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Proper Estimating Through Production Rates

Proper Estimating Through Production Rates

There are all types of painting contractors in today’s market. There are professional companies who have an office, support staff, and run their companies like a business. There are companies who are small with just the owner and a few guys, who have an office in their home, and work very hard, where the owner wears every hat in the business. Then there is the painter “out of his truck” company, who may or may not have insurance, a valid contractor’s license, and likely pays their help under the table. This last company is just there to make quick money, and move on. How will you know the difference? There are many ways, from vehicles, company clothing, to how they present themselves. The way I would like to talk about today is the estimate.

When it comes to painting estimates, they come in all shapes and sizes. I have had customers receive a price on the back of a business card, while others received one hand written on a sheet of paper. At the very least you want a hand written one on a company form, but the ideal is a computer generated one that is either emailed to you or a printed copy. A computer generated one enables a lot more detail put into the wording of the estimate and comes across as much more professional.

What goes hand in hand with an estimate is how the contractor got to the price they wrote on the estimate. I have had many customers tell me the contractor was at their home for 10 minutes and made no notes. We have personally witnessed this on large commercial job walks where all contractors are onsite all at once. So if they don’t write anything down, how can they possibly come up with an accurate estimate? I know my memory would fail 9 times out of 10. We always take detailed notes, either written or on our computer.

What do we do with those notes? We then put them into our estimating software, with production rates that we know are accurate. We have in the past timed our painters for all the tasks they do, so we know how to accurately estimate the cost of the job. In fact this summer we are going to go through a 2 month process of having someone on our jobs once again time all of the tasks we do to ensure we are up to date and our clients are receiving the most accurate estimates possible. Once we have entered our notes and calculations into our software it generates a written estimate that we email our clients.

Regardless of the size of the company you hire, make sure they take notes at the estimate, measure the job, and provide you with a comprehensive written estimate and then a written contract. It not only protects you in the case something goes wrong, it goes a long way to prevent unexpected issues during the job.

Our Promises to You

1. We’re committed to your project’s success

A lot of painters do the bare minimum, just to get by and move on. That’s not who we are or how we’ve built our reputation.

2. You can feel comfortable with our team

From the estimator to our office team, field employees to Crew Leader, we want you to know that you’re valued, cared for, and safe.

3. We’ll do the job correctly

You deserve total transparency, accountability, and exceptional work. No skipped steps or opting for the “easy way.”

4. We’ll stand by our job

Because we know we’re doing it all the right way, we can confidently stand by our work. We’re picky, and we want you to be 100% satisfied.

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4.9 rating from 350+ reviews

Google Facebook Angi

Eric and his crew were on time every day and did a very thorough job. I was thrilled that they were willing to paint my outdoor light fixtures which were getting rusty. I was particularly impressed how much time they spent going over their work at the end to catch spots that were missed. I’ll be using them again for interior painting.

C Lewis

Brooks Painting painted our home in Sacramento in March of 2022. Tim did a great job power washing our home. Corey, Flint, and Kristen were very helpful in the bid and. planning. process. The painting crew was excellent. Arrived on time each day and the project was finished in 5 days as promised. All worked very hard.

M Hawkins

Listened to my needs and offered good suggestions. Customer confidence in value and quality.

John K.

I have always received excellent customer service and the crews are always very concerned about ensuring satisfaction!

Shawn W.

We are long time happy customers with many positive experiences with Brooks Painting. We have appreciated the assistance (and patience) with selecting paint colors, the professionalism of the staff and the high quality of workmanship. We recently had some interior painting done and the crew was on time, neat, careful inside the house and very easy to work with. They also cheerfully handled some unexpected drywall repair. I highly recommend Brooks Painting.

Teri Greenfield
Google

Very professional, live up to their billing! [The] company was very cooperative, on top of everything. [They] followed through with their commitment.

Marylan T.

It was fun working with Chris and his crew. I’ve never had a contracted job go so smoothly from start to finish. The office was responsive to my needs, Corey was patient and helpful while I made color choices, and Chris made sure I was happy with the crew’s work every step of the way. Gabriel does amazing work as well. Very much a perfectionist like Chris. I don’t have a bad thing to say. The job is absolutely stunning and I’ve had so many neighbors tell me it’s beautiful. I’m happy to put one of your signs in my front yard if you’d like so people know as they drive by who did the work. Thank you Brooks Painting. I will be recommending you to anybody who asks.

D. White
Google

The crew is as neat and reliable as the actual painting job and paint used. No boom boxes!! Cordial staff spoke English. The crew got along with each other and worked as a team. The actual finish is / was beautiful. We would like to use Brooks again!

Donna H.

Courteous and well mannered, attentive, discussed complete job and provided good service.

Juan C., C.H.P.

They are on time! They show up! It was a big job and they were good and fast. Very nice guys.

Tracy W.

You are an excellent company and I couldn't be any happier with your work. This is your second job for me and both were excellent.

Donald S., Realtor

My experience with Brooks Painting has been outstanding, and, if it were an option on Google, I would assign 100 stars to their work. Mark and his crew were exceptional in painting both the inside and outside of my Central Davis home. They were considerate, careful, and respectful of my furnishings and yard. Kristen and her office staff were also responsive to my queries and were timely in scheduling the work. Thank you Brooks Painting for assisting in transforming my house into a beautiful home!

Hollis Skaife
Google

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COREY SCHMIDT

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Residential and Commercial Estimator Corey is a wonderful asset to our sales team! Whether you're seeking expertise for a residential interior, cabinet, or exterior painting project, or you're a commercial owner or contractor in need of a quote, Corey is your go-to expert!

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Ryan Lowery

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Residential Estimator Ryan is a fantastic new addition to our sales team! If you have a residential interior, cabinet or exterior project, book with Ryan!

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    Why Work with Brooks Painting

    Quality

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    Prompt Service

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    We offer a three-year labor guarantee for all painting projects involving one coat, and a five-year labor guarantee for all two-coat projects.

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