INTEGRITY
INSTITUTE
SII / PAINTING QUOTE GUIDE
Compare the prep.Then compare the paint.
Two quotes for repainting the same rooms may cover very different work. Check surface preparation, the specified paint and measured areas before comparing totals. A lower price may simply cover less work.
Not mentioned does not mean excluded. Ask the painter to separate included work, extra charges and matters still to confirm.
Illustrative wording · not a real quote or work specification
“Repaint throughout. Filling included.”
- Define the surfaces
- Which rooms, walls and ceilings?
- Define the preparation
- Spot filling or full-surface skimming and sanding?
- Name the paint
- Primer and finish products, with agreed coats?
- Define the finish
- Protection, cleaning, touch-ups and extras?
Add the answers to the quote, not just the conversation.
Read the quote from preparation to handover.
You do not need to choose the method yourself. Look for these eight parts of the job and ask the painter to describe what is covered, where, and how it is priced.
Before painting
01Existing surfaces
“Prepare as required”Ask for
Record the rooms and locations with cracks, chalking, peeling, mould, stains or existing coatings, and the proposed treatment. Identify unresolved damp or leaks separately as matters to investigate.
02Protection and moving items
“Basic protection included”Ask for
List protection for floors, furniture, cabinets, doors, windows, switches, sockets, lights and shared areas. Identify who moves and returns furniture, removes coverings and cleans up.
03Holes and local repairs
“Minor repairs included”Ask for
Identify the nail holes, cracks and peeling areas to repair. Define included locations and extents, plus how additional repairs would be priced and approved.
04Filling and skimming
“Filling included”Ask for
Distinguish spot filling, local levelling and full-surface skimming. Mark the surfaces, extent of unevenness to address and agreed completion conditions. The word “filling” alone does not define the scope.
05Sanding and dust removal
“Surface preparation”Ask for
Separate treatment of old coatings, sanding after filling, dust removal and site cleaning. State whether removing wallpaper, sealant or other existing coverings is included or charged separately.
Paint specification
06Primer
“Prime where necessary”Ask for
Specify the primer brand, product, purpose, locations and agreed coats. If inspection is needed first, state when the choice will be confirmed and whether the price may change.
07Finish coats and colours
“Branded wall paint, two coats”Ask for
Name the brand, product range or model, colour, sheen and finish coats. Does “two coats” include primer? Clarify any extra charge for deep or special colours, accent walls and high-level work.
Handover
08Edges, cleaning and handover
“Clean on completion”Ask for
Define edge finishing, touch-ups, removal of protection, waste disposal and cleaning. Record what will be checked at completion and how outstanding items will be recorded and corrected.
Same unit rate. Same measured area?
Floor area and painted surface area are different measurements. Ask what the quantity represents before comparing a rate per square metre or other unit.
Surfaces counted
Are walls, ceilings, beams, columns, window reveals and high walls listed separately? Request quantities, units and the measurement basis for each area.
Deductions and separate rates
Are doors and windows deducted? Do small repairs, deep colours or specialist work use a different pricing basis? Record the rules alongside the quantities.
Work covered by the rate
Compare the same repairs, filling, primer and finish work. A lump-sum price can use a clear scope attachment; it does not have to be converted into one area rate.
If surfaces remain damp or a leak is unexplained, ask an appropriate professional to assess the cause and proposed treatment. Repainting does not establish that the moisture source has been resolved.
Send these ten questions with the quote.
Add the quote name and version, remove answered or irrelevant questions, and ask for the reply to be included in the documents. The full request stays the same whichever topics you open above.
- Measurement basis
- Filling and skimming
- Existing defects
- Protection and moving items
- Named products
- Coats and preparation
- Colours and access
- Removing existing coverings
- Unresolved moisture
- Completion and warranty
Keep the reply with three records.
- The dated or versioned quote, identifying included work, extras and matters still to confirm.
- Marked-up drawings or photographs of the surfaces, with primer and finish specifications. A photograph is not a site diagnosis.
- Confirmed additions or deductions, completion and touch-up arrangements, and warranty terms—not just an agreement to discuss them on site.
STANDARD INTEGRITY INSTITUTE
READ → COMPARE → DISCUSS
Still unsure what needs a follow-up?
SII reviews the quote and attachments you provide for Transparency, Consistency, Reasonableness and Executability. Start with Free Key Results, then decide whether a Complete Risk Report would help.
Follow the detail still missing from your quote.
Questions about painting quotes
Can I compare painting quotes by the area rate alone?
First check what is measured: floor or painted area, walls or ceilings, and how openings are deducted. Also compare the repairs, filling, primer and finish work covered by each rate. A shared unit does not establish a shared scope.
Is “one primer coat and two finish coats” a complete specification?
No. Ask for the products, locations, preparation and colours too. That phrase describes a proposed coating arrangement; it is not a universal standard for every product or surface. The painter should explain the arrangement for the selected products and site conditions.
Does “filling included” mean every wall will be skimmed?
Not necessarily. Ask whether it means spot filling, local levelling or full-surface skimming, with locations and extents marked. Work that is not described needs clarification; do not assume it is included or excluded.
Will repainting solve mould or white deposits on a wall?
Repainting alone does not establish that the cause has been resolved. Ask an appropriate professional to assess damp or leaks, then clarify the sequence, extent and price of treatment and painting. This guide does not diagnose site conditions.
Why ask for the product if the brand is already named?
Request the range or model, purpose and location of use, plus finish colour and sheen. A brand name alone does not show that two quotes specify the same product. Record how any substitution will be agreed.
Do deep colours, accent walls or high walls always cost extra?
Do not assume so. Ask whether your chosen colours and access requirements are included. If charged separately, request the scope and pricing basis for agreement before work. An unpriced item should not be treated as free.
Can SII certify that a painting quote is the lowest market price?
No. SII reviews how the supplied documents describe work, quantities, specifications and conditions. It does not provide market valuations, lowest-price certification or price guarantees. Reviewing Reasonableness in documents does not replace a site assessment.
Does SII rate painters or guarantee workmanship?
No. SII evaluates documents, not vendors or people. LEVEL 1–5 describes Document Maturity only. Document review is not site supervision, engineering appraisal or legal advice, and it does not guarantee the finished work.
Use this guide to organize the quote and your questions, not as a set of painting instructions. Complete answers do not make a project risk-free.