Comparing Quotes from a Painter: How to Do It

Two quotes for the same house can differ a lot, and that need not have anything to do with honesty. One painter charges for thorough sanding, filling and two topcoats. The other assumes a single coat over the existing work. On the first day you do not see that difference, after a few winters you do.

So lay the quotes side by side and tick off per item what is in them. If an item is missing, ask whether it is missing on purpose. A painter who understands the job explains that without trouble. If the answer stays vague, you know something too. For a first idea of what work costs, see what a painter costs.

• What is being painted: window frames, doors, fascia boards and facade cladding, with numbers or metres.
• The preparation: degreasing, sanding, filling and sealing.
• The coats: primer and how often the topcoat goes on.
• The product: brand and gloss, not just 'quality paint'.
• The colour: preferably with a RAL number.
• Wood rot: what has been seen and how unexpected repair is charged.
• Scaffolding or cherry picker: included or separate.
• Dutch VAT: which rate on which item.
• Guarantee: the period and the terms.

This is also exactly what you can hold a company to if a discussion arises later. What is in writing is agreed.

This is often where the biggest gap is. Some painters only include the visible repair, others charge generously or use a provisional sum. Both are fine, as long as you know what happens if more rot turns up under the paint. So ask: what does an extra spot cost, and do I get to see it before it is done?

A quote without a single word about wood rot on an older house is a warning. At one customer who had ten years without maintenance there turned out to be a lot of rot. As a national market indication repair starts from €50 per spot; with us you get a fixed price after the site visit based on what was seen. This is how you read the cost of wood rot repair on your quote.

A low price per m2 can look attractive, until the scaffolding comes on top separately. As a national market indication a rented scaffold or lift starts from €50 per day, and those days keep ticking if it rains. So ask whether the scaffolding is included and whether the price is fixed, also in bad weather.

We have our own scaffolding equipment and charge a fixed amount for putting it up and taking it down. No rental per day, so no surprise if the wind keeps blowing for a week. If a cherry picker is needed, that is on the quote too. With every quote also ask who puts up the scaffolding, when it comes down again and who is responsible for safety on your property. That avoids unpleasant conversations once the work is under way.

On painting work on a home that is two years or older after first use, 9 percent Dutch VAT applies. On new build younger than two years and on commercial premises it is 21 percent. Since 1 July 2025 a mixed-use building is split: 9 percent on the living part, 21 percent on the rest.

Wallpaper and carpentry can fall under a different rate. So check whether amounts are inclusive or exclusive of VAT, because that is the best-known reason two quotes seem not to add up at first sight. We put the rate per item on the quote. The details are on our page about VAT on painting work.

A few things are reason to ask further:

• a price was given without anyone having looked at the house
• there is only a total amount, without items
• the paint brand is missing or is to be decided 'in consultation'
• a large amount is asked up front without anything having been delivered
• the schedule stays vague and there is no point of contact
• there is nothing about handover or the guarantee

None of these points is proof of poor work on its own. Together they do say something. If you have already had a painter who stopped showing up, read what you can do when a painter drops out.

Ask every company to assess the same work, otherwise you are still comparing different jobs. Give them the same information:

• photos of all facades and close-ups of the problem spots
• dimensions if you have them, or the number of window frames and doors
• the year of construction and the last paint job
• your wishes for colour and gloss
• whether you want the work in one go, or spread over years

Does spread-out maintenance suit your budget better? Then a long-term maintenance plan (MJOP) can give peace of mind. Ask every company about that, so you can lay those amounts side by side as well.

You tell us your plans, and photos and dimensions help with that. Mohamed then comes on site: looking at the surface, discussing colours and agreeing the work. You then get a fixed quote with the agreed work, and after the work we go through it together.

On Google customers mainly mention the clear communication and the honest advice, together good for 4.8 from 25 reviews. Already have another quote? Feel free to lay it next to ours, and you will see straight away where the differences are. You are not tied to anything by that. Ask for your own comparison through the quote page.