Free template · general contractors

An interior painting estimate template with the prep already itemized.

This is a free interior painting estimate template with the whole repaint already itemized: permits, surface prep and repair, masking, priming, walls, ceilings, trim and doors, materials, labor through cleanup, and a contingency line at the end. Load it in the builder, delete what the job doesn't need, and put your rates on what's left. The rates ship blank on purpose. They're yours, and they change by market.

Most painting quote templates are one row that says painting and a total. An actual repaint has a second coat, a Masking & Protection phase, and a line for removing and reinstalling hardware, because someone takes the switch plates off and it is not free. Leave those lines out of the estimate and you still do the work. You just do it for nothing.

10 sections · 54 line items·Rates blank on purpose·No sign-up

What’s in the template

Every section below loads into the builder exactly as listed. This is the actual checklist, not a preview of one. Delete what your job doesn’t need and price the rest.

Permits & Fees3 lines

Permit costs, Lead-Safe (RRP) compliance where the job calls for it, and a color consultation line if you charge for one.

  • Permits & Fees
  • Lead-Safe (RRP) Compliance
  • Color Consultation

Surface Prep & Repair8 lines

Washing, scraping, patching, skim coating, sanding, caulking, drywall repair, and wallpaper removal. The part that decides how the rest of the job goes.

  • Wash & Degrease Surfaces
  • Scrape Loose Paint
  • Patch Holes & Cracks
  • Skim Coat Walls
  • Sand Surfaces
  • Caulk Gaps & Seams
  • Drywall Repair
  • Wallpaper Removal

Masking & Protection6 lines

Masking trim, windows, cabinets, and floors, plus furniture moving and hardware removal. Unglamorous and billable.

  • Mask Trim & Fixtures
  • Cover Floors
  • Mask Windows
  • Protect Cabinets & Countertops
  • Remove & Reinstall Hardware
  • Move & Cover Furniture

Priming5 lines

Wall, ceiling, and trim primer plus stain-blocking and spot prime lines, quantified by the gallon.

  • Prime Walls
  • Prime Ceilings
  • Stain-Blocking Primer
  • Spot Prime Repairs
  • Prime Trim & Doors

Paint units: gal. Quantity = gallons of coating; area coverage drives the count.

Wall Paint5 lines

First coat, second coat, accent walls, cut-in edges, and closet interiors. The second coat gets its own line so it stops being a surprise.

  • Wall Paint - First Coat
  • Wall Paint - Second Coat
  • Accent Wall
  • Cut-In Edges & Corners
  • Closet Interiors

Ceiling Paint4 lines

Ceiling coats, perimeter cut-in, and a textured ceiling line, because texture drinks paint.

  • Ceiling Paint - First Coat
  • Ceiling Paint - Second Coat
  • Cut-In Ceiling Perimeter
  • Textured Ceiling Coat

Trim & Doors7 lines

Baseboard, crown, chair rail, window trim, doors, jambs, and stair rails, priced by the linear foot or per unit.

  • Baseboard & Casing
  • Crown Molding
  • Window Trim
  • Doors - Paint
  • Door Frames & Jambs
  • Chair Rail & Wainscot
  • Stair Rail & Balusters

Materials8 lines

Paint, primer, enamel, caulk, spackle, abrasives, rollers, drop cloths, and the sundries every job absorbs.

  • Interior Paint
  • Primer
  • Trim & Enamel Paint
  • Caulk & Spackle
  • Sandpaper & Abrasives
  • Rollers, Brushes & Trays
  • Masking & Drop Cloths
  • Sundries & Consumables

Labor & Cleanup6 lines

Painter and prep labor by the day, mobilization, final cleanup, debris disposal, and the touch-up punch list.

  • Painter Labor
  • Prep Labor
  • Mobilization & Setup
  • Final Cleanup
  • Debris Disposal
  • Touch-Up & Punch List

Contingency & Allowances2 lines

A contingency allowance and general liability insurance. The lines that keep the job worth doing.

  • Contingency Allowance
  • General Liability Insurance

How it works

01Load the template

Open it in the builder and the whole repaint is already in place, permits through punch list: prep and repair, masking, priming, wall and ceiling coats, trim and doors, materials, cleanup. Start by deleting what the job doesn't need. That part goes quickly.

Prep → punch list
02Price it, margin in view

Put in your rates and what each line costs you: walls by the square foot, trim by the linear foot, labor by the day, paint by the gallon. The P&L updates as you type, so you know what the job pays you before the client sees a number.

Live P&L
03Send the client version

Export a clean client estimate: prices, quantities, one total. Costs, margin, and internal notes never touch the client version, because it's built from a copy that never contained them. Structural, not a setting.

PDF · Excel · CSV · share link

Questions

The full guide (units, tax math, deposits, exports) lives on the Help page. It’s genuinely thorough. We’re as surprised as you.

For the longer answer, there’s a guide: How to Write a Construction Estimate.

What does an interior painting estimate include?

Ten sections that follow how a repaint actually runs: permits and fees, surface prep and repair, masking and protection, priming, wall paint, ceiling paint, trim and doors, materials, labor and cleanup, and contingency and allowances. Inside them are the lines that quietly vanish from quotes: wallpaper removal, stain-blocking primer, the second coat. You delete what the job doesn't need, which is easier than remembering a missing line at the last minute.

How do I price an interior painting job?

Line by line, which is what the template is for. Walls and ceilings typically carry a per-square-foot rate, trim runs by the linear foot, doors and windows go per unit, and paint is counted in gallons. Every line is the same math: rate times quantity times multiplier. What moves your number is prep condition, coat count, and how much trim the house turns out to have. The builder keeps your margin on screen while you price, so you know your floor before anyone starts negotiating toward it.

Can I show a deposit on a painting estimate?

Yes. Document modifiers handle the usual moves: an overhead and profit fee as a percentage of the subtotal, a discount, and an informational deposit line so the client sees what's due before work starts. The template also ships with a Contingency Allowance line under Contingency & Allowances, for whatever the wallpaper has been hiding.

Is the interior painting estimate template free?

Yes. The entire builder works without an account, and every export is on the free plan: client PDF, Excel, CSV, an internal budget export, and a read-only share link that carries a client-safe copy inside the link itself. A free account adds one cloud-saved estimate. Pro is a one-time purchase, not a subscription: your name, logo, and contact line on client-facing exports, no Estimatery footer, unlimited cloud saves, and a Saved Items catalog for your standard lines.

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The checklist is done. The rates are your problem.
Opens the builder with this template loaded. No signup, no onboarding call.