Compare the same work before comparing totals
A useful painting quote lets you identify the surfaces, preparation, coating system, access arrangements and completion standard behind the price. If one contractor prices walls only and another includes ceilings, doors and repairs, the totals describe different jobs. Give each contractor the same written brief and ask them to show any alternatives separately.
This checklist is for comparing the contents of a proposal. For help choosing the contractor behind it, read our interior painting contractor guide. For a home budget, our Vancouver painting-cost guide explains why floor area alone does not establish a price.
The ten items to check in every proposal
| Item | What a comparable scope identifies | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Surfaces | Rooms or elevations; walls, ceilings, doors, trim and closets listed separately. | What is specifically excluded? |
| 2. Existing condition | Visible repairs, failed coatings, stains and areas requiring further assessment. | Which repairs are included, and which remain an allowance? |
| 3. Preparation | The cleaning, patching and surface preparation appropriate to the agreed work. | What happens if concealed damage is discovered? |
| 4. Coatings | The proposed product system, primer where needed, finish and colour decisions. | How are coverage and any additional coats handled? |
| 5. Protection | Floors, fixtures, adjacent surfaces, stock or landscaping to be protected. | Who moves furniture, fragile items or equipment? |
| 6. Access | Working height, loading, parking, lifts and building restrictions. | Are access equipment and associated arrangements included? |
| 7. Schedule | Proposed sequence, access windows and conditions that could change timing. | Who communicates a weather or other delay? |
| 8. Price basis | Included labour and materials, optional work, allowances and applicable taxes. | Is the figure fixed for the stated scope, or subject to measurement? |
| 9. Changes | A way to record and approve added work before it proceeds. | Who can authorize a change, and how is it priced? |
| 10. Completion | Cleanup, walkthrough, outstanding-item record and care information. | What written warranty terms, if any, apply? |
Separate a fixed scope from an allowance
An allowance identifies work whose extent or price has not yet been finalized. It should say what the allowance covers and how the final amount will be established. Ask whether unused allowances reduce the total and how any excess is approved. A vague phrase such as “repairs as needed” makes proposals difficult to compare.
For example, patching a few visible picture holes is a different task from correcting widespread damaged drywall. Include photographs and agree on the expected finish. If the cause of staining or recurring damage is unresolved, establish who assesses it before treating another coat of paint as the remedy.
Three common comparisons that need clarification
A walls-only price versus a complete-room price
Check ceilings, doors, frames, baseboards, closets and shelving. Confirm whether walls behind large furniture are accessible and included. In a kitchen, painting the room does not automatically include cabinet doors and boxes, which are outside the standard room-painting scope.
An empty property versus an occupied property
Protection, furniture movement and returning rooms to use can change the sequence and labour involved. Describe the rooms that must remain available, rather than assuming all rooms can be painted at once. Building access and elevator bookings should be included in a condo brief.
A cosmetic repaint versus a larger maintenance project
An exterior repaint may expose repairs that belong outside the original painting scope. A strata or industrial project may also involve access planning, notices and documentation. Keep those responsibilities visible in the proposal; a product name and a total alone will not explain them.
Keep a simple checklist beside your quotes
This optional one-page checklist helps you check what each written quote includes. There is nothing to measure, no account to create and no form to send back. Print a copy when you are ready to compare proposals.
FOR WHEN YOUR QUOTES ARRIVE
Ten things worth checking.
Tick the items that are clear in the proposal. Leave a question beside anything missing and discuss it with the contractor before accepting.
Download the one-page checklist (PDF)Optional reference only. You do not need to complete it to request an estimate.
How to use it without double-counting
- Start with one brief. Record the same rooms, surfaces and access requirements for every contractor.
- Transfer the written scope. If the proposal does not mention a surface or responsibility, mark it unconfirmed rather than filling in what you expect.
- Separate the amounts. Record the base price, options, allowances and taxes as the contractor has presented them. Ask which amounts are already inside the quoted total before adding anything.
- Resolve the differences. Send specific questions and request an updated proposal where the scope changes.
- Retain the accepted version. Keep the final proposal, colour schedule and later approved variations together.
Two room-painting proposals can cover different work
| Item | Proposal A says | Proposal B says | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceiling | Excluded | Included | Do you want the ceiling painted? Request the same surface scope. |
| Wall repairs | Visible picture holes | Repair allowance | Which defects are included, and how is the allowance reconciled? |
| Furniture | Owner clears the room | Movement not mentioned | Who moves large items, and where will they be kept? |
Neither proposal can be judged from these differences alone. First decide what you need and obtain the missing answers. The lower headline total may cover less work, but the higher total does not establish better workmanship.
Questions before you accept
- Does a higher price guarantee a better finish?
- No. Compare preparation, products, relevant experience and the written scope. Price alone does not verify the work or the business.
- Should tax be included in the headline total?
- Ask the proposal to clearly identify applicable taxes and the amount payable. Do not infer tax treatment from a competitor’s estimate or an online example.
- Can a photo produce a final quote?
- Photos help explain the brief, but they may not show adhesion, hidden damage, access or full dimensions. Ask what must be checked before the price becomes firm.
Ready to prepare your scope? Explore interior painting, exterior painting or request an Alpha & Omega estimate. Include your city, surface list, photos and preferred timing.
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