Free painter template
Painter estimate template: drywall patch and paint
A service-call template for drywall repairs blended into the existing finish: patch, texture match, and paint, with the labor rate prefilled from real painter wage data.
The labor rate, with the math shown
Median painter wage (national)
$23.75/hr
Derived from the $49,400 annual median (BLS OEWS May 2025) at 2,080 hours a year.
Prefilled billing rate
$50 to $60/hr
The wage times a 2 to 2.5x rule of thumb for overhead, insurance, vehicle, non-billable time, and profit. The download prefills $55/hr. A starting point, not market data: set your own rate.
Download the templates
Free, no signup. The CSVs open in Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers with the line items and the labor rate already in place.
What's on the estimate
Hours are typical ranges to edit, not measurements. Material quantities and prices stay open because only you know your suppliers.
| Line item | Typical hrs | Rate | Prefilled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut back damage and install backing and patch | 1 to 2 | $55/hr | $82.50 |
| Tape, mud, and sand (multiple visits or setting compound) | 1.5 to 3 | $55/hr | $126.50 |
| Match texture and paint to a break line | 1 to 2 | $55/hr | $82.50 |
| Drywall, tape, and compound | your quantity and price | ||
| Backing lumber or clips | your quantity and price | ||
| Texture match supplies | your quantity and price | ||
| Paint (customer-supplied match or new) | your quantity and price | ||
Scope notes printed on the estimate
- Paint is blended to the nearest break line (corner or trim); a perfect mid-wall blend on aged paint is not promised, repainting the wall is the alternative and both prices are shown.
- Water-damage patches only follow a fixed leak; the estimate asks who fixed it and when.
Adjust the rate for your state
Painter pay is not one number. These are the highest-paying states TradesPays tracks; the hourly figure is the state median derived the same way (annual over 2,080 hours).
| State | Median (annual) | Derived hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $61,260 | $29.45/hr |
| Washington | $59,650 | $28.68/hr |
| New York | $59,570 | $28.64/hr |
| New Jersey | $59,250 | $28.49/hr |
| California | $59,020 | $28.38/hr |
| Massachusetts | $57,510 | $27.65/hr |
Full state-by-state pay: painter salary by state.
The painter bundle: $24 one time. Checkout opens soon.
- Every estimate and invoice template for your trade, current and future job types included
- Editable spreadsheet versions of each template, not just the free CSV
- Labor rates refreshed with each new BLS wage release, so your numbers never go stale
- A one-page guide to setting your hourly rate from the median wage, with the math shown
No payment today. Leave your email to lock the $24 launch price and get first access when checkout opens. You also get pay-data updates for your trade; one click stops them.
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Painter rates and estimates: FAQ
- What should painters charge per hour in 2026?
- The national median painter wage is about $23.75 an hour, derived from the $49,400 annual median (BLS OEWS May 2025). A common rule of thumb for painters billing customers is 2 to 2.5 times the wage to cover overhead, insurance, vehicle, non-billable time, and profit: roughly $50 to $60 an hour. That range is a starting point, not market data; set your own rate.
- What goes into a drywall patch and paint estimate?
- This template breaks the job into 3 labor lines, from "cut back damage and install backing and patch" through "match texture and paint to a break line", lists the usual materials with quantities left open, and prints 2 scope notes so assumptions and exclusions are in writing before work starts.
- Is the template really free?
- Yes. The estimate and invoice CSVs download free with no signup. The $24 per-trade bundle adds editable spreadsheet versions, every job type for your trade, and labor rates refreshed with each BLS release.
More painter templates
Wage source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (BLS OEWS May 2025), national median for painters, 2026 site data. Hourly figures are derived (annual over 2,080 hours) and labeled as such. Billing-rate ranges are rule-of-thumb starting points, not market data.