For painters & decorators
Most painting disputes are about the prep, not the paint.
A painting quote is usually a number per room or per elevation, sent after a quick look round. The customer compares it with a cheaper quote that skips filling, sanding and a mist coat on new plaster — and can't tell the difference on paper. Then halfway through the job they ask why the ceilings aren't included, or whether the woodwork is getting two coats or one.
ApeiroCraft sends the quote as a link set out room by room, with the prep, number of coats, paint and finish for each, and what's excluded. You see when it's opened and re-opened, the customer signs in the browser, and the deposit is invoiced from the accepted quote in one click.
Where painting jobs turn into arguments.
The cheaper quote that skipped prep
Two quotes, one much lower. The difference is filling, sanding, caulking and primer — invisible on a one-line quote, so yours looks expensive for reasons nobody can see.
Ceilings, doors and the cupboard under the stairs
'Paint the living room' means walls to one person and walls, ceiling, skirting, door and frame to another. The difference is a day's work.
Colour changes mid-job
A customer changes their mind after the first coat, or the dark colour needs an extra coat to cover. Without a written rule, the extra time is yours to absorb.
Quote the room, show the prep, take the deposit.
Room-by-room scope
Each room or elevation as its own section: surfaces included, prep steps, number of coats, paint range and sheen. The customer sees what the price actually buys.
See when they're comparing quotes
The quote link records each open and re-open. When it's reopened after another decorator has been round, that's the moment to explain your prep.
Signed before you book the days
The customer signs on their phone. The signature records name, email, IP address and a UTC timestamp, and the signed scope can't be altered afterwards.
Deposit and balance invoices
One click turns the accepted quote into a draft invoice. Set it to the deposit, add your payment link and send; convert again for the balance when the job's done.
What a painting quote has to include.
A clear quote is your best defence against both the cheaper competitor and the end-of-job dispute.
Surfaces in each room
If it's left vague
Ceilings, woodwork, radiators and doors are assumed to be included.
With ApeiroCraft
List the surfaces per room — walls, ceiling, skirting, frames, doors — and anything left out.
Preparation
If it's left vague
The customer can't see why your quote is higher than the one that skips filling and sanding.
With ApeiroCraft
Describe the prep: filling, sanding, caulking, stain block, mist coat on new plaster.
Coats, paint and finish
If it's left vague
One coat goes on where two were expected, or a cheaper paint is used.
With ApeiroCraft
State the number of coats, the paint range or who supplies it, and the sheen for each surface.
Colour changes and extra coats
If it's left vague
A strong colour needs a third coat and nobody agreed who pays.
With ApeiroCraft
Say how colour changes after starting, and extra coats for strong colours, are charged.
Furniture, access and clear-up
If it's left vague
You arrive to a full room and lose the morning moving furniture.
With ApeiroCraft
State whether rooms are cleared by the customer, how floors are protected, and who removes waste.
- Deposit and balance invoices from one accepted quote.
- Saved quote structure, so each new job starts from your standard prep.
- Your own payment link — ApeiroCraft never takes a cut of the job.
Common questions.
How do painters and decorators usually price jobs?
Common methods are a price per room, a price per square metre or square foot of surface, a day rate multiplied by estimated days, or a fixed price for an exterior by elevation. Paint is either included or supplied by the customer at cost. Larger jobs often take a deposit, sometimes to cover materials. ApeiroCraft holds the structure you use; it doesn't set rates.
What would a three-room interior quote look like?
A living room, hallway and landing, each with its surfaces listed: walls and ceiling in matt emulsion, two coats; woodwork in satin, one undercoat and one top coat; prep including filling, sanding and caulking. Exclusions: the stairwell ceiling above a certain height and moving heavy furniture. A deposit, then balance on completion. The customer opens it twice after you leave, signs it, and you send the deposit invoice from the accepted quote.
When is ApeiroCraft not the right fit for a painter?
If you need a measuring app that calculates paint quantities, a crew calendar, or automatic job scheduling, ApeiroCraft doesn't do that. It also doesn't track hours. It's useful where the job is getting a clear quote signed and the deposit invoiced.
Can I offer a 'standard' and a 'premium' finish?
Yes. Lay out both options in the pricing section, explaining the difference in prep or paint. When the customer chooses, adjust the invoice draft to match before sending.
What if the customer wants to supply their own paint?
Write it into the quote: the customer supplies paint in the quantities you specify by a set date, your price is labour and sundries only, and delays or extra coats caused by a lower-coverage paint are charged at your day rate. It's signed with the rest of the scope, so it isn't a conversation on the morning of the job.
Show the prep. Win on the quote.
Write your standard prep and finish sections once and reuse them on every job.
Start freeStill deciding? Talk to the founder
Keep reading
Free template
Freelance proposal template
Any field: the client's goal, scope and exclusions, a timeline and two options to choose from.
Solution
Proposal tracking, explained
Timestamped opens on the proposal itself — not an email pixel, not a guess.
Pricing
Flat pricing, every module
Free plan with no card; paid from $19/month. Plans change capacity, never features.