Painting estimates win jobs on price; painting invoices win referrals on detail. This template splits prep hours from painting hours — the split that justifies quality pricing, because prep is where cheap painters cut — plus a materials line with the paint named.
Whether you price per hour, per room or per square foot, keep the three-line structure and adjust quantities: rooms × room-rate works identically to hours × hourly. Colors recorded in the notes turn the invoice into the customer’s touch-up reference.
Show the prep, sell the prep
Listing prep as its own line — patching, sanding, caulking, masking — is the single best pricing defense a painter has. It’s the difference the customer can’t see in the finished wall but absolutely paid for, and itemizing it explains why your bid beat the $200-a-room guy on quality.
For repaints over problem surfaces (stains, gloss, smoke), name the primer step (“stain-blocking primer, 1 coat”) as either its own line or in the prep description — it justifies cost and documents the system you applied.
Paint on the invoice: brand, line, colors
Name the product (“Sherwin-Williams Duration, eggshell”) and record color names and codes in the notes. It signals you didn’t substitute a cheaper line, and it makes you the obvious call when they want the bedroom done next year to match.
If the client buys paint, invoice labor-only and state “paint supplied by client.” When you supply materials, use the pricing method agreed in the estimate or contract.
Download this document in an editable format
Use the generator above, then choose Word or Excel in the download menu. The file is created locally from the current document.
Frequently asked questions
Should I invoice per hour, per room, or per square foot?
All three are standard: hourly ($45–75) for small/unpredictable work, per-room for interiors, per-sq-ft for large or commercial jobs. Whatever you price by, keep prep visible as its own component.
Is house painting taxable?
In many states painting labor on real property is exempt while materials carry tax; some tax repaint labor but not capital-improvement painting. Split lines make either rule easy to apply — check your state.
What deposit is normal for painting?
10–33% on booking for multi-day jobs, or enough to cover paint on custom-color orders. Same-day interior jobs commonly skip the deposit and pay on walkthrough.
How do I handle change requests mid-job?
Price the change when asked (“accent wall in Hale Navy: +$180”), confirm by text or email, and add it as its own invoice line referencing that confirmation. Verbal extras are where painting margins go to die.