Short answer
Upload your painting estimate or decorating contract to Sign PDF and send it to the client before you buy paint; they sign on their phone. List the rooms, surfaces, preparation, number of coats and colour references, and get a separate colour sign-off signed so a client cannot reject a finished room over a shade they chose.
Updated 25 October 2026
What a painting contract should list
The finish depends almost entirely on the preparation, and the preparation is the part clients do not see and least want to pay for. Write it down. A painting estimate that says "fill, sand, mist coat plus two coats" is easier to defend than one that says "paint hall".
- Rooms and surfaces: walls, ceilings, woodwork, radiators, doors (both sides)
- Preparation: filling, sanding, caulking, stain block, mist coat on new plaster
- Number of coats and the finish (matt, eggshell, satin, gloss)
- Paint brand and colour reference, and who buys it
- Furniture moving, and what the client must clear first
- Exterior work: weather days and minimum temperatures
Colour sign-off
The most common painting dispute is a client who picked a colour from a small chip and does not like it on four walls. Paint a sample patch, then send a one-line colour approval naming the colour, the room and the finish, and ask the client to sign it before the second coat. If they change their mind after signing, the repaint is a change order, not a free redo.
Lead paint in older US homes
In the US, the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule applies to work that disturbs paint in most homes built before 1978. Firms must be certified and must give the occupants the "Renovate Right" pamphlet before starting, and keep a record that it was received. Many painters use a signed acknowledgement for that record.
Sign PDF can get that acknowledgement signed and sealed with a time and date, which is the kind of evidence an inspector looks for. It does not certify your firm or replace the lead-safe work practices. Check the EPA's current guidance; this is not legal advice.
Landlord turnovers and pricing
Letting agents often want a quote approved the same day a tenant moves out. Send it from the empty flat, and the agent signs from the office. A decorator who does a few big jobs a month is fine on Light at $5 for 2 documents. One who quotes, signs colour approvals and does rental turnovers every week will want Full at $10 for unlimited documents and templates.
We do not do estimating software, invoicing, payments or scheduling.
Questions people ask
Should painting estimates include the number of coats?
Yes. State the preparation, the number of coats and the finish. It is the clearest way to show the client what the price buys.
How do I stop a client rejecting a colour they chose?
Get a signed colour approval after a sample patch, before the second coat. Repaints after that are a change order.
Can I use Sign PDF for the Renovate Right acknowledgement?
Yes, for getting the acknowledgement signed and keeping a sealed copy. Your EPA certification and lead-safe practices are separate.
Can a letting agent sign on behalf of a landlord?
If they have authority to approve the work, yes. Name them and the landlord on the quote.
Can I get initials on each page of my terms?
Yes. Type "client initials every page" in the editor and the boxes are added to every page.
Send your next decorating estimate for signature
Upload it from your phone or laptop. The boxes go in the right places, your client signs on their phone, and you get a sealed copy back.
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