Free painting invoice template
Prep, coats and materials broken out — so the customer can see what they're paying for besides paint.
Most of a paint job is prep, and prep is invisible once the paint's on — which is why an invoice that says only 'painting — $3,400' feels expensive. Break it out: pressure wash and scrape, caulk and patch, prime, then coats. Name the product and sheen for each surface, because in two years somebody will want to touch up that hallway and this invoice will be the only record of what color it was. If you're doing a big job, bill it in stages rather than carrying the material cost yourself.
Lines a painter actually bills for
| Line | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Interior repaint — walls, per sq ft of floor area | $1.50–$3.50 per sq ft |
| Interior room, walls only — 12 x 12 | $300–$700 per room |
| Ceilings, per room | $125–$300 per room |
| Trim, baseboard and doors, per linear ft | $1.50–$4.00 per foot |
| Exterior repaint — single story | $2,500–$6,000 |
| Pressure wash and exterior prep | $250–$600 |
| Drywall repair, caulk and patch before paint | $150–$500 |
| Paint and materials | at cost plus 10–20% |
What to include on a painting invoice
- Your business name, phone number and email — and your license number if your state puts one on the paperwork
- The customer's name, the service address, and a phone number or email you can actually reach them on
- An invoice number and the date the work was done
- The rooms or elevations covered, and what was excluded — closets, ceilings, garage
- Prep as its own line: wash, scrape, sand, patch, caulk, prime
- Number of coats, and the product, color code and sheen for each surface
- Materials separated from labor, with your markup policy stated
- Deposit taken and progress payments, with the balance clearly remaining
- Your warranty on the finish, and how long you'll come back for a touch-up
- Subtotal, sales tax if you charge it, and the total due
- Any deposit or payment already taken, and the balance still owed
- The due date, and what happens if it goes past it
- How they can pay — card, bank transfer, check or cash
Painting invoicing questions
How do I price interior painting — by room or by square foot?
By the room reads better for small jobs, by the square foot scales better for whole houses. Whichever you use, put the basis on the invoice. A per-square-foot number lets a customer check it against every quote they got; a per-room number needs the room list written out so 'the whole upstairs' can't quietly grow.
Should prep be a separate line?
Yes. Prep is where the labor goes and it's the first thing a cheaper bidder skips. Showing pressure washing, scraping, caulking and priming as their own lines is how the customer understands why your number is higher than the guy who's going to roll one coat over chalky siding.
How many coats should the invoice say?
Exactly how many you're doing, per surface. Color changes and dark-to-light almost always need two, and 'two coats over primer' on the invoice prevents the conversation where you're accused of one thin coat because coverage looks uneven in raking light.
Do I take a deposit?
For anything with real material cost, yes — commonly a deposit for materials, a progress payment partway, and the balance at walkthrough. Some states cap deposits on home improvement contracts, so check yours. Each stage should be its own invoice with its own due date.
Should I list the paint colors?
Always, with brand, line, color name and code, and sheen per surface. It costs you one line and it makes you the person the customer calls in two years when they scuff the hallway — which is a touch-up job, and often a whole new room.
How much does sending an invoice cost?
Nothing to write and hand over — no per-invoice fee and no limit. We take 0.5% only when a customer pays the invoice with a card, and nothing at all when they pay you by check or cash. Paid plans start at $9.99 a month if you want receipt scanning, emailing from our address or your own logo; the free plan works without them and always will.
Painting estimate template · All invoice templates · Guides
Write a free painting invoice — Pocket Business is free to build and send, no signup, no invoice limit.