Written scope · Fixed price
What's in a Smart Quality Painting Quote
An annotated sample scope, section by section, so you know what to expect before the inspection and what to compare afterwards.
A Smart Quality Painting quote is a written scope with a fixed price for the inspected work. It names every included surface, records the preparation and the product schedule, states what is excluded, sets out the programme and the price basis, and attaches the workmanship warranty. It is written after the inspection, for that property, and it is the document the finished job is checked against at handover.
Annotated sample scope
The Nine Sections of an SQPD Quote
Each section below shows the kind of line items a real quote carries. None of these are priced here.
Example only. Every quote is written for the inspected property.
Property and access
Where the work is and how the crew gets to it.
- Single-storey timber home, occupied during the works
- Access via side gate; parking for one vehicle on the driveway
- Working hours and any days the household needs the crew off site
Included areas
Every surface named individually, so nothing is assumed.
- Living, dining, hallway walls and ceilings; skirtings and architraves; excludes wardrobe interiors
- Two bedrooms: walls and ceilings only; doors and frames excluded
- Kitchen: walls and ceiling; cabinetry not included in this scope
Surface condition and preparation
What was found at inspection and what will be done about it.
- Hairline cracking on the hallway ceiling: rake out, fill, sand and spot prime
- Minor dents and nail holes throughout: fill and sand
- Wash down all surfaces, caulk open gaps at skirting and architrave joins
Product schedule
Primer, topcoat, sheen and coats for each surface. Brands are recorded on the real quote.
- Walls: one coat of sealer where filled, two topcoats, low sheen
- Ceilings: two topcoats, flat
- Skirtings and architraves: sand, undercoat, two topcoats, satin enamel
Protection and site care
Who moves what and how the home is protected.
- SQPD moves and covers large furniture; owner clears personal items and small valuables
- Floors sheeted, fixtures and fittings masked, daily clean-down of the work area
- Waste removed from site at completion
Exclusions and assumptions
What is not in the price, stated rather than left to argument later.
- No repairs to plasterboard beyond the cracking noted above
- Wardrobe interiors, window sashes and external surfaces excluded
- Assumes existing coatings are sound; concealed defects are documented before any extra work
Programme
When it starts, how long it is expected to take, and what weather does to that.
- Proposed start date and expected duration for the inspected scope
- Sequence by room so the household keeps access to essential areas
- Weather clause: exterior stages move if conditions prevent proper drying
Price basis and variations
One fixed written price for the inspected work.
- Fixed price for the scope above, valid for the period stated on the quote
- Any change to the scope is priced in writing and agreed before work proceeds
- Payment stages listed against milestones, not lump sums up front
Warranty
What is covered after handover, in writing.
- Five-year workmanship warranty on interior and exterior painting
- One-year workmanship warranty on cabinet painting
- Warranty terms published at /warranty and attached to the quote
Comparing quotes
How to Compare It Against Another Quote
Five checks that make two painting quotes comparable. The full guide covers each in more depth.
- 01
Are the same surfaces included?
A cheaper quote often leaves out ceilings, trim or a room. Line up the included-areas section of each quote before comparing anything else.
- 02
Is preparation described, or just promised?
Look for what was found at inspection and what will be done about it. "Full prep" with no detail is not a scope.
- 03
Are primer, topcoat, sheen and coat count written down?
Two quotes with different coat counts are not the same job. The product schedule should be specific enough to check at handover.
- 04
Are exclusions and variations handled in writing?
The quote should say what is not included and how any change will be priced before work proceeds. That is what makes a fixed price fixed.
- 05
Is the warranty in writing, with terms you can read?
A workmanship warranty is only as useful as its published terms. Ask for them before you sign, not after.
Smart Quality Painting wrote a longer guide on this: how to compare painting quotes in Brisbane.
Questions
Quote Questions
Is a Smart Quality Painting quote a fixed price or an estimate?
What happens if you find something unexpected once work starts?
Why does the quote list surfaces that are excluded?
How quickly will I receive my written quote?
Next step
Ready for a written quote for your property?
Request an inspection and Smart Quality Painting will write the scope and the fixed price for the work you actually need. We respond to every enquiry within one business day.