Getting multiple painting estimates is standard advice, and good advice. What no one tells you is that comparing them is often not straightforward. Here is what to look for so you can make a real comparison. Our free Estimate Review Guide lists what every proposal should put in writing.
Compare the same scope
The most common cause of confusing estimates is different scope, not different pricing.
- Are all quotes covering the same rooms?
- Same surfaces (walls only, or walls and ceilings, or walls and ceilings and trim)?
- Same coat count?
- Same paint quality?
- Same prep scope?
If one estimate is 40% lower than another, chances are the scope is different. Often the lower estimate is skipping prep steps, using cheaper paint, or applying fewer coats than the higher estimate.
Ask each contractor to itemize scope clearly. Then compare item by item.
Compare the paint products specified
“Professional-grade paint” means nothing. You need a specific product name.
Benjamin Moore Aura Interior at $75/gallon is a completely different product than Benjamin Moore Regal Select at $50/gallon, which is completely different from a store-brand paint at $35/gallon. All three might be called “professional grade” in an estimate.
Ask for the specific product line by name. Compare the estimates using those products. Our comparison of Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams explains how the two professional brands differ.
Compare the prep specification
Prep is where corners get cut most often. Look for these prep items in each estimate:
- Surface cleaning
- Scraping loose paint
- Sanding
- Filling holes and dings
- Caulking gaps between trim and walls
- Priming bare wood, patches, and stained areas
- Protecting furniture and floors
An estimate that lists all of these is complete. An estimate that says “prep as needed” is not comparable to one that specifies the prep steps.
Compare what happens after the job
Paint problems can show up weeks or months after the crew leaves. Ask each contractor the same questions and compare the answers side by side.
- If a problem shows up after the job, who do I call?
- How quickly do you respond?
- What kinds of problems do you come back to fix?
- Is there a charge for a return visit?
- Can I talk to past customers who needed you to come back?
A specific answer you can check with past customers is worth more than a lower estimate that comes with a vague “we’ll take care of it.”
Compare the contractor, not just the estimate
The estimate is a piece of paper. The contractor is who will paint your home.
- CSLB license number, current and active (look it up on the CSLB license check)
- General liability and workers comp insurance, current
- References from recent projects
- Photos of actual completed work (not stock photos)
- Reviews across multiple platforms (not just one)
- Time in business
A slightly higher estimate from a contractor with 30 years of local business, verified licensing and insurance, real references, and a clear answer about problems after the job is a better value than a lower estimate from an unknown contractor with none of that background.
The “middle bid” myth
Common advice says pick the middle bid of three. That is not always right.
The middle bid is only meaningful if all three bids are for equivalent scope from equivalent contractors. If the low bid is unqualified and the high bid includes extras you don’t need, the middle bid might be correct. But it might not be. Judge each bid on its own merits.
Red flags across bids
Watch for these regardless of price. If one bid comes in far below the others, our free Low-Bid Red Flag Checklist has the follow-up questions to ask before you sign.
- Missing CSLB license number
- No clear answer about problems after the job
- Very short timeline promises (“I can start tomorrow”)
- Vague prep specification
- No specific paint products named
- No written proposal, just a verbal quote
- Contractor pressures you to sign immediately
- Contractor asks for a deposit above California’s legal limit for home improvement work: $1,000 or 10 percent of the price, whichever is less (see the CSLB’s guide to hiring a contractor)
- Contractor cannot provide recent references
- Reviews are only on one platform or all posted in a short time window
Any of these should give you pause. Multiple of them in the same estimate should send you elsewhere.
What a comparable, complete estimate looks like
You should be able to lay three complete estimates side by side and see the following. Our free quote comparison worksheet puts them in columns for you.
- Same rooms and surfaces addressed
- Same or clearly different prep scopes (with explanation)
- Specific paint products named
- Same coat count
- Timeline with realistic start and completion dates
- A clear answer about problems after the job
- Total price broken down by scope area (or with add/subtract options)
- CSLB license, insurance details, and business information
- Photos and references available on request
Once you have three complete comparable estimates, the price decision becomes straightforward. Usually the answer is not the cheapest and not the most expensive, but the one from the contractor whose approach best matches your project needs.
Time is your friend on this decision
Do not let anyone rush you. Ask each contractor how far out they are scheduling, so you know how much time you have to compare and decide. Any contractor who pressures you to sign immediately is signaling something about their business situation. Take the time to make the right decision. If you are comparing bids for interior or exterior painting in Martinez, Danville or nearby, our written proposal lists each of these items so you can line it up against the others.
