EXAMPLE AT A GLANCE
This fictional Halifax, Nova Scotia interior painting example has 6 itemized costs and a C$3,094.00 total before tax or markup. The PDF, quantities, unit rates and scope assumptions match the table below.
Use this completed interior painting document to see how a specific job becomes a client-facing estimate. The project, business, customer and amounts are fictional. For the two-room wall repaint in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the example uses the measured trade units shown in its PDF. Residential jobs may mix square feet, linear feet, counts and supplier units; keep each line’s measurement basis visible. Inspect substrate moisture and condition, product availability and the chosen finish. Write down the preparation level and any work needed before the selected product can be installed. The figures are fictional CAD inputs, not a local price survey.
Project scope: Two-room wall repaint
Repaint 900 square feet of interior wall surface in two occupied rooms. Protect floors and furniture, complete minor nail-hole filling, apply two finish coats to walls, and paint 120 linear feet of baseboard. Ceilings and doors are excluded.
- Example location
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Prepared by
- Cedar & Beam Builders · fictional business
- Prepared for
- Jordan Taylor · fictional client
- Issued / valid through
- September 25 / October 25, 2026
Measure this work on the actual property before using any quantity. The illustration separates supplied products or materials from installation where the selection could change. A client should be able to compare each line with the agreed work, the selected products and the limits recorded in the notes.
The 6 itemized costs in Canadian dollars
Every row below is taken from the corresponding app-exported PDF fixture. Multiply the quantity by the unit rate to check the amount. These rates were chosen for this fictional example; they are not advertised prices or current averages for Halifax, Nova Scotia.
| Work item | Quantity | Unit rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor and furniture protection | 1 job | C$220.00 | C$220.00 |
| Minor wall preparation | 5 hours | C$67.00 | C$335.00 |
| Wall coating materials allowance | 1 job | C$355.00 | C$355.00 |
| Two-coat wall painting labour | 900 sq. ft. | C$1.85 | C$1,665.00 |
| Baseboard preparation and painting | 120 linear ft. | C$2.95 | C$354.00 |
| Cleanup and touch-up visit | 1 job | C$165.00 | C$165.00 |
| Subtotal / example total | C$3,094.00 | ||
Two calculation checks:
- Minor wall preparation: 5 hours × C$67.00 = C$335.00.
- Two-coat wall painting labour: 900 sq. ft. × C$1.85 = C$1,665.00.
The PDF shows a 0% tax entry, so the illustrated tax is C$0.00 and the total remains C$3,094.00. This only describes the example. Confirm the applicable tax treatment and any markup for the real job before issuing your estimate.
Assumptions that change the price
Record each wall’s length and height, then document how openings are handled. The floor area of a room is not its paintable wall area. A consistent measurement note helps explain the number the customer sees and prevents switching bases between rooms.
Minor filling, sanding, stain treatment and damaged drywall are not interchangeable tasks. This example includes minor nail-hole filling only. Price larger repairs separately and photograph the existing condition for your own estimating record.
State the number of finish coats included and whether primer is part of the scope. Confirm the product, sheen and colour changes before ordering. Estimate material quantities using the selected manufacturer’s current coverage information and the actual surfaces.
Outside this example: No ceiling coating, door painting, wallpaper removal, major drywall repair or hazardous-material remediation.
Inspect substrate moisture and condition, product availability and the chosen finish. Write down the preparation level and any work needed before the selected product can be installed. An allowance is a stated placeholder, not a promise to cover all work discovered later. If a selected product, quantity or hidden condition changes, update the affected line and explain the revision before proceeding.
Download the actual app PDF
The linked PDF was exported from Estimates for this fictional Canadian project. It carries the project scope, customer, work items, quantities, CAD rates and subtotal used in this table, plus a short note on tax, markup and one key exclusion. The detailed exclusions above remain important when adapting the example. Preview every PDF page, including the final totals and note.
Use the structure for a real job
- Replace Halifax, Nova Scotia and the example scope with the actual site and customer details.
- Measure the work and confirm the product schedule with the client.
- Replace every fictional CAD rate with your own labour, supplier and subcontractor inputs.
- Check exclusions, approvals, tax, markup and the document’s validity period for the real project.
- Preview the final PDF and recheck the total before sharing.
- Confirm wall versus ceiling scope.
- Record product, sheen and number of coats.
- Agree who moves and replaces furniture.
- List major repairs and door painting separately.
Common questions
Do I use floor area for an interior painting estimate?
Use the area of the surfaces you will paint. Floor area can describe a room but should not silently replace measured wall or ceiling area in an itemized estimate.
How do I show paint and labour?
Separate a defined materials allowance from preparation and application labour, or describe clearly what a combined line includes. Avoid charging for materials twice.
For the planning steps behind this document, read the interior painting estimating guide.
