Most clients ask about the price "per hour", but in painting almost every professional quotes per square metre, because the output per hour varies a great deal with the condition of the wall.
Guideline price per m²
As a market reference in Spain, painting a wall in good condition (one coat over similar previous paint) usually runs around €6–10/m² with material included; a wall that needs sanding, filling and two coats can rise to €12–18/m²; and an exterior facade, because of difficult access and the specific paint, usually ranges between €10 and 20/m².
Why the hourly price is misleading
Two walls of the same area can take very different times: one freshly plastered and ready to paint, and another with textured coating that has to be stripped first. Charging by the hour forces you to estimate the time before starting (with the risk of falling short), whereas charging per m² at a rate that already includes the typical preparation gives more security to both sides.
When charging by the hour does make sense
One-off touch-ups, small repairs or jobs of less than a day are usually better quoted by the hour or with a minimum call-out, as calculating m² for a small area doesn't make up for the travel and set-up time.
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