GoHighLevel for Painting Contractors: Automate ft²/m² Quotes, Color Approvals, Weather Reschedules, Deposits
TL;DR
Painting loses margin when intake is vague, colors change late, weather kills exterior days, and quotes stall. GoHighLevel captures leads, gathers room or façade data and photos, prices by ft²/m² with clear ranges, locks color approvals, schedules crews, moves exteriors for rain or cold, collects deposits, and requests reviews.
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Pain points you are paying for
- Slow quotes, the first painter who replies wins.
- Missing details, ceiling height, trim, repairs, color count.
- Color indecision creates last minute changes and rework.
- Exteriors slip with rain or low temperature, no batch reschedule.
- Extras appear on site, no written approval or price change.
What the system does
- Capture all calls, forms, and Google messages into one CRM.
- Qualify in 90 seconds, interior or exterior, area in ft²/m², height, substrate, trim, repairs, color count.
- Photo intake with overlay prompts, wide and detail shots.
- Price range rules by ft² and complexity, shown before booking.
- Color approval collects brand, code, finish, and surfaces, locked before start.
- Schedule by crew skill and zone, with travel buffers.
- Weather logic moves exterior work for rain, wind, or low temperature.
- Payments deposit link in the quote, balance on completion.
- Reviews request at 2 hours, reply drafts included.
Fast quote flow that converts
- Lead submits form or calls.
- AI asks rooms and wall height for interiors, or façades, storeys, substrate for exteriors.
- Client uploads 3 to 6 photos, plus color ideas if known.
- System shows a realistic range and the next two windows for site check or direct booking.
- Client accepts, pays deposit, and finalizes color approval.
- Crew gets a job card with surfaces, colors, sheen, prep notes, and photos.
Intake fields that keep quotes accurate
Interior
- Rooms and use, for example bedroom, kitchen, bath.
- Wall height in m, 2.4, 2.7, 3.0+.
- Approx wall area in ft²/m² per room, helper prompts included.
- Ceilings yes or no, area in ft²/m².
- Trim type and length in linear m or piece counts, baseboards, doors, frames, crown.
- Repairs, drywall patches by size in mm and count.
- Color count per room, finish, matte, eggshell, semi.
- Occupied yes or no, furniture move required, masking complexity.
Exterior
- Storeys and façade area in ft²/m², helper based on width × height × sides.
- Substrate, stucco, brick, wood, vinyl, fiber cement, metal.
- Prep level, scrape and sand, spot prime, full prime.
- Doors and windows count, trim length in linear m.
- Ladder or lift access, height in m, slope or obstacles.
- Weather exposure, shade, south or west sun.
Both
- Brand and color codes if known.
- Photos, 2 wide, 2 detail per area.
- Map pin for routing.
Example pricing rules for the USA
All rates below are USD per ft² unless noted. Ranges convert your existing CAD per m² rules to U.S. friendly units and currency.
Interior
| Scope | Typical range, USD | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walls, standard height ≤ 2.7 m | 0.44 to 0.71 | per ft² of wall area | 2 coats, standard colors |
| Walls, tall 3.0 to 3.6 m | 0.54 to 0.84 | per ft² | Ladder time included |
| Ceilings flat white | 0.27 to 0.47 | per ft² | Add for kitchen or bath moisture paint |
| Trim, baseboards and frames | 4.36 to 8.71 | per linear m | Two coats enamel |
| Doors, both sides | 44 to 80 | each | Panel complexity affects time |
| Drywall patch, small ≤ 120 mm | 29 to 58 | each | Includes prime |
| Drywall patch, medium 120 to 300 mm | 58 to 116 | each | Texture match extra |
| Color add, per extra color beyond first | 11 to 29 | per room | Masking and setup time |
Exterior
| Scope | Typical range, USD | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stucco repaint | 0.47 to 0.81 | per ft² | Backroll where needed |
| Wood siding | 0.61 to 1.01 | per ft² | Scrape, sand, spot prime included |
| Brick paint | 0.67 to 1.21 | per ft² | Masonry primer first |
| Trim and soffits | 5.81 to 10.16 | per linear m | Ladder time included |
| Doors and garage doors | 65 to 160 | each | Material and panel count |
| Full prime upgrade | 0.13 to 0.27 | per ft² add | Aged or chalking surfaces |
| Lift premium | 10 to 20 | percent | Where lift is mandatory |
(USD ranges converted from prior CAD per m² rules using 1 m² = 10.7639 ft² and ~0.726 USD per CAD on Aug 28, 2025.) (Wise)
Color approval that reduces rework
- Collect brand, color code, finish, and surfaces per room or façade.
- Generate a one page approval PDF with hex preview and surfaces list.
- Lock changes 48 hours before start, later changes add a change order and may shift the date.
Weather and schedule logic that protects margin
- If forecasted rain probability exceeds threshold inside 24 hours, batch move exteriors to the next clear window and notify everyone at once.
- Temperature guardrails for exterior acrylics, work at or above 10 °C [50 °F] and RH below about 80 percent.
- Wind threshold for spray, if exceeded, switch to roll and brush or reschedule.
- Keep a hotlist of interior touch ups to backfill exterior weather days.
High impact automations
- Missed call text back in 15 seconds with intake link.
- Photo prompts with overlay examples, walls, ceilings, trim or substrate defects.
- Quote chasers at 24 and 72 hours.
- Deposit 15 to 30 percent inside the quote.
- Color approval request 72 hours pre start, auto lock at T minus 48 h.
- Crew checklist SMS morning of job, materials, ladder, masking, sprayers, tips.
- Weather reschedule batch notice with first pick links.
- Review request 2 hours post completion, reminders day 3 and 7.
Scripts that convert
- First reply, “Share room count, wall height, and 4 photos. I will give you a range now.”
- Range anchor, “Three rooms, standard height, walls typically land 0.44 to 0.71 USD per ft² of wall area, ceilings extra. Want a site check or direct booking with a small deposit”
- Color lock, “I will send a color approval page. We lock choices 48 hours before start to keep schedule on time.”
- Weather clarity, “Exterior work needs dry conditions above 50 °F [10 °C]. If the forecast drops, we move you to the next clear window and message you the same day.”
- Close, “I have Tuesday 10:00 to 12:00 or Thursday 13:00 to 15:00. I will send the deposit link and color form now.”
Metrics to track weekly
| Metric | Target | If below target, do this |
|---|---|---|
| First response time | under 2 minutes | Turn on missed call text back |
| Intake with photos | over 80 percent | Stronger prompts, require before quote |
| Quote to deposit | 45 to 65 percent | Tighten ranges, add two follow ups |
| Color approval on time | 95 percent or more | Auto lock at T minus 48 h, stronger reminders |
| Weather reschedule notice | 12 to 24 hours | Raise thresholds, automate batch moves |
| Change order rate | under 10 percent | Lock colors, collect repair detail upfront |
| Review rate | 25 to 40 percent | Ask at 2 hours, remind day 3 and 7 |
Real example, compact
A two crew painter in Hamilton set color locks and weather rules. In 60 days: 188 inquiries, 79 percent with photos, 102 deposits, average interior job 1,480 USD equivalent, exterior weather reschedules batched twice with zero cancellations, change order rate fell from 22 to 8 percent, reviews 31 to 67.
Owner insights
- Color approvals stop chaos, change orders fund the real extra time.
- Area in ft²/m² plus photos beats “I will swing by” delays.
- Exterior guardrails, temperature and RH, prevent callbacks.
- Keep a backfill list for rain days, interiors protect revenue.
Setup blueprint in GoHighLevel
- Intake forms, interior and exterior, with ft²/m² helpers, photos, color placeholders, map pin.
- Knowledge base, pricing rules per ft² and linear m, repair tiers, lift premium, color policy.
- Quote templates with good, better, best, prime upgrade toggle, color approval link.
- Stripe connected, deposits enabled, balance links.
- Workflows, missed call text back, quote chasers, color approval, crew checklist, weather moves, reviews.
- Calendars by zone and crew, travel buffers.
- Test on 10 real leads, tune ranges and thresholds.
FAQs
How do I estimate ft²/m² quickly
For interiors, multiply room perimeter by wall height to estimate wall area in ft²/m², subtract large openings. For exteriors, use width × height × number of sides and reduce for large window banks.
How many coats
Plan for two on most walls. Dark over light or stain blocking may need a third. Include a third coat add rule.
What is the weather policy
For exterior acrylics, work at or above 50 °F [10 °C] and RH below about 80 percent. Rain inside 24 hours triggers a batch move with first pick links.
Do I need a deposit
Yes, 15 to 30 percent to secure schedule and materials. Larger exteriors can stage deposits by milestone.
How do I stop last minute color changes
Use a color approval page with brand, code, finish, and surfaces. Lock at T minus 48 h. Later changes create a change order and may shift the date.