How to Read and Compare a Painting Quotation in Kenya
What a painting quotation in Kenya should state, how to compare quotes that price different work, and why the cheapest quote isn't automatically the best.
The short answer
A useful painting quotation says what will be painted (areas and surfaces), how (preparation, products and number of coats), what it costs (materials and labour, separately where possible) and what is not included. Two quotes can only be compared once they describe the same work. If they don't, the difference in price usually comes from a difference in scope, not in value.
What a painting quotation should state
Not every quote will be laid out the same way, but a clear one answers these questions somewhere on the page:
| Item | Why it matters | Ask, if it isn't clear |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Which rooms, walls, ceilings, doors, frames and outside walls are included. | "Which areas does this price cover, exactly?" |
| Area | The square metres being painted, and how they were measured. | "Is this wall area or floor area? Were doors and windows taken off?" |
| Surface preparation | Cleaning, scraping, filling, full skimming and repairs change the cost more than anything else. | "Is this spot filling or full skimming, and on which walls?" |
| Products | The type and finish of each product (for example Vinyl Matt, Vinyl Silk, exterior paint, gloss enamel) and pack sizes. | "Which product goes on which surface?" |
| Number of coats | Each coat adds paint and labour. A first coat on new or prepared walls is a separate coat. | "How many coats on each area, including any undercoat or primer?" |
| Material quantities | Whether the paint listed can cover the stated area and coats. | "How did you work out these litres?" |
| Labour | How labour is priced (by the day, per m² or lump sum), crew size and time. | "How many people, for how many days?" |
| Other costs | Scaffolding or access, transport, protection of floors and furniture, cleaning up. | "Is access equipment included? Who removes the rubbish?" |
| Exclusions | What the price does not cover, such as repairs, damp treatment or extra coats. | "What would make the price change?" |
| Tax, terms and validity | Whether tax is included, how payment works and how long the price stands. | "Is the total final, and until when?" |
How painting quotations are often laid out
Many painting quotations list the paint and materials line by line (product, pack size, number of packs, price), then give labour as a single figure, and add a total. That layout is perfectly usable, as long as you can also see the area, the preparation and the number of coats. When those are missing, a quote is just a shopping list and a number: you can't tell what work the money buys.
Reading the materials list
The materials list tells you more than the price of paint. Read it for three things:
- Product types match the surfaces. Interior emulsion on interior walls, exterior paint outside, enamel on wood and metal, a primer where a surface needs one.
- Every coat has paint. If the quote mentions an undercoat or preparation coat, there should be material for it.
- The quantity can cover the work. Litres needed = area × coats ÷ coverage per litre.
Coverage varies by product and surface: rough or absorbent walls use more paint. How Much Paint Do I Need? A Practical Guide for Kenyan Homes shows the method step by step.
Reading the labour figure
A labour figure can be a day rate multiplied by days, a rate per square metre, or one price for the whole job. None is automatically better; what matters is that you know what it covers: preparation time, the number of coats, helpers, supervision, tools, access and transport. A labour line that is much lower than another may simply leave out preparation or a coat. How Much Do Painters Charge in Kenya? explains each pricing method, and Painting Cost per Square Metre in Kenya explains how to read a rate per square metre.
Comparing quotes that price different work
To compare two quotations fairly, put them on the same footing first:
- Same areas. Tick off each room and surface on both quotes. Note anything only one of them includes.
- Same measurement. Check that both price wall area (not floor area) and similar square metres.
- Same preparation. Spot filling and full skimming are very different jobs.
- Same coats. Count the coats on each area, including any undercoat or primer.
- Comparable products. Same type and finish, even if the brands differ.
- Same extras. Access, transport, protection, cleaning and tax, included or excluded.
| Item | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Areas | All interior walls and ceilings | Interior walls only |
| Preparation | Spot filling | Full skimming of new walls |
| Coats | Two finish coats | Undercoat and two finish coats |
| Access | Not mentioned | Scaffolding for the stairwell included |
| What to do | Ask both contractors to price the same scope before comparing totals. | |
In this illustration Quote A might look cheaper while pricing less preparation and one coat fewer, and Quote B might look dearer while leaving out the ceilings. Neither total tells you which is better value until the scope matches.
Gaps worth asking about
None of these proves a quote is wrong. Each is simply something to clarify, in writing, before you agree:
- No area, or no way to tell what was measured.
- "Paint" with no product type or finish.
- "Preparation" with no description of what it includes.
- No number of coats, or an undercoat mentioned with no material for it.
- Damp, peeling or cracked walls in the house, but nothing in the quote about them.
- No exclusions listed, so it is unclear what would cost extra.
- Line items that don't add up to the total.
If a wall has damp, a leak or a crack whose cause is unknown, the right first step is to have that cause looked at. A painting quote can't fix it: see Damp Walls Before Painting: What to Do First.
Workmanship, payments and guarantees
- Who supplies materials. Some painters quote labour only and expect you to buy the paint; others supply and apply. Agree it in writing.
- Protection and cleaning. Who covers floors and furniture, and who cleans up and removes waste.
- Stage checks. On larger jobs, agree to check the preparation before the finish coats go on.
- Payments. Agree in writing how payments relate to progress, and keep a final payment until the agreed fixes are done.
- Guarantees. A paint manufacturer's product warranty and a contractor's workmanship guarantee are different things. Ask what each covers, for how long and on what conditions, and get it in writing.
- Handover. A list of the products and colours used, and leftover paint labelled by room.
The complete painting and finishing project guide walks through what to check at each stage, from preparation to handover.
Is the cheapest quote the best?
Not automatically. A low price can be genuine, or it can leave out preparation, a coat, access or clean-up. A high price can include work you need, or work you don't. Once two quotes describe the same work, the price difference becomes meaningful: then you can weigh it against the contractor's experience, timetable and guarantee.
Checking a quote with FinishGrid
Check My Quote walks you through a quotation and reports three separate findings, never combined into a single score:
- Information: whether the quote says enough to tell what is being priced.
- Scope: whether the stated work makes sense for the surface and, where FinishGrid's methodology supports it, whether the stated paint can cover it.
- Price: for interior wall painting, where the quote gives enough detail, how it compares with the FinishGrid Reference: below, within or above.
It assesses the quote document, not the person or business who wrote it, and it says plainly what it couldn't check. Ceilings, exterior walls, wood, metal and textured finishes are not yet price-checked.
Have a quote in front of you?
Enter what the quote says and see what it includes, what's missing and what to ask before you accept it.
Frequently asked questions
Should a painting quotation separate materials and labour?
It helps. With materials and labour shown separately you can check the quantities against the area and coats, and see how much of the price is working time. A single lump sum can still be fair, as long as the scope behind it is written down.
Why are two painting quotes for the same house so different?
Usually because they describe different work: different areas, preparation, products, numbers of coats, labour assumptions, access or extras. Put them on the same scope before comparing totals.
Can I ask a painter to change a quote?
Yes. Asking every contractor to price the same written scope is the simplest way to get quotes you can compare.