What are all-in painting rates and how are they used to price commercial painting projects?

7th

FEB

2019

Posted by The Painters’ QS in Estimating for Painting Contractors

An all-in painting rate is a cost per square metre (m2), linear metre (Lm) or Number (nr.) to carry out a particular item of painting works to the specification and includes for:

1. Labour Costs
2. Material Costs
3. Company Overheads (Both direct and indirect).  Direct overheads are other costs that are directly related to the project such as fuel, other travel costs, supervision. Indirect overheads are company costs that are not directly associated to a particular painting project but with maintaining the operation of the company (e.g. office staff salaries, company insurances, telephones, printing, vehicle repairs etc.)
4. Profit
5. For construction works it may well include for plant.  However, this is not the case for painting and any plant/access costs are usually shown separately.  This is because you are never sure exactly how long the access will be required for, particularly if the Principal Contractor falls behind programme and you are paying for access equipment that is sitting 'idle'.

Commercial painting projects are usually cost by measuring all the items of painting works and applying the appropriate 'all-in' painting rates to each item measure.  Measures can be carried out either by the Painting Contractor, by the Principal Contractor QS or by the Client PQS.

Whether you use a m2, Lm or nr. rate is determined by the item of work and how it has been measured.

As a general rule, items which have a girth which exceeds 300mm are measured in (m2) and items which have a girth less than 300mm are measured in (Lm).

Items which can be classed as 'isolated areas less than or equal to 0.5m2, irrespective of girth are measured by (nr).  An example of an item that would be measured by (nr) would be paintng to exposed rafter ends.


If need to be able to use all-in painting rates to price projects but have no idea how to calculate, current competitive painting rates, you need our Quick Paint Rate painting rates calculator software.  Very, very easy to use, with no previous knowledge required.  Quick Paint rate allows you to calculate painting/wallpapering rates to your own overall daily painter charge and material prices.

 

If you would like to learn more about estimating for painters, take a look at our tendering and estimating course for painting contractors, or give us a call to discuss.

Happy Estimating

Mark

Painting Estimator

P&D

Written by P&D Online

The Painters’ QS