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estimating from plans

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ProWallGuy

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#2 ·
My best suggestion would be to take a night course in blueprint reading. Its a lot more involved than trying to explain on a forum. I personally don't know of any online tutorials. Have you tried to google:
"How to read a blueprint"

I would also be very hesitant to give someone a price for work using prints if I didn't know how to read prints.
 
vermontpainter

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#4 ·
You need to understand scale. 1/8" = 1' or whatever, it is always indicated on the plans. Then you need a good ruler to measure and transpose to get actual footages. You will need a calculator and some highlighters. We color code on plans for footages and rough prices per room. What is just as important as the plans themselves is what they refer to as the paint schedule, which to us means paint specs. Make sure you have this. Ask lots of questions. Builders are remarkably crafty at making it difficult for you to see crown molding, cabinet, panel and trim details. Also, door styles. The devil is often in these details. I would not recommend firm pricing from plans unless you have all the information and then the game becomes watching for changes and getting them into your budget.
 
M

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#5 ·
Can you sit down with someone who can help? There's a lot of risk if you are not accustomed to working with plans. In the meantime look for a course at a local college or high-school.

Be sure to include some language in your proposal which indicates your price is subject to revision if the site changes or the plans were erroneous is some areas.

Where are you located?

Mandrake
 
J

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558 Posts
#6 ·
Prints are usually updated from the original set. Keep an eye out.

There are obvious questions you have as a painter, look for the answers on the prints.

To me, prints are the same as a new large house. It takes a day or two to "find my way around".
 
D

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#7 ·
:thumbup: I have read plans for 11 years and yes it is time to learn tricks. Walls are length of a room times height, and ceilings are just length X height. Count your doors and frames, windows if any and trim . And if this is your first time a class would be a good idea.
 
painterdude

· semi retired painter
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232 Posts
#8 ·
bidding off prints

the major problem of bidding commercial off of prints( once you learn how to read'em) is to trying to figure out access. Are you gonna be alone? Do you have to work around other contractors whe don't give a crap about greasy hands on walls to put in switches. Make sure you find out the sequence or you'll get killed. Not sure where you are , but some places never heard of back charges. Be sure you can add on and consult with the supt. daily and keep a log of problems. As you do more of them, you'll get the hang of it. I remember taking plans to a friend in the trades for many years...get the hang of the terms...blk used to be block...but it can be called cmu???? concrete masonry unit. good luck pd
 
L

· ehpainting
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#9 ·
This is the thread I need to be on. We own a small painting company, and we have been invited to bid on a commercial job. We have done commercial jobs before but not with blue prints. They seem simple enough, however, the job is not complete of course, and since we're not the best at reading blueprints, we're kind of lost on what to charge. It's hard to charge for something you can't see because it's not done. I'm at a loss, I left messages for some construction estimators just for the painting portion, but I'm not sure they can help me.

Any suggestions?
 
bikerboy

· Born To Be Mild
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#10 ·
lita456 said:
This is the thread I need to be on. We own a small painting company, and we have been invited to bid on a commercial job. We have done commercial jobs before but not with blue prints. They seem simple enough, however, the job is not complete of course, and since we're not the best at reading blueprints, we're kind of lost on what to charge. It's hard to charge for something you can't see because it's not done. I'm at a loss, I left messages for some construction estimators just for the painting portion, but I'm not sure they can help me.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Look at the plans and try to imagine the room size and layout. (it is right there) You are going to have to figure out the square footage, if for nothing else to compute how much paint you need.

If you know YOUR numbers, (production, overhead) you know how much you can accomplish per hour and how much you need to charge.
 
G

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#17 ·
MonPeintre.ca

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#19 ·
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