I stopped bidding flat rates on painting jobs after losing $400 on a single bedroom in Seattle

Client had vaulted ceilings and I quoted $600 based on square footage alone. Took me 14 hours with all the cutting in and trim work. At $42 an hour before supplies and gas, I basically paid to work there. Anyone else switch to hourly or at least add a tall ceiling surcharge?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_thomas1mo ago

...and that right there is why I tell people the square footage rule of thumb was invented by someone who only paints empty warehouses. I mean, vaulted ceilings are basically a whole different job, you're up on a ladder for half the day just trying not to fall off while cutting in. Plus the extra taping and the fact that every roller stroke feels like you're reaching for the sky. Honestly, your only mistake was not charging a "why did you buy a house with 14 foot walls" tax.

the_parker1mo ago

My buddy almost yeeted himself off a ladder doing vaulted ceilings last month lol.

the_adam1mo ago

Tossed out the square footage rule completely after a similar loss. I now charge by the hour for anything with ceilings over 9 feet, flat rate only for basic rooms with standard heights. What worked for me was breaking it down into three parts - base rate for the walls, a separate line item for ceiling work, and then a premium for anything above 8 feet. I tell customers straight up "the ladder time is what costs you, not the paint." Saved my sanity on a vaulted living room job last year where I would have lost hundreds under the old system. Still get some pushback but I just show them the numbers and most people get it.