BSR PRO™

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BSR PRO™

Paint Estimator

Interior + exterior. Primer + finish coats + trim.

1

Scope

NOTE: For full re-clad jobs with siding, use the Exterior calc instead. This calc is for paint-only jobs.
2

Area

RULE OF THUMB: Wall sf = perimeter × ceiling height. Ceiling sf = floor area. For exterior-only, put exterior wall sf in "Wall sq ft" and leave ceiling at 0.
3

Prep

Pressure wash
Standard exterior prep. Removes dirt, chalking, mildew.
BENCHMARK: $0.20-$0.50/sf national avg. 2,000 sf home ≈ $400-$800.
Sanding
Smooth failing paint, prep glossy surfaces.
BENCHMARK: $0.50-$1.50/sf. Light = lower. Failing paint = higher.
Caulking + patch
Seal gaps, fill nail holes, repair drywall dings.
4

Paint

Primer (1 coat)
Seals new surfaces. Required on bare drywall, raw wood, patches.
Finish paint (2 coats)
Standard latex on walls + ceilings.
BSR: $6.50/sf installed (material + 2 coats + labor). Override with your own rate if jobs run higher or lower.
Trim paint (baseboards, casings, doors)
Separate price per linear foot.
BENCHMARK: $1.50-$3.50/lf for baseboards + casings.
★

Custom Materials

USE WHEN: Premium paint, specialty primer, faux finishes.
Estimate Breakdown
Wall sq ft0
Ceiling sq ft0
Total paint area0
Costs (Your Side)
Pressure wash cost$0
Sanding cost$0
Caulking + patch cost$0
Primer cost$0
Paint cost$0
Trim paint cost$0
Hard Costs$0
Charge to Customer
Pressure wash charge$0
Sanding charge$0
Caulking + patch charge$0
Primer charge$0
Paint charge$0
Trim paint charge$0
Custom materials charge$0
Customer Price
$0
Profit: $0 · Margin: 0%
Rate: 10.35%
Sales tax$0
Total w/ Tax
$0

How to Measure Paintable Surface

Paint estimates need square footage of paintable walls and ceilings. Same as drywall: perimeter × height for walls, length × width for ceilings.

1

Walls

Perimeter of the room × ceiling height. 20×20 room with 8 ft ceilings = 80 ft perimeter × 8 = 640 sq ft.

2

Ceilings

Length × Width. 20×20 = 400 sq ft.

3

Exterior

Wall height × exterior perimeter. Add gable ends (1/2 × base × height for each triangle). Subtract big windows + doors for accuracy.

4

Trim Linear Feet

Add up baseboards, door casings, window casings. Standard: perimeter of room + (door openings × 2) + (window openings × 4).

Free Tool

Google Earth measures exterior wall lengths from satellite view. earth.google.com

Interior Paint Brands

Sherwin Williams ProClassic / Cashmere — Contractor standard. Great coverage, easy application.

Benjamin Moore Regal Select / Aura — Premium tier. Best color depth + fade resistance. Aura = top of line.

Behr Premium Plus / Marquee (Home Depot) — DIY market favorite. Solid value tier.

PPG Diamond / Manor Hall — Pro contractor option, often cheaper than SW.

Exterior Paint

Sherwin Williams Duration / Emerald — Top tier exterior, self-priming, fade resistant.

Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior — Premium exterior, holds color.

Behr Marquee Exterior — DIY tier, good value.

Primers

Kilz Premium / Original — All-purpose stain-blocker, water-based.

Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 — Universal primer, sticks to anything.

Sherwin Williams ProBlock — Heavy stain blocker, water-based.

Sheens (Interior)

Flat / Matte — Hides drywall imperfections. Bedrooms, ceilings.

Eggshell — Slight sheen, washable. Living rooms, hallways (most popular).

Satin — More sheen, durable. Kitchens, kids rooms.

Semi-Gloss — High sheen, scrubbable. Trim, doors, bathrooms.

Gloss — Mirror finish. Cabinets, specialty trim.

Seattle Paint Suppliers

Sherwin Williams — Pro contractor accounts get 20-40% off retail. Multiple Seattle locations.

Websherwin-williams.com

Benjamin Moore — Premium brand. Pro accounts available. Find local dealers.

Webbenjaminmoore.com

Miller Paint — Pacific Northwest regional brand, formulated for PNW weather. Multiple locations.

Webmillerpaint.com

Daly's Paint & Decorating — Local Seattle paint store, specialty finishes.

Home Depot — (for smaller orders if closer than the dedicated paint stores).

Lowe's — (for smaller orders if closer than the dedicated paint stores).

Equipment Rentals

Sunbelt · United Rentals · Home Depot Pro

Airless sprayer$60-90/day
Pressure washer$70-100/day
Ladder / scaffolding$30-60/day

Coverage Rates

Standard latex (1 coat)350-400 sf/gal
Premium latex (1 coat)400-450 sf/gal
Primer (1 coat)300-400 sf/gal
Heavy-bodied / textured200-300 sf/gal

Standard Practice

2 coats minimum for color change or new drywall. 1 coat only for same-color refresh.

Prime when: new drywall, raw wood, color change going light to dark or vice versa, stain blocking needed.

Labor Rules of Thumb

Interior (primer + 2 coats)$1.50-3.00/sf
Exterior (primer + 2 coats)$2.00-4.00/sf
Trim (per linear ft)$1.50-3.50/lf
Cabinets (per door/drawer)$50-150 each

Gallons Estimator

1 room (12×12 with 8 ft ceiling): ~500 sf paintable area → ~1.5 gal per coat. Buy 2 gal for 2 coats with buffer.

2,000 sf house interior: ~5,000 sf paintable → 12-15 gal for 2 coats.

2,000 sf house exterior: ~2,200 sf paintable → 6-8 gal for 2 coats.

Common Mistakes

Skipping primer on new drywall — flashing, uneven sheen.

Painting over dirty surfaces — peeling within months.

Painting in direct sun (exterior) — paint dries before it levels.

Cold weather exterior — most paint needs 50°F+ to cure properly.

BSR Constructions LLC

BSR PRO is built by a working contractor. Real paint job pricing from BSR's field work in the Pacific Northwest.

Phone(206) 474-4702
Emailwill@bsrteam.com
Webbsrteam.com
Address1712 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134

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