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Independent Cost Data

Painting bid and true cost calculators.

Independent FatBook v3 cost indexVerified permit/source data where availableReviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson
2026-07-10 Calculator Baseline

Start with the 2026-07-10 national painting benchmark of $9,440, then choose your metro and service to compare a contractor quote against local range, lowest realistic price, and margin data.

Updated Jul 2026. Sources: BLS OEWS, FRED PPI, Craftsman labor-hour references, city permit data where available, and FatBook v3 cost-index methodology.

$9,440
Average
$8,640 to $11,428
Typical Range
$8,640
Lowest realistic price
15.3%
Margin
How this number is calculated

TheFatBook models painting from Craftsman labor hours, BLS regional wages, burden, PPI-adjusted materials, permit data where available, and contractor overhead benchmarks. Cost index version: 2026-07-10. Updated Jul 2026.

Sources: BLS, Craftsman, FRED
Reference URLs: BLS OEWS · FRED PPI
Reviewed by: Leonard "Chuck" Thompson
Read methodology →
Estimate Scope

What the painting benchmark includes.

Included in the benchmark
  • Whole House Painting as the headline cost-index scope
  • labor-hour assumptions, regional wage inputs, materials, overhead, and permit data where available
  • low, average, high, lowest realistic price, margin, and savings benchmarks from the FatBook cost index
Not included automatically
  • hidden damage, change orders, emergency service premiums, or unusual site access conditions
  • contractor financing approval, warranties, provider recommendations, or guaranteed final quotes
  • permit rulings for a specific address unless the city permit panel lists verified local data
Scope methodology →
Bid Fairness Checker

Is your painting bid fair?

Cost index by David Olson · reviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson · 2026-07-10

Set your square footage and quality tier. The calculator rebuilds the job from wages and materials.

Want a shareable link? Use the standalone Bid Fairness Checker.

$
Type the number off the estimate, or drag the bar. The gauge below shows where it lands.
Or
Upload contractor estimate
Drag and drop or click here. PDF or CSV, we extract the line items.
Or paste it
Analyzed estimates are stored anonymized (names, addresses, phone numbers, and emails stripped) to improve the benchmark. No account, no tracking.
National Average
Within the fair range.
Fair range
Fair range$8,640 to $11,428
Cost to deliver$8,000
Typical market bid$9,440
Your bid$9,440
Implied margin15%
Fair range. Break-even sits at the red line: the cost of delivering the job, not a price anyone should demand. The green band above it is fair territory, roughly 8 to 45 percent over cost depending on trade and market, and most solid bids land between 18 and 28. That band is earned money. No one works for free, and if the job were easy you would not be hiring it out.
Embed These Tools

Put these on your site.

Free and always current, no API key needed. Each widget credits TheFatBook with a link back. Copy the snippet for any tool below.

Painting Bid Fairness Checker
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/painting/embed/bid-checker/" title="Painting Bid Fairness Checker" id="fb-embed-painting-bid-checker" width="100%" height="560" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/painting/bid-checker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Painting Bid Fairness Checker by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='bid-checker'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-painting-bid-checker');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Painting True Cost Calculator
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/painting/embed/true-cost/" title="Painting True Cost Calculator" id="fb-embed-painting-true-cost" width="100%" height="640" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/painting/calculators/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Painting True Cost Calculator by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='true-cost'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-painting-true-cost');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Paint gallons calculator
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/painting/embed/paint-calculator/" title="Paint gallons calculator" id="fb-embed-painting-paint-calculator" width="100%" height="600" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/painting/paint-calculator/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paint gallons calculator by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='paint-calculator'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-painting-paint-calculator');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Painting Financing Calculator
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/painting/embed/financing/" title="Painting Financing Calculator" id="fb-embed-painting-financing" width="100%" height="560" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/painting/calculators/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Painting Financing Calculator by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='financing'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-painting-financing');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Painting Estimate Checker
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/painting/embed/upload/" title="Painting Estimate Checker" id="fb-embed-painting-upload" width="100%" height="600" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/painting/calculators/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Painting Estimate Checker by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='upload'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-painting-upload');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Specialty tool
Paint gallons calculator
Estimate gallons of paint and primer, DIY material cost, plus what a local painter charges for installed work.
Open paint calculator →
Calculator FAQ

Using the painting calculator.

How does the painting cost calculator work?+
It prices the job from the ground up: Craftsman labor hours times the BLS wage for your metro, plus PPI-adjusted materials, the verified permit fee where we have it, and a per-trade overhead benchmark. That gives a cost to deliver, and the fair range sits above it. Pick your city and service and it sizes the number to your market.
Is it free, and do I have to enter my contact information?+
Free, and no. There are no lead forms and no signup. The calculator runs in your browser on published cost data, so you get the number without handing over your email or phone.
How accurate are the estimates?+
They are modeled from federal wage data, a licensed cost book, current material price indices, and real city permit fees, not survey self-reports or scraped quotes. Treat the result as a fair market benchmark to check a bid against, not a binding quote. Your home's specifics and a contractor's scope still move the final number.
Can I check a contractor's bid with it?+
Yes. Paste the quote into the bid checker and it grades the number against the local range, the lowest realistic price, and the typical contractor margin. A margin between 18 and 28 percent is normal and earned, with a fair ceiling of 24 to 45 depending on the trade, so the checker flags a bid that runs well past that and gives you something concrete to negotiate with before you sign.
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Cost index built by David Olson, Creator of the Cost Index & Permit Dataset · Methodology reviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co., Owner (retired) · 2026-07-10