Setting your Production Rates in your PaintScout account settings is the best way to set yourself up for success - cutting down time and increasing efficiency when building estimates for your customers.
New to using production rates in your estimations? Check out this helpful introduction >
Rate Categories
What is a Rate Category?
Rate Categories are a great way to organize your production rates. You can group multiple production rates within each category.
Example:
Rate Category: Exterior Siding
Rates (surfaces) within the category: Stucco, Vinyl, Brick, etc.
Adding a Rate Category
1. Go to your Account Settings > Production Rates > Rate Categories section. Click the +Add New Rate Category button.
2. A window will pop up, allowing you to enter a Label for the category. You can use the drop-down arrow to select the estimate types that the rate category should be associated with.
Find your Rates Faster
When creating an estimate, the order in which the rate categories (and therefore your rates!) appear is determined by their arrangement in the settings.
💡 Pro tip: To optimize your workflow, we recommend rearranging the rate categories so that the ones you frequently use are at the top of the page. This is particularly helpful when working on smaller screens like an iPad or phone, as it allows for easier access to your preferred options.
To rearrange the categories, simply use the "drag & drop" functionality. Click on a category, hold it for a moment, and then move it to the desired spot.
Production Rates
What is a Production Rate/Surface?
A production rate is a calculation that helps you estimate the time required to paint a specific surface. We consider two variables, such as sqft/hr, lnft/hr, or hr/item.
A production rate can also help you determine the pricing for a particular surface. In this case, you might use variables like $/sqft, $/lnft, or $/item.
These calculations serve as valuable tools to gauge both time and cost for your projects.
Adding a New Rate
Once you have determined your production rate(s), follow these steps to add this information to your PaintScout account:
1. First, choose your desired Rate Category. Once selected, click on +Add New Rate.
2. Now, you can enter all of the information related to your new rate. Let's break this down:
Naming Your Rate
Internal Label: This is the label that you and your team will see when building an estimate. It's important to note that it will only appear on the work order and won't be visible to your customers.
Client Label: This is the external label that will be shown on the estimate itself. It will also appear on the work order, and most importantly, your customers can see this name. If you leave the Client Label box blank, the system will automatically use the Internal Label on the estimate.
Being able to customize the Client Label comes in handy when you have different names to identify rates.
Example:
Internal Label: 6x1 Window
Client Label: Window Frame
When your customer views the estimate, they will only see "Window Frame." However, when you're in the process of creating the estimate, you'll see the specific details - "6 x 1 Window."
Rate Calculation
Variables: Input the two variables that will determine the time or price for a surface to be painted (it's also possible to use one variable, though two is most common). We recommend using hours as one of the variables as you can easily figure out the number of hours needed for a particular surface. Learn more about time-based estimating here >
Coats: You can set different rates for different numbers of coats, but keep in mind that the rate you input will be for the total number of coats, not just the additional coat. So if you have a 2-coat rate, that covers both the first and second coat. Learn more here >
Default Coats: Select a default number of coats for the rate. When creating an estimate, this coat number will automatically appear, but you're able to adjust this directly within the estimate. Learn more here >
As an example, let's say that you're focusing on Walls, and you've set it up as sqft (walls) per hr.
If you can paint 125 sqft (1 coat) per hour on walls, when it comes to 2 coats, the rate adjusts to 85 sqft/hr since you'll be covering a bit less surface while using the same amount of time (1 hr).
For an Item Rate like a window or door, the rate will increase as the number of coats increases since it will take you longer to paint the surface as you add more coats.
1 coat: 0.5 hr/item (30 min)
2 coats: 1 hr/item (1 hour)
3 coats: 1.5 hr/item (1.5 hours)
4 coats: 2 hr/item (2 hours)
If you're working with rates that don't use coats, such as prep work or installing hardware, all you need to do is uncheck the "Use coats to calculate rate" checkbox.
Default Products
Add a Default Product(s) if you would like the number of gallons and/or material price to automatically calculate for each surface on an estimate. This is especially important if you price your materials separately from your hourly rate.
💡 Pro tip: Associate your most commonly used products with your production rates. Remember that you can always select a different product within a particular estimate.
Product Name: The list of products you can choose from is taken from the Products section in your Account Settings.
Coverage: If you have entered coverage rates for your products in your Settings, this will populate. If the rate you are working with requires a different coverage rate on this particular estimate, enter it in the box. Learn more about coverage rates here >
For instance, let's say you have different rates for painting siding - one for brush and roll, and another for spray. These methods may have different product coverage rates.
By specifying the appropriate coverage rate, you can ensure accurate calculations.
Descriptions
You have the option to add default descriptions to your production rates. These descriptions can provide valuable insights to both your customer and crew.
Area View: This description will appear under the Area when your estimate is in Area view. Try to be as specific as possible.
Surface View: When your estimate is in Surface view, this description will be displayed under the Surface.
Crew Note: This note is associated with the surface and will only appear on the Work Order for your team to see. It's a great way to share specific instructions, reminders, or any other important details for your team.
Advanced Options
These Advanced Options are designed to give you even more control over your rates. Enabling - or disabling - these checkboxes sets specific default options for your rates. You always have the flexibility to disable or customize these options on the estimate itself.
Some of our advanced options include:
Hide From Customer: Check this box if you want to keep the rate (surface) hidden from the customer on the estimate. It's perfect for items like travel time or preparation rates that you want to charge for, but prefer not to display.
Show Coats: Check this box to reveal the number of coats applied to the surface on the estimate.
Show Price: The estimate displays the area/room price by default. However, checking this box will show the individual price of the surface, allowing for greater transparency.
Use Custom Hourly Rate: Here's where you can set a custom hourly rate for a particular surface or production rate. It's especially useful when you have specific cases, such as carpentry or miscellaneous rates that warrant a higher hourly charge.
Saving Your Rate
1. After you've input all of the necessary information for your new rate, click Done. It will be added to the rate category and will appear when you build new estimates.
2. Feel free to repeat and add as many rates as you need!
Within the Rate Category, keep in mind that the rates listed at the top will be the first ones shown when on an estimate. So if you have any priority rates, make sure to arrange them accordingly.
You can customize the order of your rates by simply dragging and dropping them to the perfect spot!
3. Once you've built out your rate category, hit the Done button followed by the Save Changes button to ensure your rates are securely stored!
