Hi im in the painting and cleaning business as well as a few other services but my biggest problem is pricing for painting some say im too high and some painting owners have told me im being taken advantage of with the prices im giving ?
What are the best prices for my area I work in the fayetteville NC area? and what all is included with pricing
Hearing "you're too high" from customers while other business owners tell you you're "getting taken advantage of" is the ultimate contractor trap. It usually means your prices are just high enough to scare away the bargain hunters, but too low to actually cover your overhead and leave you with a real profit.
If you're trying to find that sweet spot in the Fayetteville area, here is a quick breakdown of where the local market sits, what you need to make sure you're charging for, and how to tell if your numbers are hitting the mark.
When clients push back on price, it’s usually because they only see the final coats of paint, not the heavy lifting. Spell out these steps in your quotes to justify your rates:
Use these quick benchmarks to see where you stand:
Stop giving a single flat price. Itemize the labor and prep work so the customer sees the massive amount of value they are getting before they ever look at the bottom line.
For interior wall only you say $2-4 per square foot of floor space.
A 10x12 would be $400-$800?
I'm not understanding that math. Or is the estimated cost including the trim and ceiling too?
Hi, excellent topic and question I think that this is what every company goes through.
One thing that I have found works is analyzing if you’re winning almost every bid, you’re probably charging too little. On the other hand, if you’re losing every estimate because of price, it may be time to take a closer look at what you’re including and how you’re presenting your value.
I also keep track of how long jobs actually take compared to my estimate. If I’m constantly working extra hours without making a profit, I know my pricing needs to be adjusted. Material costs, prep work, travel time, and overhead all add up, and if you don’t account for them, you’ll end up paying to do the job.
Competing on price can become a race to the bottom. I'd rather compete on value than be the cheapest. A clear scope of work often justifies a higher price better than a discount.
I'd be careful taking pricing advice from other contractors because everyone has different overhead, different crews, and different business models.
Instead of asking, "What should I charge?", I'd ask, "What does it cost me to stay in business?"
Figure out your labor, materials, overhead, insurance, vehicle costs, taxes, and the profit you want to make. That's your minimum. Then compare that to what the market is willing to pay.
If some people say you're too expensive and others say you're too cheap, then you're probably somewhere in the ballpark. Not every estimate will turn into a signed contract, but you'll see where the market is at and what clients to avoid.
As a general contractor, we sub painting and we've seen prices all over the map. Some include protecting the floors, doing the latex caulking, filling nail holes etc. Some ask for that all to be done before they come in. If you include those things, add you might want to add them as a separate bundle so that you have a built in bargaining chip. "Look, we could hit your number if it's all prepped for me and I just need to paint".
One thing I'd also recommend is calling a few painting companies in your area as a homeowner and seeing how they quote jobs. You'll learn a lot about what they include, how they present themselves, and how they justify their pricing.
Do you aim mostly for homeowners? If so, try to aim for general contractors. They have a steady pipeline of work. If you get in with a few GCs, you'll be less exposed to the cheap homeowners.
