Man-hours guide
Painting man-hours calculator guide
Man-hours measure total labor effort. Crew days measure how long the job may take on the calendar. Good estimates keep those two numbers separate.
Man-hours formula
Man-hours = quantity x coats / production rate + added task hours
Quantity may be square feet, linear feet, doors, or pieces. The production rate must use the same unit.
Convert man-hours to crew days
Crew days = man-hours / crew size / working hours per day
A 40 man-hour job can take five days for one painter, about 2.5 days for two painters, or about 1.7 days for three painters working eight-hour days.
Crew size does not automatically reduce labor
Adding painters changes duration, but it does not always reduce total labor hours. Large crews can lose efficiency when rooms are small, access is limited, or tasks must happen in sequence.
Add separate hours for non-painting work
Setup, masking, moving furniture, protection, sanding, repairs, cleanup, travel, material pickup, meetings, and punch-list work should be added separately when they are not included in the production rate.
Track actual man-hours
After each job, compare estimated man-hours with actual payroll hours. If a task is consistently above or below estimate, adjust the production rate before the next bid.