On a paint job, the speed of your quote often makes or breaks the booking. Trade-survey data from the UK and France consistently shows the same pattern: a quote sent within 24 hours is roughly 3× more likely to be signed than one that arrives 72+ hours later. And yet the trade average sits around 4 days.
Good news: writing a fast painting quote takes no special talent. It's a 4-step method that fits in under 5 minutes once you've done it twice. Here it is, with a complete worked example at the bottom.
The 4 steps of a fast painting quote
1. Measure walls and identify the finish
While you walk the rooms, you count two things: m² of walls (ceiling height × perimeter, ignoring openings under 1 m²) and m² of ceilings. For each room you also note the desired finish (matte, satin, eggshell, scrubbable) and the surface state (filling, sanding, dust removal needed).
2. Price prep, primer and finish coats separately
A solid painting quote is built line by line, not as a flat lump-sum. Splitting prep / primer / 2 coats reassures the client and justifies your m² rate. Standard ratios used on French and UK sites:
- Wall prep (filling, sanding, dust removal): €6–12 / m²
- Acrylic primer: €5–8 / m² (materials + labour)
- Acrylic matte paint, 2 coats: €12–18 / m²
- Ceilings (primer + 2 coats): €10–14 / m²
- Floor + furniture protection · cleanup: €80–150 lump
Multiply each line by the m² you measured. It's mechanical. This is also exactly the step where a remembered library of prices saves you the most minutes — you never re-key the same numbers.
3. Apply the right VAT
In France, dwellings older than 2 years used as primary or secondary residence qualify for reduced VAT at 10%. You attach the simplified VAT attestation to be signed by the client at the same time as the quote. In the UK, residential refurbishment generally falls under the standard 20% VAT rate, with reductions only on specific cases (listed buildings, energy-saving works).
4. Send and get an online signature
Sending a PDF by email is still the norm, but it's also where most quotes die. The client opens it, the PDF lingers in their inbox, they forget to reply. Instead use a WhatsApp or SMS link that opens the quote directly and lets them sign in two taps from their phone — the e-signature has the same legal weight as a hand signature in EU and UK jurisdictions.
Painting quote example: a complete worked case
Real-world example for a living room + kitchen refresh, 38 m² of walls, in a 5-year-old flat in Paris. Acrylic primer + 2 matte coats, ceilings included.
| Item | Quantity | Unit price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wall prep (filling, sanding, dust removal) | 38 m² | €8 | €304 |
| Acrylic primer | 38 m² | €6 | €228 |
| Acrylic matte paint, 2 coats (off-white) | 38 m² | €14 | €532 |
| Ceilings — primer + 2 coats | 24 m² | €12 | €288 |
| Floor + furniture protection · cleanup | 1 lump | €120 | €120 |
Subtotal: €1,472. VAT 10% (renovation): €147.20. Total inc. VAT: €1,619.20. Voice-captured on site in 47 seconds with invico, or 25 minutes on Excel at home in the evening — your pick.
5 mistakes that lose painting jobs
- Quote sent after 48 hours: the client already has two other quotes and made their pick.
- Lump-sum without itemisation: the client doesn't understand your price and negotiates the whole thing.
- Skipping the primer line: you priced 2 coats but the finish will be average — you'll come back for free.
- Standard 20% VAT applied by mistake: your quote looks more expensive than the competitor without reason.
- No priced variants: the client asks 'and with the ceiling?' and has to wait for a new quote.
Going faster: from 25 minutes to 60 seconds
If you still type quotes in Excel or Word, you spend 4–8 hours a week on it on average. That's the equivalent of a half-time job that doesn't pay you — and that costs you your evenings. A painter-focused quoting tool cuts that down to a few minutes per quote, by remembering your standard items and automating VAT and signature.