Going rate for painters

[frazil]

I just got an estimate to paint the interior of our house this summer. Our house is about 1800 sq ft and they will be painting walls, ceilings and trim. The total cost came to $6800, which is a little more than I expected. I worked out their hourly rate which is about $29/hour.

That seems kind of high to me, but I've never had any painting done before. Has anyone else had painting done that wouldn't mind sharing the cost they paid?

I know I should get more estimates, but we're currently living 2 1/2 hours away and renting the place out. So I'd have to make arrangements with the tenant, drive up there and back. This guy came highly recommended, so if other people paid similar amounts, I'll probably just go with him.

 

[MA_PE]

Fraz: you give plan area but don't provide "painted area".

What kind of prep is involved? is it going over paint or does wall paper need to be removed first? primer? how many finish coats? Are the windows getting painted too?

Does your labor hourly cost include paint and materials?

Depending on the answers to the above questions it may be high. Of course the "highly recommended" is worth something too.

good luck.

 

[snickerd3]

Our old neighboor was a Prof painter. That sounds about right with what he charged...its the insurance they have to carry that makes them expensive. Painting is one of those thngs you get what you paid for. He also uses the best paints around...maybe that's where part of the cost lies.

While they tend to be rather expensive paints, Benjamin Moore paint is probably the best paint I've used. It doesn't smell too bad, there is virtually no splatter, and it coats perfectly, no second coat needed unless you want it...I only needed to touch up areas I missed.

 

[frazil]

MA: I don't know what the painted area is. Basically its the kitchen, dining room, 2 small bedrooms, 2 large bedrooms, 1 1/2 bathrooms and the hallways/stairs.

The cost does include paint and materials, but that was only $600. Actually that seemed low to me because we requested that they only use Benjamin Moore low-VOC paints, which I know are more expensive. He did put down the insurance they carry, so maybe that's where some of the cost is.

 

[MA_PE]

Fraz: did he specify how many coats? 1-primer, 1 (or 2) finish? It really not sounding too bad for the entire house.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I'm a lazy dude, but I'd rather do it myself over a few months than pony out 6800 bucks.

 

[frazil]

^ I would rather do it myself too! I don't mind painting. But we've had the house for 3 years and painted exactly 1 room so far - and that's when I took a week off of work to do it. Twenty years will go by before I have time to do the whole thing! The house will be empty for 3 weeks in July and it seems like the perfect time to do it all at once.

 

[Fluvial]

I think you have the right idea since you're so far away. You gotta figure, if you took off those 3 weeks and painted, how many billable hours' time would you lose? It wouldn't take long to rack up $6800.

 

[Guest]

Frazil,

FMJR's mom is a professional painter and that estimate doesn't sound too far off from some of the work she has done. While it makes you cringe to see it in writing ... others said it best: you get what you paid for and you want something like that done RIGHT.

You gotta figure, if you took off those 3 weeks and painted, how many billable hours' time would you lose? It wouldn't take long to rack up $6800.

I have applied that logic to many projects that seem like they would be 'simple' but would take me A LOT of time relative to the professional who has the right tools and the time to get it right the first time. The other factor is the cost of your aggrevation: that factors HUGE for me since I seem to lose my patience too fast with projects that don't seem to many a twist.

JR

 

[jeb6294]

The old people who I got my house from must have hired every bad salesman that showed up on their doorstep. We had to repaint the whole house...and by "we" I mean my wife and her mom and aunt (I don't paint and they love that stuff, works out for everybody). First of all they picked the most horrendous colors ever. Second, whoever they hired to paint painted everything, and I mean everything...walls, trim, switch/outlet covers, over nails, etc. They basically started at the ceiling and didn't stop until they hit the floor.

 

[snickerd3]

The old people who I got my house from must have hired every bad salesman that showed up on their doorstep. We had to repaint the whole house...and by "we" I mean my wife and her mom and aunt (I don't paint and they love that stuff, works out for everybody). First of all they picked the most horrendous colors ever. Second, whoever they hired to paint painted everything, and I mean everything...walls, trim, switch/outlet covers, over nails, etc. They basically started at the ceiling and didn't stop until they hit the floor.

I can so relate. when we bought the house, the kitchen was pink with brown/green faux finish. ceilings were all a shade of pink. the master bedroom was gray with a sand texture mixed in (it scratched your skin if you brushed against it). the rest of the house was various shades of brown acrylic.

 

[Wolverine]

Fraz;

Don't forget to always negotiate. Tell him he can have the job only if he can knock it down to $N. An estimate is an estimate and worst he can say is no, and then you can still choose to hire him anyway.

 

[frazil]

So I decided to take Wolverine's advice and see if he would lower the price. I told him we budgeted $6000 for the project (he quoted us $6800), and asked if the price was negotiable at all.

That's not that much of a drop, especially if we met in the middle. But my plan was, if he said "no", I was going to ask what it would cost if we left off the upstairs closet and bathroom.

I never got that far because as soon as I said the word "negotiate" he went cold on the phone. He said he would have to look it over and call me back. That was 2 weeks ago. I think he was insulted! Guess he doesn't need the work.

Oh well. I'm a little bummed. I guess I could still try to find someone else, but I really don't have time. We've decided just to try to do it ourselves over this next year(s).

 

[maryannette]

Call him back and tell him you'll pay the $6800. Get it done. How much money will you lose if you have to schedule the house not to be rented for that long?

 

[frazil]

We're not renting it again. We're moving back into it. We were hoping to have it all painted before we moved back in, but we can just do it slowly while we're there.

I suppose I could call the guy back, but I don't know if I want to work with this guy anymore.

 

[IlPadrino]

I suppose I could call the guy back, but I don't know if I want to work with this guy anymore.

I wouldn't... he's supposed to be doing you a service - you're not doing him a favor by hiring him. Anyone that's "offended" by a counter-offer on an estimate is too impressed with themselves for my taste.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

IlPadrino crystallized my thoughts perfectly.

 

[TouchDown]

Just to make sure that there wasn't some "miscommunication", I usually give a contractor 1 more option to get it right.

I've also been bitten doing this...

You could go back, re-state your offer and see what his response is, agree tho, if he doesn't respond with "I'm sorry I xxxx. " then you just might as well move onto another painter. I'm sure there are other good painters who are hungry, but you'd better get on someone's schedule if you want it to happen the way you want it and before you move in...

 

[squishles10]

we had our whole house painted for $3500! we forgot to include trim in the estimate so take that out of the price but still- wow!

 

[frazil]

well after bad-mouthing this guy to everyone I know...

He called my husband today and said he lost my number and had to track down my husbands number from the flooring guys who recommended him to us and he'll do it all for $6K.

So we agreed. That still feels high (compared to Squishles price (with 4 bathrooms!)), but it will be so nice to have it done, and honestly it would have taken us years.