What a painting service agreement is for
Property managers, landlords and businesses repaint the same surfaces again and again: rental units between tenants, restaurant dining rooms, office corridors. A service agreement sets a schedule and rates so they do not have to request quotes each time, and gives you planned work in slow months. It must say what counts as a touch-up and what is a repaint.
What to put on a painting service agreement
- Properties or areas covered.
- Scheduled visits and what each covers.
- Touch-up versus full repaint, defined.
- Paint colors and products on file.
- Price, billing, renewal and cancellation.
A worked example
A property manager with a twelve-unit building wants common areas touched up twice a year and unit repaints between tenants at a set rate.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common area touch-up visit | 2 | visit | Your price |
| Exterior trim and door touch-up | 1 | visit | Your price |
| Unit turnover repaint, per unit, as needed | 1 | each | Your price |
Keep the color schedule for the building in the notes so any crew can match it. The agreement is a template and not legal advice, so check your state's rules before you rely on it.
Line items painters use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Paint walls, two coats | sq ft | Wall area, not floor area; say the paint line and sheen. |
| Paint ceilings | sq ft | Flat ceiling paint unless the customer asks otherwise. |
| Paint trim and baseboards | ft | By the foot, or per room if you prefer. |
| Paint doors and frames | each | Both sides and the frame, or say otherwise. |
| Paint cabinets | each | Per door and drawer front; say whether boxes are included. |
| Drywall patching and sanding | hour | Nail pops, dents and small holes before paint. |
| Prime stains or new drywall | sq ft | Stain-blocking primer where water or smoke marks are. |
| Caulk gaps at trim | ft | Where trim meets wall. |
| Exterior siding, wash, scrape and paint | sq ft | Prep matters most outside; describe it. |
| Scrape and prime bare wood | hour | Exterior prep that varies by condition. |
| Move and cover furniture | room | Say whether you move it or the customer does. |
| Wallpaper removal | sq ft | Price separately; condition varies. |
| Lead-safe work practices | each | For homes built before 1978, where federal rules apply to disturbing paint. |
Terms and deposit language for painting
- Deposit. A deposit at signing reserves the dates and covers the paint order. On short interior jobs some painters take none. Check your state's rules on home improvement deposits.
- Payment. Balance due when the walk-through is done and touch-ups are finished. Larger exterior jobs can split payment at the halfway point.
- Warranty. State how long you cover peeling or flaking from your workmanship, and that it does not cover damage, moisture problems or surfaces you advised against painting.
- Colors are confirmed in writing before paint is bought; changing a color after purchase is a change order.
- Exterior work depends on weather; say how a rain day moves the schedule.
- Furniture moving, wall hangings and outlet covers: say who handles each.
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer and the start and end dates.
- List what each visit includes and how many visits a year.
- Add your price per line; the plan shows a yearly total, and a monthly figure if billed monthly.
- Fill in what is not covered and the renewal and cancellation terms.
- Check your state's rules, then print it for signatures.
Free tools for painting
The same service agreement for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.
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