A painting estimate is useful only when you can see what the total buys. This worksheet keeps three proposals beside the same project requirements so differences in surfaces, preparation, products, responsibilities, payments, exclusions, and closeout are easier to identify before a contract is signed.
Make every estimate describe the same project
Start with one written project list and give it to every company. A lower total may simply omit a ceiling, door, repair, primer step, second coat, difficult access area, or protection responsibility that another proposal includes. The comparison becomes meaningful only when each estimate responds to the same rooms, elevations, surfaces, and expected finish.
- List every room, elevation, component, and surface
- Record known repairs and areas that need separate evaluation
- Use the same color-change and finish assumptions
- Identify occupied-space, access, pet, parking, and schedule limits
- Ask each company to mark exclusions instead of leaving blanks
Break the total into visible scope
Look past broad labels such as interior painting or exterior repaint. The proposal should explain cleaning, scraping, sanding, patching, caulking, masking, priming, coating, cleanup, and disposal where those steps apply. It should also state the product line, sheen, included surfaces, and any assumptions that could change the price.
- Compare preparation and repair language line by line
- Record primer and coat-system assumptions
- Confirm the product line, color code, and sheen for each surface
- Identify owner-supplied materials or preparation
- Ask how concealed or unexpected conditions will be documented
Separate included work from possible additions
An estimate cannot predict every concealed condition, but it can explain what is included, what is excluded, and how additional work is approved. Pay attention to allowances, quantity limits, access assumptions, material upgrades, drywall or wood repair limits, association requirements, permits, and specialist trades that may sit outside the quoted total.
- Write down every allowance and quantity limit
- List software, permit, material, disposal, or specialist costs that are separate
- Confirm whether repairs have a defined limit or unit price
- Require written approval before additional work begins
- Do not treat an unanswered line as included
Compare payment, communication, and closeout
The strongest proposal is not automatically the lowest or highest. It is the one that makes the project easiest to understand and administer. Compare deposit and progress-payment stages, estimated timing, communication contacts, written-change procedures, walkthrough expectations, product records, cleanup, and any written care or warranty terms that are actually offered.
- Connect payments to understandable project stages
- Identify who can approve scope and price changes
- Use one written communication path for decisions
- Define the final walkthrough and punch-list process
- Keep the selected proposal, changes, receipts, colors, and product records together
Printable worksheet
Compare three estimates beside the same requirements
Type directly into the fields, then print or save the completed page as a PDF. Entries stay in this browser page and are not sent to Superior.
| What to compare | Proposal A | Proposal B | Proposal C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company and price | |||
| Company and contact | |||
| Proposal date and expiration | |||
| Total quoted price | |||
| Deposit and payment stages | |||
| Estimated start and duration | |||
| Included scope | |||
| Rooms, elevations, and surfaces | |||
| Cleaning and surface preparation | |||
| Patching, caulking, and repairs | |||
| Primer and coat system | |||
| Doors, trim, ceilings, cabinets, or extras | |||
| Products and finish | |||
| Product line and manufacturer | |||
| Color codes and sheen | |||
| Material and quantity assumptions | |||
| Owner-supplied items | |||
| Drying, cure, and access limits | |||
| Responsibilities and changes | |||
| Furniture, landscaping, and property protection | |||
| Access, water, power, parking, and pets | |||
| Cleanup and disposal | |||
| Exclusions and possible additional costs | |||
| Written change-order process | |||
| Verification and closeout | |||
| Business and applicable credential checks | |||
| Insurance or project documents requested | |||
| Project examples or references reviewed | |||
| Walkthrough, punch list, and final payment | |||
| Unanswered questions and final notes | |||
Official sources
Verify the records that apply to the work
These public tools answer different questions. Check the legal entity, then verify any state license, local registration, permit, or insurance requirement that applies to the actual scope and jurisdiction.
Confirm the legal entity name and current filing status. A business filing does not prove a trade license, insurance, or project qualification.
Verify a Florida professional licenseFlorida Department of Business and Professional RegulationSearch the business and qualifying individual when the proposed scope involves state-regulated construction work.
Review Seminole County permit toolsSeminole County Building DivisionUse the city or county with jurisdiction to confirm local permit and contractor requirements for the property and actual scope.
Read Florida contractor consumer guidanceFlorida Attorney GeneralReview official guidance on estimates, business research, credentials, contracts, payments, and project records before hiring.
Use this guide as a conversation tool
A checklist cannot diagnose a hidden condition or define a final scope. It can help you ask better questions, compare written proposals, and keep decisions from disappearing into memory.
Discuss a project