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How to Estimate Multi-Family Apartment Painting by Unit
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Estimating multi-family apartment painting by unit is the gold standard for Florida contractors tackling large-scale complexes from 50-unit Orlando mid-rises to 200+ unit Miami luxury towers. This comprehensive method breaks down per-unit square footage (typically 800-1,500 sq ft interiors + 400-900 sq ft exteriors), calculates painting takeoff accuracy, applies bulk material discounts, factors Florida-specific challenges like 90% humidity, salt corrosion, and strict HOA color approvals, then scales for profitable bids using proven paint quantity calculators and labor productivity rates.
In 2026, multi-family painting trends Florida favor durable Sherwin-Williams Duration exteriors, Behr Marquee low-VOC interiors, and Benjamin Moore Aura antimicrobial finishes for high-traffic hallways—perfect for minimizing vacancy downtime while maximizing bid win rates.
Whether bidding apartment complex painting Orlando, Miami condo repaints, or Tampa multi-family exteriors, this 2,500+ word blueprint delivers construction estimating best practices with real case studies, sq ft cost benchmarks, downloadable templates, and SEO-optimized strategies for dominating local search.
Skip the guesswork—Estimate Florida Consulting provides professional painting takeoff services Florida with 1-2 working day turnarounds. Upload your apartment plans to
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Master Per-Unit Square Footage Calculations (800+ Words of Formulas & Examples)
Accurate multi-family painting square footage estimation begins with dissecting floor plans into repeatable units while accounting for shared common areas. Average Florida 2-bedroom apartment: 1,000 sq ft interior paintable surfaces + 600 sq ft exterior allocation = 1,600 sq ft total per unit.
Interior Unit Breakdown: Walls, Ceilings, Trim
Formula: Interior Sq Ft = (Wall Perimeter × Ceiling Height × 0.85) + Ceiling Sq Ft + Trim Linear Ft × 0.5 ft width
Example 2-Bed Unit (900 sq ft floor plate):
– Walls: 120 LF perimeter × 8.5 ft height × 0.85 (openings deduction) = 867 sq ft
– Ceiling: 900 sq ft
– Trim/Doors: 250 LF × 0.5 ft = 125 sq ft
– TOTAL INTERIOR: 1,892 sq ft (round to 1,900 sq ft)
Ceiling treatment variations:
- Flat white (standard): Full 900 sq ft coverage
- Skip trowel texture: +15% material (1,035 sq ft equivalent)
- High ceilings (10+ ft): +20% labor multiplier
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Exterior Per-Unit Allocation (Critical for Stucco Complexes)
Shared building facades require pro-rata distribution:
Total Building Exterior: 50,000 sq ft ÷ 100 units = 500 sq ft/unit exterior
+ Balcony railings: 100 LF × 3 ft height = 300 sq ft
+ Individual entry doors/patio covers: 100 sq ft
TOTAL EXTERIOR PER UNIT: 900 sq ft
Florida stucco adjustment: Add 25% texture multiplier (900 × 1.25 = 1,125 sq ft equivalent). Miami coastal properties need +15% corrosion factor for balcony railings.
Common Area Allocation (5-15% of Total Bid)
- Hallways: 10 ft wide × floor length (2,000 sq ft/floor)
- Laundry rooms/gyms: 1,500 sq ft each
- Pool enclosures/lobbies: 3,000 sq ft
Pro tip: Bid common areas at premium $3.50/sq ft rates (vs $2.50 unit interiors). - Real example: 120-unit Tampa complex = 192,000 sq ft total (1,600 sq ft × 120 units) + 25,000 sq ft common areas = 217,000 sq ft GRAND TOTAL.
Step 2: Precision Material Takeoff Per Unit (w/ 2026 Paint Brand Pricing)
Per-unit material benchmark: $950-1,800 (20% of total bid). Scale yields 18-25% bulk discounts on 1,200+ gallon orders.
Interior Paint Quantities (8-14 Gallons/Unit)
Sherwin-Williams Cashmere (400 sq ft/gal, $68/gal):
1,900 sq ft ÷ 400 × 2 coats = 9.5 gal → 10 gal rounded
@ $68/gal × 10 = $680 interior paint
Behr Marquee (410 sq ft/gal, $55/gal): $550 alternative
Primer: 1,900 ÷ 350 = 5.4 gal → 6 gal @ $38/gal = $228
2026 Low-VOC requirement: All Florida multi-family mandates <50 g/L VOC. Benjamin Moore Regal Select One self-primes (saves 40% primer).
Exterior Elastomeric Coatings (6-10 Gallons/Unit)
Sherwin-Williams Duration Home (375 sq ft/gal textured, $82/gal):
1,125 sq ft equiv. × 2 coats ÷ 375 = 6 gal → 7 gal @ $82 = $574
Loxon XP Elastomeric (bridges 1/8″ cracks): +$15/gal premium
Primer: Sherwin-Williams Multi-Purpose Latex, 4 gal @ $42 = $168
Complete Per-Unit Materials BOM
Category | Quantity | Brand/Product | Unit Cost | Total |
Interior Paint | 10 gal | Duration/Behr | $60 avg | $600 |
Exterior Paint | 7 gal | Duration/Loxon | $78 avg | $546 |
Primer | 10 gal | Multi-Purpose | $40 | $400 |
Caulk/Tape | 12 tubes + 4 rolls | DAP/Sherwin | – | $120 |
Drop Cloths/Tools | 4 cloths + rollers | Generic | – | $85 |
TOTAL PER UNIT | $1,751 |
120-unit TOTAL: $210,120 materials → $168,096 after 20% contractor discount = $42K SAVINGS.
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Step 3: Labor Estimating by Crew Productivity & Phasing (800 Words)
Florida 2026 labor rates: $28-58/hr skilled painters ($35/hr average). Per-unit labor: $3,200-5,500 (60% of bid).
Interior Painting Productivity Rates
2-Person Crew (1,200 sq ft/day interiors):
1,900 sq ft ÷ 1,200 = 1.6 days × 16 hrs/day × $35/hr = $896 labor
10% texture/sanding premium: $985 final
Phasing strategy (critical for occupied units):
- Floors 1-3: 20 units/week (night shifts)
- Floors 4-8: 25 units/week
- Floors 9+: 15 units/week (swing stages)
Exterior Scaffolding Labor (High-Rise Critical)
Swing Stage Crew (600 sq ft/day exteriors):
1,125 sq ft ÷ 600 = 1.9 days × 16 hrs × $45/hr (scaffold premium) = $1,368
Balcony railings: +200 sq ft × $2.50/sq ft = $500
TOTAL EXTERIOR LABOR: $1,868/unit
Total per-unit labor: $2,853 × 120 units = $342,360.
Step 4: Complete Bid Assembly & Profit Maximization
Per-unit bid formula: Materials ($1,751) + Labor ($2,853) + Overhead (12%) + Profit (22%) + Contingency (8%) = $6,248/unit.
120-Unit Complex Total Bid:
Materials: $168K (20%)
Labor: $342K (55%)
Overhead/Profit: $112K (18%)
Contingency: $48K (7%)
GRAND TOTAL: $670K → $5,583/unit average
Economies of scale pricing:
- 50 units: $6,800/unit
- 100 units: $6,000/unit
- 200+ units: $5,200/unit (23% discount)
Step 5: 2026 Florida Multi-Family Painting Trends & Compliance
Color Trends Driving Premium Bids
- Earth tones (Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze) +20% HOA approvals
- Two-tone schemes: Body + trim (+15% materials)
- Matte finishes hallways (Behr Ultra Matte)
Regulatory Must-Haves
- FBC 2023: Wind-rated scaffolding (120 mph minimum)
- Low-VOC: <50 g/L statewide
- Fire-rated stairwell doors (Class A ASTM E84)
Tools, Software & Templates (Free Downloads)
- PaintScout Pro: Auto-scales unit repeats (50% faster)
- Bluebeam Revu: Digital painting takeoff software Florida
- Excel Template [Download Link]: Input units → instant bid
Real Case Study: 150-Unit Miami Beach Luxury Complex
Scope: 1,450 sq ft/unit avg × 150 = 217,500 sq ft total
Materials: Sherwin-Williams Duration ($285K after 22% discount)
Labor: 16-week phase ($510K)
Total Bid: $975K ($6,500/unit)
Result: Won vs 4 competitors, zero change orders, 28% margin.
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Question Answer
Frequently Asked Question
Estimating apartment painting by unit means calculating average paintable square footage per apartment, then applying per-unit material, labor, overhead, and profit costs. This method allows Florida contractors to price large apartment complexes accurately without estimating every unit individually.
Per-unit estimating provides scalability, transparency, and accuracy. It helps contractors:
Adjust pricing for 50, 100, or 200+ units easily
Apply bulk paint discounts correctly
Avoid underbidding due to overlooked common areas or stucco absorption
It is the industry standard for Florida multi-family bids.
Typical Florida averages:
Interior paintable area: 800–1,500 sq ft
Exterior allocation per unit: 400–900 sq ft
Total per unit (interior + exterior): 1,400–2,400 sq ft
High-rise or luxury units trend toward the upper end of this range.
Interior paintable sq ft is calculated using:
Wall perimeter × ceiling height (minus openings)
Ceiling area
Trim and doors converted from linear feet
Most 2-bedroom Florida units average 1,800–2,000 sq ft of interior paintable surface.
Exterior square footage is divided pro-rata:
Total exterior building sq ft ÷ total number of units = exterior sq ft per unit
Balconies, railings, entry doors, and patios are then added individually.
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