Understanding your job cost | By Bradon Deneault, Estimator
When I sat down and thought about what are the biggest things that affect the cost of a painting project, there were a few big items that came to mind. These items range from the prep needed to access issues. As an estimator it is my job, whether by plans or a site visit, to identify these items before a job is priced. By paying close attention to these details, we are able to provide the client with the best quality materials and workmanship for their money, which has lead to us being one of the top commercial painting companies in Massachusetts and New England.
While determining the amount of prep work needed on a job, it is important to note all of the factors. These include the condition of the existing substrate; will heavy scraping and sanding be necessary or is the substrate fairly sound already? Along with this, it is key to be sure to wash exterior surfaces so you are not trapping dirt or mildew under layers of paint.
Once you get to access issues; that opens a whole different can of worms. When working high up, often times you will be required to use expensive lifts. Because of the cost and time needed both to acquire and work on these lifts, they can run the price of a project up fairly quickly. Some instances may require additional equipment such as swing staging, staging that hangs down from the roof, or even something as simple as a larger ladder for an interior project. It is important to gather this information early on in the process so it does not become an issue down the road.
I guess at the end of the day if you asked me “What is the main thing that will affect the cost of a job?” the easy answer would be everything. However, as I said earlier, two of the pricier and less noticed parts of a job are prep and access issues. These are items that may go overlooked during the estimating process that can definitely come back to bite you in the end if you don’t account for them as both a contractor and property owner. Contact re:fab today!
