House Painting Quote Checklist
A complete painting quote should specify paint brand and product, coat count, surface prep scope, and protection for floors and furniture. Vague quotes almost always produce disappointing results — because the contractor has room to cut corners you never explicitly prohibited.
Required line items
A complete house painting quote should explicitly address each of the following. Items that are genuinely excluded should be stated as exclusions — not left unmentioned.
Surface prep
Scraping, sanding, patching holes, and caulking gaps — specified by scope
Priming
Whether included, product specified, areas covered
Walls — coat count
Number of finish coats with product specified
Ceilings
Whether included and how many coats
Trim & baseboards
Whether included — often priced separately
Doors
Both sides and edges, or face only
Protection
Drop cloths, plastic sheeting for furniture and floors
Cleanup
Paint removal from hardware, cleanup of workspace
Common red flags in house painting quotes
These are the most frequently omitted or vague items. Any of them in your quote should prompt a follow-up before you sign.
Paint brand or quality not specified
There's a significant difference between budget and premium paint — in coverage, durability, and finish quality. 'Paint included' without a brand is a red flag.
Number of coats not stated
One coat is rarely sufficient for a lasting result, especially over dark colors. If the quote doesn't specify coat count, ask — and verify primer is included.
Surface prep vague or missing
Prep is where quality painting jobs win or lose. A quote with no mention of scraping, sanding, patching, or priming is likely a quote that skips the hard work.
No mention of protection for floors and furniture
A professional painter drops cloth floors and moves or covers furniture. If this isn't mentioned, clarify — it's a baseline indicator of professionalism.
Square footage not broken out by area
A lump-sum painting quote with no room or area breakdown makes it impossible to compare with other bids or identify scope creep later.
Three things to confirm before signing a house painting contract
These are the final checks before you commit — specific to what matters most in a house painting project.
50% at start, remainder only after a walkthrough
A two-payment structure is standard for painting: roughly 50% upfront to cover materials and scheduling, the remainder on completion after you've walked through and verified trim edges, coat coverage, and cleanup. Never pay the balance before that walkthrough.
Check for HOA color restrictions before signing
Interior painting rarely requires permits. For exterior work, verify whether your HOA requires color pre-approval — contractors won't know your HOA rules, and a rejected color choice becomes your problem after the job is done.
Minimum 1-year warranty on adhesion and peeling
A professional painter should warranty their work against peeling, cracking, or adhesion failure for at least one year. Get this in writing — paint failures can emerge months after the job closes, and verbal assurances are unenforceable.