I'm Chad Heisman, founder of Precision Paintworks. After serving in the military, I built this company in 2021 on a pretty simple idea: your home deserves the same care I'd give my own.
I run a veteran and family-owned painting crew right here in Maryland that has successfully completed over 500 painting projects so far. Got a question about your place? Ask me. I'd rather help you get it right the first time than sell you anything.
Do painters supply the paint? Most do and build it into the quote, though some price labor only and have the homeowner buy it, so the contract should say which.
Painters who supply it also choose the product line, sheen and color match for each surface, and they stand behind the finish with a workmanship warranty, which is why supplying your own can change the terms. At Precision Paintworks we supply the paint and list the brand, line, sheen and color on every proposal, using premium Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore lines matched to each surface.
Do Painters Include Paint in the Quote?
Often, yes, in one of three ways: paint as its own line item, paint folded into one total, or labor only, where you buy the paint and the painter applies it.
The quote should say what is inside the number. On our proposals, primer, caulk and job supplies are included, and specialty products such as stain-blocking primer are listed separately. Maryland points the same way: a home improvement contract is expected to carry a list of materials, including make and type where appropriate.
What Paint Do Professional Painters Use?
Not one bucket for the whole house. We use premium Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore lines and pick the line and sheen for each surface, because a bathroom wall, a window trim and a busy hallway are different jobs. For brand-level detail, see our brand comparison.
Sheen changes how a color reads. In this dining room, we put three labeled samples on the wall: Duration in satin, Duration in semi-gloss and Emerald Rain Refresh in satin.
Trim takes the knocks, so it sits a step higher in sheen than the wall. We used Duration in semi-gloss on this trim.
Can I Buy My Own Paint for a Painter?
You can, and sometimes it makes sense. What changes is who controls the quality and the quantity. Watch three things: whether the line and sheen suit the surface, whether you have enough (a second batch can look slightly different), and whether the color code and tint are right.
Labor is usually the larger share of a quote, so the savings are smaller than people expect.
On this job, the homeowner bought Sherwin-Williams Emerald Rain Refresh in satin, Duration in semi-gloss and Duration in satin, in Repose Gray and Sea Salt. They had already chosen the colors and bought the paint before our start date, so we checked each label for product, color name and sheen, and confirmed there was enough to finish each room.
Customer-Supplied Paint and Painter Warranty
Our 3-year workmanship warranty covers how we apply the paint. When a homeowner supplies it, we cannot vouch for the can: its age, how it was stored, whether it suits the surface.
If it peels later, nobody can prove whether the paint or the work was the cause. So we put the terms in writing first.
Who Keeps the Leftover Paint After a Paint Job?
You do, and it should come back labeled. Each label carries room, color name and code, sheen and date, so a touch-up months from now uses the right can. Leftover paint counts as household hazardous waste, so do not pour it down a drain; check your local collection program.
Questions to Ask Before You Sign
- Is the paint included in the price, or is this labor only?
- Does the proposal name brand, line, sheen and color for every surface?
- Which of primer, caulk and supplies cost extra?
- Who pays for color samples?
- Who covers it if the job runs short of paint?
- If I supply my own paint, what does the warranty say in writing?
- Will leftover paint come back to me, labeled?
- Is the deposit within Maryland’s cap of one-third of the contract price?
FAQ
Does the paint cost extra on top of the labor price?
It depends on the quote. Some list paint separately, some fold it in, and a few quote labor only. On our proposals, paint is included in the price and listed by brand, line, sheen and color. Get it in writing so the quotes you compare cover the same things.
Can I choose the brand and the color?
Color is your call. You can tell us which brand and line you prefer, and we will recommend what suits each surface from our Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore lines. If you cannot settle on a color, we can put samples on your wall.
Who pays for color samples?
It varies, so ask before you sign. On our jobs, we cover the cost of color samples as part of the quote. Whatever the answer, get it written down.
What if the painter runs out of paint mid-job?
A second batch can look slightly different, so a wall should be finished in one go. On our jobs, if we under-order, we cover the extra paint.
Can I use paint I already have from a past project?
Sometimes. Check that the label shows the color code and sheen you want, that the can was stored sealed and indoors, and that the paint stirs smooth. Leftovers rarely cover more than a small room, so ask your painter to look at it first and put any decision in writing.
Get the Paint and Warranty Terms in Writing
Ask us for a free quote and we will put the paint, the sheen and the warranty in writing for your house. We are based in Clarksburg, MD, licensed in Maryland (MHIC #156360), and we paint Clarksburg homes as well as homes across Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia.
