Why Can’t I Just Get a House Painting Estimate Over the Phone or by Email?

Most homeowners like to make plans ahead of time when planning on a home improvement or home renovation project so they can estimate ahead of time and budget the expense before committing.

Can I get a painting estimate over the phone?  If I send pictures and measurements by email can you provide a rough idea how much it will cost to paint my house? Can I get a ballpark figure to see if it fits the budget? 

All valid and common frequently asked questions that painting companies in Ottawa get everyday.

While easy to assume that getting a painting estimate or quote should be fairly easy to do blindly over the phone or by pictures provided through an email we want to explain the reasons why it is not always possible or recommended.

Let’s imagine you are out shopping for a car.  You do not get to see it, the seller tells you it’s black but for all you know it could be purple.  You never get to visually inspect it to make sure there aren’t scratches and dents or even damage from any accident and you can’t take it for a test drive so you aren’t even sure if the engine will start let alone drive you anywhere.

Like cars not all painting companies are the same.  Some will provide you with a blind cost estimate and then surprise you with all sorts of additional fees and costs when you sign their contract.

So many reasons why it’s always better to meet with painting contractors here are just a few. 

Reason 1

The best way to get an accurate painting estimate is to have a knowledgeable, and experienced expert painter visit the job site to visually see the scope of the work and discuss all the details with you.  To best provide accuracy in your estimate or quote painting contractors typically prefer to inspect the work areas first.

Reason 2

Because not all interior or exterior painting projects are the same and what you may think is just a small crack or dent in the drywall it could actually be more of a structural problem that could lead to problems and expenses.

For example you may think that stain on the ceiling is nothing, but an expert painter can detect if it is damage caused from a water leak and advise on the best course of action to proceed with repairing the drywall before painting.  What might seem like nothing to worry about can be clarified by a knowledgeable painter and ensure the proper methods are used to repair. 

The well trained eye of a professional will be able to spot these issues and advise you of the best way to correct before moving forward.

Reason 3

Accuracy and fairness is paramount to trusting any painting company you hire and by getting estimates over the phone or email you typically just get what we refer to as a guess-estimate

If you are getting guess-estimates over the phone or email be aware that they will not be accurate and are not binding and will leave you open to extra charges. 

Reason 4

While homeowners are shopping around looking for ballpark figures on how much it will cost to paint based on a flat square footage rate most expert and professional painters will look at the entire scope of the work involved down to every last fine detail, such as repairs to any drywall, trim and baseboards, caulking all things that maybe unknown or unclear to the untrained eye. 

Reason 5

Knowing the difference between paints which are best suited for your interior or exterior project will be something good painters will advise you of.  While you might think all paint is the same it is not and knowing whether you should choose between water-based or oil-based would be something experts can help you with. 

Reason 6

Choosing the paint colour is one step of your projects success, but did you know that choosing which  types of paint finishes are best for your project are also key to a successful end result. 

Here is a quick breakdown of how some painting companies estimate a quote the cost of painting a house. 

Newly Built House

If you are building a house and looking for a cost estimate for painting it you can find painting companies in Ottawa that will spray the paint on the interior walls and charge by the square footage.  These painting companies typically have several sub-contractors or employees that will come in to the newly built house and quickly paint the entire space with a paint sprayer, using one or two paint colours.  On average the cost of painting a new build ranges between $3.00 to $5.00 per square foot making this method the quickest and cheapest way to get a brand new house painted. 

If you are looking to have a professional painter do the work, they may typically charge a little more because their work is more detailed.  They will ensure small details such as crown molding, trim, baseboards are painted with a professional painters brush and the right type of paint finish for woodwork.  Their work is more refined and precise compared to spray painting of the entire house making the average cost for professional painting anywhere from $4.00 to $6.00 per square foot. 

Cost Of Painting A Home

When hiring any professional painting company you want to be sure you get the quality and service you are paying for.  On average professional painters cost anywhere between $40.00 to $60.00 per hour.  The more years of service and experience, knowledge and expertise the higher they may charge. 

The average cost to paint a house of 1500 sq. feet ranges anywhere from $4,500 to $9,000 and depends on the quality of paint used, and includes the cost of paint supplies, materials and labour. 

At first that may sound expensive, but it may not seem so bad after you see the difference between hiring an un-qualified painter vs. professional and experienced painters. 

Painting companies want to provide all their clients with the best in customer service by being thorough and accurate.  To be able to provide the most accurate estimate and quote for either an interior painting project or an exterior painting project it is necessary for a painting contractor to visit the job site to discuss the details of the work to be done and determine the best services for the individual projects.  These are some of the things that are considered in a painting quote and why you will not get an accurate price over the phone or by email. 

1.  The condition of the walls is taken into consideration.  Things like nail pops, holes or damage to the drywall that needs repairs are inspected and discussed with homeowner. 
2.  The height of any ceilings that need to be painted and if there is woodwork like crown molding to be included in the painting price. 
3.  Filling of holes, nail pops and drywall repairs and sanding 
4.  How many colours will be used in painting the entire home.  On average most painting companies will include 2 paint colours in their estimate and anything more than that will be additional charges. 
5.  Are the current paint colours dark and will the new paint colour be lighter.  This makes a difference in how many coats of new paint needs to be applied and for the use of a paint primer. 
6.  Will the trim, baseboards, crown molding, ceilings, closets, doors and windows be included. 
7.  If the home is currently occupied there will be furniture that needs to be moved and covered to be protected, along with window coverings, and light fixtures. 

These factors are all considered before providing the most accurate quote for painting.  Even though you may be precise on providing the exact measurements of the square footage to be painted it is the finer details that may be more visible to the trained eye that make up the difference between getting an accurate quote or a guesstimate. 

To ensure you get a most accurate quote for the cost of painting your home or condo apartment, we encourage you to take the opportunity to find the best painters and book an appointment for a consultation.  This will help provide you the homeowner a chance to meet the person that will be working in your home and around your family.  This also gives you the opportunity to discuss the full details for the work to be done, and avoids and prevents that opportunity to leave yourself open to surprises or hidden charges at the end. 

With an in-home on-site meeting take every opportunity to ask the painter what will be included in the price so that you have all the information to make the most informed decision.  This in-home consultation and on-site meeting benefits both the homeowners as well as the painters.  It provides the painters the opportunity to best estimate the time they need to allot for your specific project, along with the amount of paint products and other materials that will need to be ordered and purchased.  This also gives the painters a better idea how much extra manpower may be needed in the case they need to hire extra hands.   Clearing any questions or concerns ahead of time will prove beneficial in the end.  You may even save some money by helping with a few things you can do to prepare before the painters get started. 

The pricing and cost of painting a room or entire house is best given when painters have had the opportunity to visit the site and review the scope of the details.  To best determine the most accuracy to provide a quote there are details in every project that cannot be seen over the phone or in an email, making it difficult to provide the right cost for painting. 

Every home is unique and needs to be treated the same way.  Therefore by clearing away all the specific details at a in-home consultation or on-site meeting ensures that there are no additional costs that are passed on to you by surprise. 

Verbal Agreement vs. Written Contract 

If you have arrived at making the final decision to choose the right painting company you want to work with make sure you have done your due diligence.  While many painting contractors may start off with a verbal estimate, they should follow up with a written agreement especially when asked for one.  Do not leave it to chance, if you want a written agreement simply ask for it. 

Information That Should Be Included In A Estimate or Quote For Painting A Home

Always aim to get a written estimate that details everything you need done for your painting project along with the following information below to ensure your due diligence is fulfilled. 

1. The contact details of the painting companies should be listed on every written quote or estimate you receive.  The details should include the full company name, address, telephone number and a website to make it easier for you to connect with them directly.   Trust your gut instinct when reading online reviews and do not hand over cash to anyone who gave you only their first name and a cell number after asking for a deposit and then never showing up again. 

1. Even though the word of mouth references from family, friends, neighbors and co-workers are always great sources to get recommendations we always recommend you explore the testimonials of past clients.  By reading online reviews and feedback about their experiences with the painting company can be helpful for you to make a decision. 

1. The written painting quote or estimate should also include a detailed list of the work that will be done, including all the prep work, paint products and other materials that may be needed for any drywall repairs or stipple ceilings removal, stipple ceiling repairs and re-painting, products such as paint primer and paint finish or sheen that will be used should also be included in the costs.  A total that includes all the costs of paint, plus the hst taxes, along with an approximate start and end date for the project, should be included in the written contract. 

Note that the best painters may be booked up to six weeks in advance for the reason that they are in high demand because the quality of work they provide and their experience and knowledge has them in higher demand than the painters that are available to start the next day.  When deciding on a painting company to work with, investigate their previous work, be aware and make sure you know ahead of time the products they use so that you do not end up being scammed with cheaper products while paying for the higher end. 

Because at PG PAINT & DESIGN we strive for perfection, take pride in our work and really care about your experience with us, we want to make sure you are 100%+++ satisfied with every detail of the  work we provide and the end result. 

If we can’t see the job site then we can’t provide you the most accurate and fair painting estimate.  You might think our quote is too high, but we’re going on a guess, you might think our estimate is too low, again we are only guessing.  Why leave it to chance on a guesstimate when you can easily schedule an appointment to book for a free no obligation painting estimate. 

Give us the opportunity to better understand your vision of bringing harmony to your home by scheduling a free painting estimate appointment with painters in Ottawa. 

This post was originally published on Feb 02, 2015 and updated on Jan 14, 2022