001
Date: 23 Aug 2026
Valid until: 22 Sept 2026

Prepared for

Sarah Thompson

sarah.thompson@example.com

Site address

18 Marlow Street, Balmain NSW 2041

Estimated start

Within 3 weeks

Interior Repaint — Living Room, Hallway & Bedroom

Thanks for showing me through the property. This quote covers preparing and repainting the living room, the hallway walls and the front bedroom, using Dulux Natural White as discussed. Everything is two coats on walls, with the living room ceiling getting a single coat and the living room trim finished in semi-gloss enamel. Nail holes and the small crack near the living room window are filled and sanded as part of the preparation.

Scope of work

Living Room

Walls — 2 coats, low-sheen, Dulux Natural White, minor preparation
Ceiling — 1 coat, flat
Skirting — 2 coats, semi-gloss, minor preparation
Door frames — 2 coats, semi-gloss, minor preparation

Hallway

Walls — 2 coats, low-sheen, Dulux Natural White, minor preparation

Front Bedroom

Walls — 2 coats, low-sheen, Dulux Natural White, minor preparation

Trim is not included in this room, as discussed.

Pricing

Living Room	$2,185.85
Hallway	$1,013.77
Front Bedroom	$1,157.98
Preparation, materials and site protection	$877.40

Subtotal$5,235.00

GST$523.50

Total$5,758.50

Estimated duration

Approximately 5–8 days on site

Not included

Hallway ceiling (not required by the customer)
Trim and doors in the front bedroom
Furniture removal — heavy items to be moved by the customer before we start
Repairs to structural cracks or water damage found once surfaces are prepared

Payment terms

50% deposit on acceptance, balance on completion.

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