Editorial Credit
Who built the cost index, who reviewed it, who wrote the articles.
Two people, two roles. David Olson (Founder of TheFatBook) built and maintains the v3 cost_index pipeline that powers every painting number on this site. Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, a retired high end residential and commercial builder in Jefferson City, MO, reviewed the methodology and verified that labor hours, wage rates, materials, permits, and overhead are calculated the way a real contractor would price the work. Articles and guides are written by Chuck, then reviewed by David against the data the cost index publishes.
The Cost Index Author
Built by David Olson.
DO
David Olson
Founder & Cost Index Author, TheFatBook · Founder, PermitCalculator
TheFatBookPermitCalculatorCost Index Author
Analysis Scope
Author of the v3 cost_index pipeline that powers every price on this site: Craftsman labor hours × BLS regional wages × burden + PPI-adjusted materials + verified permit fees + NAHB overhead. Painting article fact-checks against the data the cost index publishes.
Limitations
Individual contractor recommendations, legal or tax advice. David reviews articles but does not review the cost-index methodology himself, that review is done by Chuck Thompson.
Compensation
Founder of TheFatBook. Monetization model and any conflict-of-interest disclosures are published in the site terms and updated as the business model evolves.
Update Frequency
Quarterly. Current version: 2026.Q1.
Version 2026.Q1 · Last Update: March 2026
Cost IndexMethodologyArticlesPermit Data
The Methodology Reviewer
Reviewed by Chuck Thompson.
LT
Leonard "Chuck" Thompson
Founder, LC Thompson Construction Co. · Retired High-End Residential & Commercial Builder · Jefferson City, MO
LC Thompson Construction Co.Retired High-End Residential & Commercial BuilderJefferson City, MO
Analysis Scope
Painting pricing methodology review, cost range calculations, lowest-price analysis, regional cost adjustment, contractor markup analysis, and material cost benchmarks. Reviewed from the perspective of a retired high end residential and commercial builder.
Limitations
Individual contractor recommendations, legal or tax advice, content added after the review date. This review covers pricing methodology only, not individual city pages or calculator outputs.
Compensation
Flat consulting rate. No equity, no referral arrangements, no financial relationship with any contractor, supplier, or data source.
Update Frequency
Quarterly. Current version: 2026.Q1.
Version 2026.Q1 · Last Update: March 2026
Quote FairnessFinancingCost IndexMethodology