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A painting quote should list every room and surface, the prep, the paint by brand and line, and how many coats. It should show the 13% HST on its own line, plus the dates, deposit, payment schedule and written warranty. In Ontario, a written estimate in your contract caps the final price at 10% more unless you agree.
What line items belong in a written painting quote?
A written quote needs enough detail that two painters' prices can be compared line by line. That means scope, prep, paint, coats, price and tax, dates, payment terms and the warranty. Here is what each line should say:
| Line item | What it should say | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Every room and surface: walls, ceilings, trim, doors, closets | Anything not listed is not in the price |
| Prep | What gets cleaned, patched, sanded, caulked and primed | Prep decides how long the paint lasts |
| Paint | Brand, product line, sheen and colour for each surface | "Premium paint" alone can mean anything |
| Coats | How many finish coats, plus any primer | One coat and two coats are different jobs |
| Price and HST | The price before tax, 13% HST on its own line, and the total | You see exactly what the tax adds |
| Dates | A start date and an expected finish | A written start date gives you rights if the work starts late |
| Payments | The deposit, the payment schedule and how you pay | Money stays in step with finished work |
| Warranty | What it covers, for how long, and how to claim | A spoken promise is hard to enforce |
| Protection and cleanup | How floors and furniture are covered, and daily cleanup | No arguments later about mess or damage |
| The business | Legal name, address, phone and GST/HST number | You know exactly who you are hiring |
Scope of work:
the list of exactly which rooms, surfaces and items a quote covers.
What does Ontario law say a renovation contract should include?
Ontario's consumer protection rules cover painting like any other home renovation. All but the smallest renovation contracts must be in writing. The province's guide to home renovation rights says your contract should include:
- The contractor's name, address and contact information
- A description of the work and the materials to be used
- A clear description of any warranties
- The total cost and the terms of payment
- A work schedule with start and completion dates
- A payment schedule, including the deposit
- Who is responsible for cleanup
- Any work that will be subcontracted, and who pays for it
Three more rules are worth knowing before you sign.
The 10% rule
If a written estimate is part of your contract, the final price can't be more than 10% above it. The exception is new work or a new price that you agree to. Put any change in writing.
Change order:
a signed note, added to your contract, that changes the work or the price after you have agreed to it.
The 10-day cooling-off period
Sign a renovation contract in your home, and you can cancel it for any reason. You have 10 days from receiving a written copy. That covers almost any painting contract signed at your kitchen table. Cancel by email or registered mail, so you have proof. If work began during those 10 days, you still owe reasonable pay for the work and materials already provided.
The 30-day start rule
Say the contract gives a start date. If work hasn't begun within 30 days of that date, you can cancel any time before it starts. With no date in the contract, the 30 days run from the day you signed. Either way, ask for a real date, not "sometime in spring".
How detailed should the prep be in a painting quote?
Detailed enough that you could check it off on the day. A good quote says what gets cleaned, patched, sanded, caulked and primed, and how your floors and furniture are protected. "Prep as needed" tells you nothing.
Interior prep to look for
- Furniture moved and covered, and floors protected
- Walls washed where grease or grime would stop paint sticking
- Holes, cracks and nail pops filled, sanded and spot-primed
- Gaps between trim and walls caulked
- Water and smoke stains sealed with a stain-blocking primer
Exterior prep to look for
- Surfaces washed and left to dry
- Loose and peeling paint scraped, and the edges sanded
- Bare wood and metal primed
- Failed caulking cut out and replaced
- Plants, decks and walkways covered
Spot-priming:
priming only the patched or bare areas of a surface, so the finish coats bond well and dry without dull or shiny patches.
Older homes need two more lines. Some textured ceilings in Canada contained asbestos, mainly in homes built before about 1990. If a quote includes scraping or sanding one, it should say the ceiling will be tested first. In Ontario, asbestos work on construction projects falls under O. Reg. 278/05, and our post on popcorn ceilings and asbestos explains the steps. Old paint is the other thing to test. Health Canada says a home built before 1960 probably contains lead-based paint. The quote should say how old paint will be tested before anyone sands or scrapes it.
Why should a painting quote name the paint brand and product line?
Because "premium paint" can mean almost anything. Each brand makes several product lines at very different prices. The line decides how well the paint covers, cleans and touches up. A named product lets you check what you are paying for.
Ask for the brand, the line, the sheen and the colour code for each surface. Then two quotes compare fairly, and you can buy the same paint for touch-ups years later. Our guide to premium and contractor-grade paint explains what changes between lines.
The coats matter as much as the can. Two finish coats is the standard for walls, and a big colour change can need primer or a third. If the quote says "paint walls" and nothing more, ask how many coats that means.
How should HST, the deposit and payments appear on a quote?
The price should appear before tax, with Ontario's 13% HST as its own line and the total underneath. The deposit and each later payment should be written out with their due dates. You should never be asked to pay the full price before the work is done.
Ontario's home renovation guide recommends keeping the deposit to no more than 10%. A sensible schedule ties each payment to finished work. Pay a deposit to book your dates, then the balance after the final walkthrough. Longer jobs may add a progress payment in between.
The quote should also carry the painter's GST/HST number. Our post on whether painters charge HST in Ontario shows how to check one.
What are the red flags in a painting quote?
The biggest red flag is a single number with no detail behind it. Others include unnamed "premium" paint, no dates, a large deposit, a cash price with no HST and pressure to sign today. Any one of them is worth a question before you sign.
- A lump sum with no rooms, surfaces or prep listed
- "Premium paint" with no brand or product line
- No mention of coats or primer
- A large deposit, or the full price up front
- A lower "cash price" with no HST
- No start date, just "we'll fit you in"
- A warranty that is spoken, not written
- A price that is only good if you sign on the spot
Our guide on how to choose a house painter in Toronto covers the checks to run on the painter, from WSIB to insurance.
What does a Great North quote include?
A Great North quote is written and itemized, and it arrives within 24 hours of seeing the job. It lists the scope, the prep, the paint named by brand and line, the price plus HST, the dates, and any surface the warranty can't cover. Every price includes two coats of the named paint and a walkthrough with touch-ups.
It starts with your photos and sizes, which a crew lead checks for repairs, with a visit when the job needs one. The price follows the job's real sizes, and you see any change before work starts. A 20% deposit books your dates, and the rest is due an hour before the job is finished. Interior work carries a written 5-year workmanship warranty and exterior work a 3-year one, handed over at the final walkthrough. See how the process works, read the warranty terms, or start with interior painting or exterior painting. For a price range first, use the estimator.