PaintForce makes it easy to calculate estimates by combining labor costs, material costs, and profit margins into a simple pricing formula. Here’s how it works:
Understanding the Calculation Formula
Every estimate consists of three main parts:
✅ Labor Cost – What you pay your crew or subcontractors
✅ Material Cost – Paint and other supplies used for the job
✅ Final Price – What you charge the customer (Labor + Materials + Profit Margin)
You can set a target profit margin and labor cost, and PaintForce will adjust the total estimate accordingly. You can set these two figures when you are creating or editing a estimate under Job Settings.
Tip: You can set a default value for labor cost and profit margin in Settings > Estimate Defaults.
Editing Line Item Calculations
Your account has many present line items which we have configured according to industry best practices. But of course you can customize each one or create new line items.
Tip: While creating and editing line items can be done on both web and mobile, it is easier to set up on the web version of the app using a desktop (app.paintforce.app).
To edit a line item formula:
Go to Settings > Line Items Library, or while editing a job open a Line Item
Press the "..." icon in the top right corner, and select Item Configuration
Press the "..." icon again and select Edit
From here you can edit the line item configuration to set any kind of formula you would like. Please watch the video at the top of this article for an overview.
To create a new line item:
Go to Settings > Line Items Library
Press "Create New Line Item"
Fixed Pricing vs. Dynamic Pricing
Some items (like a door or window) may need a fixed rate instead of a calculated cost.
To set a fixed price for an item:
Open the Item Configuration.
Turn "Require input to estimate" OFF.
Under Customer Rate, select Fixed Sum for the Customer Rate Calculation
Enter a fixed price (e.g., $150 per door).
This allows you to charge the customer a set rate instead of calculating based on dimensions or your costs. In this instance, not matter what your paint or labor cost is, the customer price remains will remain fixed to the set price.
Overriding Estimate Values
If unique job conditions require adjustments, you can always override PaintForce’s calculations while estimating. In the Summary section of the Item Edit screen, simply press "Edit" to input override numbers.
Increase labor cost (e.g., tree branches blocking access).
Adjust paint gallons (e.g., if extra coats are needed).
Manually set the final price (if PaintForce’s calculation is too high or low).
Overridden values appear in red to remind you they have been manually changed. You can reset values back to the calculated numbers by pressing "Reset".
Adding Quick Custom Line Items
Don't have time on the job to configure a new line item? For odd one-time charges use Custom Line Items:
Add a Custom Line Item.
Enter a label (e.g., Mailbox)
Enter a price ($200).
Tip: Custom Line Items only include a single input—the customer price. This means you won't be able to track labor or material costs separately, making it unclear how much is profit vs. expense. If accurate financial tracking is important, use Custom Line Items sparingly.