Painting Contractor Rates

[JakeKohl]

OK, I've had three painting contractors give me estimates to paint the interior of my 2 story garage / office. It's about 1700 square feet with two closets, one 1/2 bath. Windows openings will be wrapped with drywall so there won't be any molding to paint around/cut in there. I'm taking care of baseboard painting and installation myself when I install the floor...so it's pretty simple. 2 coats primer, let the sheetrock guys come back and do some touch up. White ceilings, green walls upstairs, grey walls downstairs. Nothing on the floors is needed to protect (subfloor upstairs) although I do want to minimize the paint that makes it's way to the garage floor.

Should the painting cost me MORE than the sheetrock and sheetrock finishing? This seems nuts. I've got a quality sheetrock outfit putting in and finishing over 4,000 sqft of sheet rock for about $3,800. One of the painting quotes I just got today was $3,950 and another one was at $3,200. Does this sound right?

If this is what I can expect, I'm buying a $500 sprayer, $700 in paint, and paying some help to mask ahead of me.

 

[Dustball]

A good painting company/contractor isn't cheap.

 

[darkk]

We had our 2300 sq ft addition/garage/2 story connector, that's 200 sheets = 6400 sq ft drywall, drywalled including matl for $6950 then had it painted all one color, no taping, no trim,no flooring,nothing to tape around for $700. I bought the paint materials. 1 coat primer and 1 coat paint. 13ft ceiling in garage and 11 ft ceiling in the loft, the upper hall 13 ft ceiling. I did the second coat in color myself. I guess I did real good.

 

[nehog]

Personally, it seems to me that you have the ability to do it yourself. I'd buy a few good rollers and extensions and make it a self help project.

 

[JakeKohl]

Personally, it seems to me that you have the ability to do it yourself. I'd buy a few good rollers and extensions and make it a self help project.

It's about time...I don't have much available and my own time is becoming more valuable to me....but not quite THAT valuable!

 

[blkhonda1991]

It's about time...I don't have much available and my own time is becoming more valuable to me....but not quite THAT valuable!

honestly find some college kids to do it on craiglist, way cheaper than a pro

 

[Zeke]

honestly find some college kids to do it on craiglist, way cheaper than a pro

I was a painting contractor at one time before becoming a general. If there is one trade that has people in it that span from getting more paint on themselves to guys that can spray inside without even a drop cloth (me).

I won't say you get what you pay for because you never know. But you better find out who can paint v. who can't before busting open a five.

If you do it yourself, rent the gun. Rent a big one, not some 500 dollar job. Get a new tip, strain your paint (there's junk in all paint) and hold the tip 12" from the surface always perpendicular to the surface. Don't fan your strokes. Over lap about a 1/4 of the width.

There is a lot to spraying correctly and efficiently. Otherwise, you will burn through a lot of paint. And you don't need 2 coats of primer, but you might do 2 coats of finish. For new drywall all you need is a PVA sealer for the base coat. On a warm, dry day, you can do all 3 in one day 4 hours apart with fans.

If you have specific questions, ask. Don't hire bozos. Pay by the hour if you can. That way you can fire them at any moment without any dispute if you don't like what you see.

 

[matouse3]

I recently did my newly remodeled home with a sprayer. Clean slate with not trim up, so it went pretty fast with minimal prep and covering **** up. I bought the $350 Graco rig from HD and it worked great- As you know the prep is the most time consuming part. I was able to knock out a ceiling in 10 minutes with a guy behind me doing a little back rolling and touch up. I HATE rolling ceilings- the sprayer saved my sanity. It helps to have a second set of eyes on it as well to help you see the light parts. I bought the 3 ft. extension for the ceiling even though it was only 8 foot tall that way I never needed a ladder.
Get some good 3M paint respirators and go for it. The clean up and prep are the worst parts, but it saves a ton of $$.