How Production Rates are Calculated
Understand how production rate calculations work using variables like sqft/hour, hours/item, and dollars/sqft for accurate estimate pricing.
Production rates in PaintScout calculate estimate pricing by combining rate variables (like sqft/hour or $/sqft) with substrate dimensions and coat counts. Understanding these calculations helps you set accurate rates.
How do rate values and coats work?
Each coat box value represents the rate for painting that many full coats. For example, "2 coats" means 2 full coats, not 1 coat plus an additional coat. The rate uses either the item quantity (e.g., 3 doors) or the sqft/lnft of the area, depending on your rate type.
Many contractors adjust the rate as coat count increases, charging more or less per unit depending on efficiency.
Example 1: Sqft/Hour
The value under each coat number is the square feet you can paint per hour.
Example: 400 sqft substrate at 100 sqft/hour = 4 hours.
400 sqft / 100 sqft/hr = 4 hrs
The rate decreases as coats increase because you paint fewer square feet per hour with multiple coats.
Example 2: Hours/Item
The value under each coat number is the hours needed to paint each item.
Example: 3 items at 1 hour/item = 3 hours.
3 items x 1 hr/item = 3 hrs
The rate increases as coats increase because each item takes longer with multiple coats.
Example 3: $/Sqft
The value under each coat number is the cost to paint 1 square foot.
Example: 400 sqft at $1/sqft = $400.
400 sqft x $1/sqft = $400
The rate increases as coats increase because more paint is used per square foot.
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