National Painting Cost Estimator 2026

By: Dennis D. Gleason

A complete guide to estimating painting costs for just about any type of residential, commercial, or industrial painting, whether by brush, spray, or roller.

National Painting Cost Estimator 2026 shows typical costs and bid prices for fast, medium, and slow work, including material costs per gallon; square feet covered per gallon; square feet covered per manhour; labor, material, overhead, and taxes per 100 square feet; and how much to add for profit.

Cost Estimates and Bid Prices for Surface Prep and Painting on Any Job - Brush, Roll or Spray

This is the most complete, authoritative and reliable unit cost guide ever made available to paint estimators.

No matter what types of work you estimate, no matter what your costs are, this book will help you produce consistently reliable painting estimates in dollars and cents.

The most accurate paint estimates are always custom-made for a particular job. That's because no single material cost, no man hour estimate, no pricing system fits all work and all bidders. Your estimates have to be based on your actual productivity rate, your material costs, labor costs, overhead percentage and profit expectations.

Here you have accurate estimates for coating any common surface with any type of paint, whether application is by brush, spray, roller or mitt:

• Manhours per 100 square feet or 100 linear feet whether the job is new construction or custom repaint.
• Material coverage rates that apply whether the job is new construction or custom repainting.
• Material costs that reflect the discount you expect to receive.
• The labor cost per 100 square feet or linear feet, no matter what hourly wage you pay and no matter what your overhead percentage.
• The profit margin to include (based on your own profit goals).

This book isn't a substitute for judgment. It's not a simple way to do in minutes what an experienced paint estimator might not be able to do in hours. But this book is the best guide you'll ever find if you have to estimate any type of painting, whether residential, industrial, commercial or institutional.

Optional: Subscribe to National Estimator Cloud a Web app that makes it easy to compile and print estimates, bids and invoices for nearly any type of construction project.

Dennis D. Gleason brings 15 years of painting business experience to this manual, having worked as a painter, field superintendent, estimator, contract administrator, project manager and director of marketing. After earning the title Certified Professional Estimator from the ASPE (American Society of Professional Estimators), he taught estimating for the Associated Builders & Contractors and lectured at San Diego State University, where he earned his degree.

Contents:

Introduction - How to Use This Book, 5

Part I - General Painting Costs
Baseboard, 43
Beams, 45
Bookcases and shelves, 48
Cabinets, 52
Ceilings, 57
Closets, 88
Corbels, 92
Cutting-in, 92
Decks, 94
Doors, 95
Fascia, 118
Fence, 123
Fireplaces, 127
Firewood boxes, 128
Floors, 129
Garage door backs, 137
Gutters & downspouts, 138
High time difficulty factors, 139
Mail box structures, 140
Masonry, 140
Molding, 153
Overhangs, 159
Pass-through shelves, 162
Plant-on trim, 162
Plaster or stucco, 168
Pot shelves, 172
Railings, 173
Registers, HVAC, 182
Roof jacks, 183
Roofing, 184
Sheet metal, 196
Shutters or blinds, 201
Siding, 202
Stairs, 219
Touchup, brush as required, 222
Trellis or lattice, 223
Valances for light fixtures, 224
Walls, 225
Window screen frames, 276
Window seats, 277
Window sills, 277
Windows, 278
Window conversion factors, 292
Wine racks, 293

Part II - Preparation Costs
Acid wash gutters & downspouts, 296
Airblast, compressed air, 296
Burn off paint, 297
Caulk, 298
Cut cracks, 298
Fill wood floors, 299
Putty, application, 299
Sand, 299
Sandblast, 302
Scribing, 309
Strip, remove, bleach, 311
Unstick windows, 312
Wash, 313
Waterblast (Power wash), 315
Window-protective coating, 315
Wire brush, 316

Part III - Industrial, Institutional and Heavy Commercial Painting Costs
Conduit, 318
Decking and siding, 326
Doors, hollow metal, 330
Ductwork, 331
Fire escapes, 348
Fire sprinkler systems, 349
Grates and grilles, 350
Ladders, 354
Masonry, 354
Mechanical equipment, 356
Piping, 357
Radiators, 371
Structural steel, 372
Tank, silo, vessel, or hopper, 400
Walls, concrete, tilt-up, 412
Windows, steel factory sash, 418

Part IV - Wallcovering Costs
Adhesive coverage, 422
Wallcovering application, 424
Borders, 424
Flexible wood sheet and veneer, 425
Surface preparation, wallcovering, 425
Vinyl wallcovering, 426
Wall fabric, 430
Wallpaper, 434

Index, 440