Quote templates for painters and decorators
Practical painting quote examples for the Irish market, with materials, price per square metre, and detailed labour.
Interior house painting quote
Interior painting is bread-and-butter work for any decorator. Here's an example for a 2-bed semi:
- Surface preparation (filling, sanding, masking), 65 m² at €4/m²
- Mist coat/primer application, 65 m² at €2.50/m²
- Wall painting (2 coats, emulsion), 65 m² at €8/m²
- Ceiling painting (2 coats, matt white), 28 m² at €8.50/m²
- Matt white emulsion 10L, 4 tins at €58 each
- Primer/mist coat 10L, 1 tin at €42
- Filler 5kg, 2 units at €12 each
- Masking tape, sandpaper, brushes, and rollers, 1 set at €38
- Floor and furniture protection, 1 set at €25
Materials total: €399 | Labour (per m²): €1,183.50 | Total excl. VAT: €1,582.50
With Prummo, dictate: "living room 28 square metres at 8 euros per metre, bedroom 18 metres at 8 euros, ceilings 14 metres at 8.50, 4 tins of emulsion at 58 each..." and the quote is built.
Exterior house painting quote
Exteriors need weather-resistant materials and often scaffolding or a tower. Example for a semi-detached house:
- Scaffold tower hire (erect and dismantle), 1 service at €380
- Power washing, 110 m² at €3/m²
- Crack and render repair, 12 linear metres at €10/m
- Exterior masonry primer, 110 m² at €3/m²
- Exterior facade painting (2 coats, masonry paint), 110 m² at €9.50/m²
- Exterior masonry paint 10L, 5 tins at €78 each
- Exterior primer 10L, 2 tins at €52
- Exterior filler and reinforcing mesh, 1 set at €65
Materials total: €598 | Labour (per m²): €1,375 | Scaffold: €380 | Total excl. VAT: €2,353
Exterior jobs above €2,000 are ideal for a staged payment: deposit by bank transfer before scaffolding goes up, balance on completion.
Repair and touch-up quote
Smaller jobs that keep the diary full between bigger contracts:
- Damp ceiling repair (scrape, stain block, fill), 4 m² at €18/m²
- Ceiling painting after repair (2 coats), 4 m² at €8.50/m²
- Wall patch repair with damage (fill + 2 coats), 6 m² at €12/m²
- Matt white emulsion 5L, 1 tin at €32
- Stain block/anti-damp primer 1L, 1 unit at €16
- Filler, sandpaper, and brushes, 1 set at €16
Total: €266
Even a small touch-up job deserves a proper quote. A branded document sent over WhatsApp puts you well ahead of the painter who texts a price with no breakdown.
Tips for painting quotes in Ireland
Always quote per square metre. It's transparent, and the client can compare your quote against others fairly.
Keep surface preparation separate from the painting cost. Sanding, filling, and priming takes real time; if it's buried in one number, the client won't value it.
Never leave ceilings out of the quote. A lot of decorators only price the walls, and the argument happens later when the ceiling gets added on. Ceilings cost more per square metre because the work is harder on the neck and arms.
List materials as their own line. Four tins of paint at 58 euros each shows the client that paint is a real cost, not just "a bit of painting."
Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge per square metre?
For interior painting (labour only), €6 to €9 per square metre is typical across Ireland. Exterior work with scaffolding runs €9 to €13 per square metre. Dublin rates sit at the higher end.
Should paint be priced separately or built into the per-m² rate?
Separately, always. The client understands the cost better, and you're not out of pocket if paint prices rise between quoting and starting the job. It also makes switching brand or colour a simple adjustment rather than a full re-quote.
What VAT rate applies to painting and decorating?
Painting labour on an existing residential property normally qualifies for the reduced 13.5% VAT rate rather than the standard 23% rate, as long as materials stay under two-thirds of the job's total value. Check the current rules on Revenue.ie or with your accountant before quoting.