What is the cost of a painter?

3/9/2012 at 1:22:46 PM

Good Morning Govind:

The first question to qualify if this is a new construction project or a repaint. Price varies quite a bit.

People always look at the price of a painter. Remeber, the price of painting will last a long time, so average the cost out. Ask about not only about what brand of paint, but also what quality in the brand's lineup. All manufacturers have a basic line ( aka: Home Depot Glidden/garbage!). Top line paint products give you the finish and durability that the b and c lines will not, but to the total cost of a paint job, add approx 5 to 7 % on top of the job. Painting is very labour intensive, and a good painter is worth every dime. Prep work is very essential and that takes time and pride in one's work. One way to qualify a painter is to go to a full line paint store, ie Dulux or Benjamin Moore. tell them what kind of results you are expecting and they will recommend the right person or persons to bid on your job. Also, they are fully qualified to direct you to the types of paint products that you should be using for your project. Most painters will recommend the most basic of products and will sell you on price. The key here is that paint is not only for show, but is a protective, functional coating with colourant added into it. Wood would rot and metal would corrode, and eventually fail if it were not for paint. A lot goes into paint development for specific uses, and the home products are no different.

I was in the protective coatings (paint ) business for a number of years. I was with a CIL/GLIDDEN store and recommended and carried only the top line products, for in the long run they were the cheapest to apply and the most functional.

Now, being a contractor, the lines that we use on the walls are CIL 9490 series eggshell latex, and Benjamin Moore top line semigloss on the trim. The B/M trim costs me over $50.00 per 3.78 L and am very glad to pay it, for the durability and finish that it produces.

Go to your local professional paint retailer, and they can tell you what to pay in your area for a good finisher. What most people are not aware of, is that a Master Painter in Germany has to go to a trade school for 7 years to qualify as a Master Painter. There is also a Master Painter's guild in Canada.

Unfortunately, most painters today can't qualify for anything else, so they become a professional painter.

2/6/2013 at 9:02:09 PM

Your guideline is " pay what u can afford " Ask your local paint store if they can recommend someone to you. Recommending someone is good because he'll get u someone local and someone he trusts too.

Hope this helps

Thanks