# MD Dopers - Paint contractors advice needed

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-dopers-paint-contractors-advice-needed/214839>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [November 23, 2003, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-dopers-paint-contractors-advice-needed/214839 "2003-11-23T15:03:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![swannguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@swannguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swannguy)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-dopers-paint-contractors-advice-needed/214839/1 "2003-11-23T15:03:59Z")

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Mods - not quite if I’m the correct forum, please move if necessary…

Question for Maryland Dopers (Wheaton/Kensington area)

I decided to paint the living room, kitchen and bedrooms yesterday. While in the process of it, I discovered that things aren’t as easy as they appeared to be.

I’m now looking to get a contractor. Here are my questions;  
Do they charge by the hour or square footage?  
How much by the hour/square footage on average?  
I taped, spackled and primed all rooms, can I negotiate a lower price or is that uncommon?  
Anybody know of anybody whom they trust?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-dopers-paint-contractors-advice-needed/214839/2 "2003-11-23T16:11:43Z")

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Many variables.

I quote based upon SF and LF and EA, ex: walls and ceilings by SF, moldings by LF, doors and windows by EA.

There is no average that could be intelligently quoted without seeing the job.

Sometimes the customer enjoys a savings by doing prep work. Sometimes it costs them more because it needs to be redone.

Most folk think painting is simple stuff, until they’ve done a few jobs themselves. Part of the trick is for me to figure out what you expect it to look like. If you want a semi gloss finish, and the walls aren’t up to that standard, I either have to fix them, or talk you into a lower gloss level.

Are your walls and celings all the same color/gloss? Do you want moldings a different color/gloss? What color and gloss is present, and what do you want for a finished look? Is the property vacant, or will I be dealing with kids, pets, and retired Dad who wants to yak all day?

Perhaps now you have a handle on a few of the salient variables.