Painting quotes in 2 minutes. Just describe the job.
Interior, exterior, ceilings. Type the job and your rates, and get a tidy quote in Rand with paint, prep and labour shown separately. Then ask for a deposit on the paint, show the client how to pay, and let Zuvo do the polite reminding.
7-day trial, then a free plan. No credit card. Priced in Rand.
Try it: describe a painter job, get a quote
Type the job and your prices the way you would say them. Zuvo turns it into a clean quote in seconds.
| Item | Qty | Price | Total |
|---|
Items marked "confirm price" had no price in your description. Add them in your account.
Takes 20 seconds. Free plan stays free. No credit card.
Sound familiar?
- Measuring up, then retyping it all into a quote
- Clients unsure whether prep and paint are included
- Losing the job to whoever replies first
- Buying paint and materials up front for a job that may fall through
- Feeling awkward about asking a homeowner to pay
Zuvo drafts the quote from your plain-English description, lets you review and correct it, then sends a branded PDF to your client, shows them how to pay and keeps track of what is outstanding and who has paid. Want to see the structure first? Read the free painter quote template.
The examples above use made-up prices. Always check the registration, certificate and licensing rules for your trade.
From quote to paid, built for painters
A finished job should mean paid. Zuvo takes care of the deposit, the invoice and the awkward reminder.
- A deposit before you buy the paint. Ask for a percentage up front on an accepted quote. The final invoice bills the whole job and takes the deposit off, so nothing is billed twice.
- Your day rate and standard lines, saved once. Put your day rate and the lines you use on every job, such as preparation and repairs in your price list once. When a job mentions them, Zuvo uses your numbers, and a price you state always wins.
- Clients see exactly how to pay. Every invoice has a private page that shows your EFT details, the reference to use and your own card link if you have one. The client taps "I have paid" and you check your bank. Zuvo never holds your money.
- Polite reminders, so you do not have to nag. Switch on reminders and Zuvo politely emails clients who run late, in office hours, until the invoice is paid. Replies come to you, and it stays off until you turn it on.
- Repeat clients in one place. See what each client owes and start a new quote or invoice for them in a click.
See every feature or pricing in Rand. There is a free plan, and the 7-day trial needs no card.
What a good painter quote includes
A quote that is easy to read gets accepted faster. These are the things South African clients most often ask about, so put them on the page before they have to ask:
- The areas to be painted and the surface area in square metres where you can measure it
- The preparation: filling cracks, sanding, scraping, treating damp, priming
- The number of coats, plus the paint brand and finish, such as matt, silk or gloss
- Whether the client or the painter buys the paint, and who handles colour matching
- What is excluded: ceilings, trim, furniture moving, roof or exterior walls
- A valid-until date and payment terms, with a deposit for materials on larger jobs
Example: interior paint, three bedrooms
Made-up prices, for illustration only. Your own prices go in.
| Item | Qty | Price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation and crack filling | 1 | R1,800.00 | R1,800.00 |
| Paint, two coats (20 litre tins) | 4 | R950.00 | R3,800.00 |
| Labour (days) | 3 | R1,400.00 | R4,200.00 |
| Sundries, masking and drop sheets | 1 | R450.00 | R450.00 |
| Subtotal | R10,250.00 | ||
| VAT (15%, if you are VAT-registered) | R1,537.50 | ||
| Total | R11,787.50 | ||
Zuvo builds this layout from your description, so you only check the prices and send. Prefer to start from a blank page? Use the free painter quote template or the free quote generator, and use the VAT calculator if you are unsure how to add VAT.
How Zuvo works for painters
- Describe the job. Type it, or say it into your phone, the way you would explain it to a colleague. Include your prices.
- Review the quote. Zuvo drafts the line items, adds your business details and VAT status, and you correct anything before it goes out.
- Send it your way. Email the PDF, or share a link on WhatsApp. The client reads the quote and accepts it online by typing their name, with no app or login.
- Get paid. Ask for a deposit, turn the accepted quote into an invoice and give the client a page that shows exactly how to pay. Record part-payments as they come in, and let Zuvo remind the clients who run late.
There is a free plan, so you can start without paying. See every feature. See pricing in Rand, or read how to write a quote that gets accepted and how to follow up on a late invoice.
Quoting and getting-paid questions from South African painters
How do I quote a painting job?
Measure the surface area, decide the number of coats and paint, then price preparation, paint and labour as separate lines. Preparation is where most of the time goes, so quote it explicitly, or the client will assume it is free.
Should the client or I supply the paint?
Either works, but state it on the quote. If you supply it, name the brand and finish. If the client supplies it, say you are not responsible for coverage or colour once the tins are opened.
Should a painter quote include VAT?
Only if you are VAT-registered. If you are, the total you quote the customer should include 15% VAT, and showing the VAT amount on its own line keeps it clear. If you are not registered, leave VAT off. Registration is compulsory once taxable turnover passes R2.3 million in a 12-month period, and voluntary from R120,000.
How do I stop painter quotes going quiet?
Follow up within a few days, while the job is still on the client's mind. Zuvo drafts the follow-up message in your tone when you ask for it, and the client can accept online from the link on the quote, so there is no printing or replying to an email.
Can I ask for a deposit before I buy the paint?
Yes. Once the client accepts a quote, Zuvo can raise a deposit invoice for the percentage you choose. When the job is done, the final invoice bills the whole quote and takes the deposit off, so nothing is billed twice. Whether to ask, and how much, is your call; it is common on larger jobs where you buy paint and materials first.
Will Zuvo chase a client who has not paid?
If you switch it on, yes. Zuvo emails the client a polite reminder on weekdays in office hours: gentle reminders start on the due date, standard ones start three days before it and continue until 30 days overdue. They stop when you mark the invoice paid, and replies come to you. It is off until you turn it on. Zuvo does not hold or collect your money: the client pays you directly by EFT or your own card link.
General guidance, not legal or tax advice. Check the registration, certificate, licensing and VAT rules that apply to your trade and your business.
More than quotes
The same assistant writes the follow-ups that win the work and the reminders that get you paid. Ask it to chase a quiet quote, ask a client politely for an overdue payment, answer a price question on WhatsApp, or summarise a supplier contract. It can also run a scored Growth Diagnostic of your business. See everything Zuvo does.