Getting three quotes is smart, and I tell people to do it, even when one of the three is mine. But comparing three bottom-line numbers tells you almost nothing, because the numbers usually describe three different jobs. This is the checklist I'd hand my own family: what to look for line by line, what to verify, and the questions that separate a real estimate from a number on a napkin. I'm Martin, the owner of Pineapple Cove Painting Company.
Lay your three quotes side by side and check each one for these eight items, written down, not promised verbally. When a quote is mysteriously lower, the answer is almost always hiding in this list.
Paint over dirt, chalk, or mildew and it lets go early, no matter the brand. The quote should say the surfaces get washed, and for exteriors, treated for mildew.
New paint is only as good as what's under it. Look for the words scrape and sand, because "spot prep as needed" can mean almost anything.
Seams, joints, and window perimeters need fresh caulk to keep water out of the walls, and on the Treasure Coast that matters more than almost anywhere.
Bare stucco, bare wood, and patched areas drink paint differently than the wall around them. Without primer, every repair telegraphs through the finish coat.
The biggest quiet difference between quotes. One coat plus touch-ups costs less to give away and fails years sooner. The quote should say two coats, in those words.
Floors, furniture, landscaping, roof lines, and walkways should be covered and masked before the first drop moves. Ask how, not just whether.
A tidy site every evening and a full cleanup at the end should be part of the job, not a favor. You should not be hauling paint chips out of your flower beds.
Someone should walk the finished work with you before you hand over the balance. If the quote doesn't mention one, ask who decides the job is done.
Once the scopes match, the tiebreakers live in the paperwork. A warranty that only exists in conversation is not a warranty. "Premium paint" with no product name is not a paint system. And insurance you never verified is insurance you may not have when it counts.
None of this takes more than fifteen minutes, and any painter worth hiring will be glad you asked. The ones who get defensive about these questions are answering them too, just not the way they intended.
For what actually moves a painting price up or down, size, stories, prep condition, and paint system, read the full guide to what it costs to paint a house on the Treasure Coast.
This is what I hand you after the walk-through: the scope in writing, the paint system named on the can, and every checklist item on this page answered before you ask.
I wrote this page because my estimate is built to survive it. After a free in-home walk-through, you get a written estimate by paper, text, or email with the full scope spelled out: wash, scrape and sand, caulk, primer where needed, two full coats, protection, cleanup, and the final walkthrough. The paint is quoted as a good, better, best choice of named Sherwin-Williams systems, the 5-year workmanship warranty is printed into the document, and the terms are simple: the estimate holds for 30 days, a 50% deposit reserves your dates, and the balance is due at the final walkthrough.
So get your three quotes. Put mine in the stack, hold every one of them to this checklist, and pick whoever answers it best. I'm comfortable with how that comparison ends, and if another quote beats mine on the merits, you'll have chosen well either way. You can also read exactly how my projects run and who actually does the work before I ever step through your door.
Because the quotes usually describe different jobs. One includes a full wash, scraping, caulk, primer, and two coats. Another includes one coat over a quick rinse. Both say exterior painting on the front page. Prep hours are the biggest hidden variable, followed by the paint system quoted and how the company staffs and insures its work. When you line up the scope side by side, most mystery gaps explain themselves.
A price with no written scope. Premium paint with no product name. A verbal warranty that is not in the document. Pressure to sign today because the number expires. A deposit demand that covers most of the job up front. And no proof of insurance when you ask for it. None of these guarantees bad work, but each one removes your ability to hold the company to what was promised.
Sometimes, honestly. If the cheapest quote spells out the same wash, prep, primer, two full coats, named paint system, and written warranty as the others, that painter may simply run leaner, and taking it is a fine decision. The cheapest number is only a trap when it is cheap because something is missing. Compare scope first, then price. If a quote cannot tell you what is in it, the number means nothing.
I'm based in Palm City and paint across Martin County and Port St. Lucie. If you're in one of these towns, you're in my normal weekly routes.
Quoting a specific project? See exterior painting, interior painting, and pressure washing. Or read what homeowners say about how the finished work compares.
The walk-through is free, the estimate is written, the scope is spelled out, and the number holds for 30 days while you compare. That's the whole pitch.
Prefer to skip the phone? Book your walk-through online and pick a time that works.
