Quoting "2 coats of paint" by default on every job is one of the most common reasons a painting quote falls short on material and hours.
When 2 coats are enough
Over an already painted wall in good condition and of a colour similar to or lighter than the new one, 2 coats of emulsion are usually enough for uniform coverage.
When 3 coats or primer are needed
Over new, unpainted plaster, over a dark colour you want to change to a light one, or over a very porous surface, it is usual to need a sealing primer first plus 2 finish coats, or straight away 3 coats of emulsion if no primer is used. Reds, intense blues and very saturated colours also usually need an extra coat to cover properly when repainting over a neutral colour.
How to avoid it in the quote
Asking about the current colour and the final colour before giving a price, and visiting the site if there are doubts about the condition of the substrate, avoids calculating too little material. Including the primer as a conditional item ("if the substrate requires it") is an honest way of covering yourself without inflating the quote in cases where it isn't needed.
Want to calculate coats, primer and coverage in a single quote? Try it in PresupuestoYa.
Want to calculate this quote automatically?
PresupuestoYa calculates materials, quantities and total cost in minutes, for this and 19 other trades.
Create a free quote →