Painting Calculator

Painting Profit Calculator

Enter your job details below. Results update instantly. All fields are pre-filled with 2026 industry averages — adjust to match your actual numbers.

2026 Benchmarks US Market

Job Complexity

Job Details
Revenue and scope of work
Materials
All material costs including waste factor
All coats included
Tape, brushes, rollers, drop cloths
Labor
Crew costs including burden
Overhead & Other Costs
Disposal, equipment, subcontractors
Masking, moving furniture, cleanup

How the Painting Profit Calculator Works

Interior, exterior, commercial — this calculator breaks down your painting job margin in real time. Know your numbers before you hand over the bid.

  1. Enter your contract price. Your total price to the customer for the job.
  2. Add paint and primer costs. Based on square footage and the number of coats.
  3. Enter labor details. Crew size, days on the job, and burdened hourly rate.
  4. Add overhead and other costs. Prep supplies, equipment rental, and overhead allocation.
  5. Read your margin instantly. Gross and net margin show instantly against 2026 benchmarks.

Paint contractors live and die by crew efficiency — the labor section of this calculator is the most sensitive variable in your margin.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good profit margin for a painting contractor?
Residential interior painters typically target 40–55% gross margin. Exterior and commercial work often runs 35–48% due to higher equipment and prep costs. Net margins after overhead average 12–20% for well-run painting businesses.
How do I price a painting job correctly?
Start with your material cost (paint + primer + supplies), then add labor (crew size × hours × burdened rate), then overhead allocation (typically 15–20% of revenue). Add your target profit on top. Most painters use a square footage rate to speed up estimating — $1.50–$3.50/sq ft for interior depending on prep and ceiling height.
How much paint do I need to budget per square foot?
A rough rule: one gallon covers 350–400 sq ft per coat. For two coats on walls only, budget one gallon per 175–200 sq ft. Premium paints cost $45–$85/gallon — factor this into your material cost before applying any markup.
What’s the biggest profit leak in painting businesses?
Underestimating prep time. Scraping, sanding, taping, priming, and caulking often takes as long as the actual painting — sometimes longer on exterior work. Contractors who only estimate “painting time” routinely lose 5–10 margin points on every job.
Should painting contractors mark up materials?
Yes — a 15–25% material markup is standard and expected. You’re purchasing, transporting, and managing the materials — that has real cost. Some contractors bundle material markup into their overall price rather than breaking it out, which is fine as long as the gross margin math still works.