What Should You Expect In A House Painting Bid?

Hopefully, you've done your research and picked a few painters with stellar reputations. They likely have busy calendars so don't be surprised if it takes a few days for the consultation and also a few days to deliver the final bid. Also remember that these bids are probably going to look radically different with each company. Most painters are local experts and not part of larger conglomerates with standardized proposal packages. Be prepared to analyze the details of each bid and understand them fully. But just because they are busy and you are polite, don't be pushed around. Hold them accountable to their dates and times if the contractor commits to it.

Tip 2: Ask Questions During The Estimate

When the estimator is on site, don't be afraid to walk around the house with them. Ask questions about what they're looking for and point out any tough areas you already know about. Make sure everything you want in the bid is discussed upfront so there's no surprises. Quality painting contractors will appreciate the candidness because they hate surprises as much as you do.

This is also a great time to prep the painting contractor with your rough budget. Let's say you want to only spend $2,000 on your project. If you are honest with the painter in the beginning, they might be able to work with you and find clever ways to save money. Good contractors appreciate open communication.

What Questions Should You Ask The House Painter?

Again, we can't stress enough how beneficial it is to ask questions while the estimator is on site. This will save you so much trouble down the line. Believe me, a contractor would rather you ask them on the front end than after the bid has been delivered. So here's some easy ones you should ask about before they leave your house:

• Will the paint be included in the proposal/bid?
• Approximately how long will the job take your crew?
• How many coats of paint are included in the bid?
• Will the work be "cut in" or taped (taped is often cleaner but also more expensive)
• Will the workers cover any landscaping/plants near the house?
• How will the workers protect the roof from accidentally being painted?
• Do you provide a discount for projects that are not high priority?
• Does the house seem to have any rough areas that need sanding or scraping?

Tip 3: What You Can Do To Help Lower The Cost

This part comes after you've gotten multiple bids. Ideally, you've studied them carefully and the proposals all make sense and clearly outline all the expectations you have for them. If not, be sure to correct that before moving into the negotiation phase.

Now you have your prices (we always recommend 3 different bids), and hopefully they are all in a similar ballpark. If one is noticeably higher, it's always a good idea to call that company first and ask them why they priced it the way they did. This is a clever trick that most buyer don't understand. They think they should avoid calling the most expensive contractor, but in reality you have a high chance of learning a lot from that contractor. They might explain some details to you that none of the others even noticed (and if they had it would've caused a higher price). If that happens, take this new information back to the other 2 bidders and ensure they have all these factors accounted for in their price. Get confirmation in an email/text if it isn't strictly noted in the bid.

So assuming all bids are similar in price, you likely had one contractor who you liked the most. Start by calling them up and asking them what we can do to get near our budget number (going back to Tip 2 about setting the expectation of the budget). The most common aspect that can be removed from a painter's proposal is the prep work. In this case, it's likely taping and covering all non-painting surfaces ahead of time.

Many painters aren't too fond of this aspect anyway and are OK giving it to the homeowner to save some time. Taping and prep are tedious tasks and he'd rather his crew be out actually painting anyway. So if you're open to doing the dirty work, the contractor might lower his price.

But note this important point. If you accept the DIY prep work for painting, you open yourself up to sharing the liability with the contractor if anything goes wrong during the job. There likely will be finger-pointing from both sides and you rarely have a true winner in those situations. Be prepared to do an outstanding job with your DIY prep work or don't bother at all. The headache is not worth it later on.

Get The Contractor On Your Side During Negotation

Hopefully during all these conversations, you've build up a little relationship with this painter. And if you work it correctly, you should be able to help them help you. They might even allow you to go buy your own paint which again could shave a few dollars off that price.

What you must remember is they are people too. The painters likely all have families they're supporting so treat them well. You'll be surprised how often you can treat a contractor with polite and professional respect and they turn around and try to help you out too. They understand that house painting is an expensive project. Get them rooting for you.

Even better is if you have a skill that could compliment them, maybe offer a barter trade as a way to reduce costs. Maybe you can offer to do all the clean up of the plastic and taping? Or that you can dispose of any leftover paint (if they do that because some painters save it all). Or simply ask them how you could help them out and see what comes of it.

Remember to contact your Milwaukee House Painters if you live in southeastern Wisconsin and are looking for some exterior painting.