The three prep tiers
Entry: Wash + paint
Pressure wash the exterior to remove dirt, mildew, and loose chalk. Apply single-coat finish over existing paint. No scraping, no priming, no surface repair. Best for homes with intact existing paint in good condition; questionable for older or weathered exteriors. Pricing: $1.50-$2.50/sq ft.
Standard: Scrape + prime + paint
Pressure wash + spot-scrape peeling and loose paint + spot-prime bare wood + two-coat finish. The most common residential prep tier. Suitable for homes with localized wear but generally sound existing paint. Pricing: $2.25-$3.25/sq ft.
Premium: Full prep + premium product
Pressure wash + full scrape of all loose/peeling paint + sand to feather edges + caulk all gaps + full prime + two-coat finish in premium product (Sherwin-Williams Emerald, Benjamin Moore Aura, Behr Marquee). Suitable for homes with substantial existing paint failure, premium-home positioning, or 10-15 year durability expectations. Pricing: $3.00-$4.50/sq ft.
Why three-tier quoting matters for margin
Painters who quote a single tier typically default to "standard" — leaving money on the table from both ends:
- Premium-tier upgrades lost. Homeowners willing to pay for top-tier durability + product never see the option, so they pick standard.
- Entry-tier customers walked. Price-shoppers who would have booked entry at $4K say no to the $7K standard quote.
Quoting all three tiers shifts the mix toward middle + premium:
- Roughly 10-15% pick entry tier (price-shoppers who would have walked).
- Roughly 60-70% pick standard (the "middle is safe" psychology).
- Roughly 15-25% pick premium (homeowners who didn't know it was an option).
Blended gross margin lifts 5-8 points vs single-tier quoting.
How Paint Launch presents three tiers
Paint Launch's customer portal shows all three prep tiers side-by-side, anchored to the rendered repaint in the homeowner's selected color combo. Each tier has its own price, expected lifespan, and product specification displayed. Homeowners pick the tier on the portal and the deposit reflects the choice.
Three-tier quoting on every render.
Free account, free rendering, $1 per mailed paint quote. Customer portal shows all three prep tiers automatically.
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