Painter & Decorator in San Jose

Because scope assumptions differ: prep level, coat count, paint quality, whether materials are included, insurance and tax status, and how busy the painter is. A quote 40% below the pack usually means one coat, minimal prep, or an uninsured operator. Normalise the quotes to the same scope in writing and the spread typically shrinks dramatically — what remains is the real price difference.

Homes painted before the late 1970s-1980s (exact cutoff varies by country) may have lead-based layers under newer paint. The danger is sanding or scraping it into dust. If your home predates the local cutoff, ask the painter how they test for and handle lead — wet sanding, containment, or encapsulation rather than dry-sanding. Several countries legally require certified lead-safe practices for pre-cutoff homes.

A standard bedroom (walls and ceiling, minor prep) takes a professional 1-2 days including drying time between coats. A whole 3-bedroom interior typically runs 4-7 working days for a two-person crew, longer with heavy prep, woodwork, or wallpaper removal. Exterior repaints depend on weather windows — expect 3-7 days of actual work spread over a longer calendar period.

For small interior jobs, many painters ask nothing up front or a token booking fee. For larger jobs, 10-30% deposit is typical, sometimes with a materials payment when paint is purchased. Be wary of demands for 50%+ before any work starts. Stage payments for multi-week jobs are fine; hold back the final payment until you've inspected the finished work in daylight.

Labour-only runs about PHP 50-PHP 150 per square metre, while full-service (labour plus paint) runs roughly PHP 300-PHP 700 per square metre depending on paint line. A standard room lands around PHP 3,000-PHP 12,000 full-service and a whole 3-bed interior roughly PHP 30,000-PHP 120,000. Skilled painters' day rates run about PHP 600-PHP 1,200.

Pakyaw is a fixed lump-sum for defined work — the crew finishes the scope for one price regardless of days taken, versus arawan (daily-rate) where slow work costs you more. For painting, pakyaw with a written scope (areas, coats, prep) plus you supplying the paint is usually the safest structure for homeowners.