To get a house painting estimate, you generally need to know which paint you want to use. You may have to measure the area that needs painting, unless you are getting a professional to provide the estimate. It is possible to get the calculation manually but there is also software that can make the task a lot easier.
There are several ways you can get a house painting estimate. If you plan to do the work yourself, it is likely that you can calculate the cost of painting by yourself. For the best estimate, you will need to have certain specific pieces of information, such as the size of the area that will be painted and the cost of each container of paint.
The reason you need to measure the size of the area is because this will tell you how much paint you need. Knowing which product you will use is important because the price of paint can vary greatly. If you are not sure how many containers will be needed for the area you will be working on, you should be able to get help figuring this at the retailer where you will buy the supplies. Then, you can multiply the cost of a container by the number you will need. You will also have to figure in more costs to get a better estimate, including the prices of items such as primer, brushes, and brush cleaner.
A simpler means of obtaining a house painting estimate is to get a professional painter to assess the job. Just as if you were doing it yourself, he will need to know the exact area but he may not have to measure it. It is likely that he will ask you if there is certain paint you want to use. If your answer is no and you want a basic color, such as white, he may base the estimate on products from his standard paint supplier. Even if you get a house painting estimate from a professional painter, you do not necessarily have to hire him for the job. If you are still deciding whether you should do the work yourself, ask him to give you with an estimate that provides the cost of the materials and the labor separately.
Another option for obtaining a house painting estimate is the use of technology. There is software that you or a professional painter can use to generate an estimate. This is often a good option if you are considering several different possibilities, such as using one paint versus another or painting an entire area versus a smaller portion of it.