Multi-Unit Painting Estimating Guide for Contractors
Multi-unit painting costs $800–$2,500 per unit for apartment turnover repaints and $1.50–$3.00 per sq ft for common area painting. A 50-unit apartment complex turnover contract generates $40,000–$125,000 annually. Price per unit for turnovers and per sq ft for common areas. Volume contracts should offer 10–20% discount versus individual unit pricing. Target 35–45% gross margin.
Multi-unit painting — apartments, condos, townhomes, and HOA communities — is the most predictable, scalable revenue stream available to painting contractors. Property managers cycle through unit turnovers year-round and repaint common areas on 3–5 year schedules. A single property management relationship can generate $50,000–$200,000 in annual painting revenue. The key is efficient per-unit pricing and reliable, consistent execution that keeps property managers calling you first.
Apartment Turnover Painting Pricing
Unit turnover painting — repainting a vacant apartment between tenants — is the bread and butter of multi-unit work. Price by unit type: studio/efficiency ($500–$900), one-bedroom ($700–$1,200), two-bedroom ($900–$1,800), three-bedroom ($1,200–$2,500). These prices include walls and ceilings in all rooms with two coats of paint, basic prep (patching nail holes, light sanding), and cleanup. Trim and doors are typically not repainted on standard turnovers unless visibly damaged — include trim as an add-on at $200–$500 per unit. Production speed is critical for turnovers. Property managers need units painted within 1–3 days to minimize vacancy loss. A solo painter should complete a one-bedroom turnover in 1–1.5 days. A two-person crew can finish a two-bedroom in 1–1.5 days. Use contractor-grade paint like Sherwin-Williams ProMar 200 ($25–$35 per gallon) or Benjamin Moore Ultra Spec ($30–$40 per gallon) for turnovers — these products offer good coverage at an affordable price point. Premium paint is not necessary for rental properties.
Common Area and Hallway Pricing
Common areas (hallways, lobbies, stairwells, clubhouses, fitness rooms) are priced by square foot of paintable wall area: $1.50–$3.00 per sq ft for standard repaints. Common areas require durable products — Benjamin Moore Scuff-X ($45–$55 per gallon) or Sherwin-Williams Duration ($55–$70 per gallon) in eggshell or satin sheen withstand high-traffic abuse. Hallways in a 50-unit building may have 3,000–6,000 sq ft of wall area, costing $4,500–$18,000 to repaint. Stairwells add $500–$1,500 per floor due to difficult access and slow production. Lobbies and amenity spaces require higher-quality finishes and careful color selection — price 20–30% above standard hallway rates. Schedule common area painting for off-peak hours to minimize resident disruption. Section off work areas with plastic sheeting and signage directing residents to alternate routes. Many property managers prefer overnight or weekend work for hallways — charge a 15–25% premium for after-hours scheduling. Phased painting (one floor or wing at a time) reduces disruption but increases your total project time by 20–30%.
Exterior Multi-Unit Painting
Exterior painting of multi-unit buildings and HOA communities represents the largest project sizes in the painting industry. Individual buildings in an apartment or condo complex: $5,000–$25,000 per building depending on size, stories, and surface type. HOA community painting programs (20–100+ buildings): $100,000–$500,000+ for the complete community on a phased schedule. Price exterior multi-unit work by square foot of paintable surface: $1.50–$3.50 per sq ft for two-story wood or fiber cement, $2.00–$4.50 per sq ft for three-story or stucco. Include access costs: scaffolding ($200–$600 per week per setup), boom lifts ($250–$500 per day), and crew repositioning time between buildings. For HOA communities, offer a multi-year phased painting program: divide the community into zones and repaint one zone per year. This spreads the cost for the HOA and gives you predictable multi-year revenue. A 60-unit community on a 4-year cycle means 15 buildings per year — consistent annual revenue of $75,000–$200,000 with one client relationship.
Structuring Volume Painting Contracts
Volume contracts with property management companies provide predictable revenue but require strategic pricing. Offer tiered pricing: 1–5 units per year at standard per-unit rates, 6–20 units at 10% discount, 20+ units at 15–20% discount. The discount is justified by reduced marketing costs, simplified scheduling, and the guarantee of steady work. Contract terms should specify: per-unit pricing by unit type, paint brand and product, scope of work (walls only vs. walls and ceilings vs. walls, ceilings, and trim), response time (how quickly you can start after notification — 3–5 business days is standard), and payment terms (net 30 is typical for property management companies). Include an annual price escalation clause (3–5% per year) to keep pace with material and labor cost increases. Beware of contracts that lock you into fixed pricing for more than 2 years without escalation — material costs can increase 5–10% per year. Get everything in writing — verbal agreements with property managers change when the property manager changes. A formal contract protects both parties.
Systems for Multi-Unit Efficiency
Multi-unit painting requires systematized operations to maintain margins at discounted pricing. Standardize your process: every turnover follows the same sequence — walk-through and condition assessment, patching and prep, prime repairs, two coats on ceilings, two coats on walls, touch-up and cleanup. Create a checklist that every painter follows for consistency. Use a standard color palette — most apartment turnovers use the same 2–3 neutral colors (agreeable gray, off-white, warm beige). Pre-mix or pre-order these colors in bulk. Buying 20+ gallons at a time from Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore unlocks contractor pricing 20–40% below retail. Stock your van with pre-loaded supply kits for each unit type: the materials for a one-bedroom turnover (4–5 gallons of paint, roller covers, brushes, tape, spackle, drop cloths) should be pre-packed and ready to grab. Track your actual time per unit type in a spreadsheet — after 10–20 turnovers, you will have reliable production data for accurate estimating. Your goal should be to reduce per-unit time by 10–15% over your first year through process improvement.
Winning and Retaining Property Management Clients
Property management clients are won through reliability, consistency, and relationships — not the lowest price. Start by identifying the 10–20 largest property management companies in your market. Visit their offices, introduce yourself, and leave a professional packet with your rates, insurance certificates, references, and before-and-after photos. Follow up monthly with a phone call or email. Respond to every service call within 24 hours, even if you cannot start the work immediately. Property managers value responsiveness above all else — a reliable $1,200 per unit painter beats an unreliable $900 per unit painter every time. Provide completion photos and a brief condition report after every turnover — this documentation helps the property manager track unit condition and justifies your invoice. Invoice promptly and professionally — delayed invoicing signals disorganization. After establishing a relationship with one property, ask for referrals to the manager's other properties or to their colleagues at other management companies. Property managers frequently move between companies, and a good reputation follows them — one relationship can open doors to multiple properties over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apartment turnover painting costs $500–$2,500 per unit depending on size: studio ($500–$900), one-bedroom ($700–$1,200), two-bedroom ($900–$1,800), three-bedroom ($1,200–$2,500). These prices include walls and ceilings with two coats, basic patching, and cleanup. Trim and doors are additional. Volume contracts with property managers are typically 10–20% below these rates.
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