Two proposals, one house
It's common to ask two or three painters to look at the same job and get proposals that seem to describe different houses. One is much higher, one is vague, one includes things the others left out. Usually none of them is unreasonable; they're pricing different jobs. The way to compare them is to line them up item by item until they describe the same work.
Where Champaign came from
Champaign began with the Illinois Central Railroad: the line was routed across open prairie two miles west of the Urbana courthouse, and the settlement that grew at the tracks was first known as West Urbana. Champaign County was organized in 1833 from part of Vermilion County and named after Champaign County, Ohio; the county seat is Urbana, Champaign's twin city. Both are quoted from the city's and the county's own accounts.
The station's figures
NOAA's engineering weather data for Champaign/Urbana lists a 100-year rainfall rate of 3.2 inches per hour, a 50-year basic wind speed of 90 mph (3-second gust at 33 feet) and about 57 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year. These are design figures for the Champaign/Urbana station, quoted as NOAA gives them. They come up again below, in how a proposal treats exterior repairs and caulking.
Line one: scope
Check that every proposal covers the same surfaces. For an interior, that's walls, ceilings, trim, doors, closets. For an exterior, it's siding, trim, soffits, fascia, windows, doors, porch, railings and shutters. A lower price that leaves out ceilings or soffits isn't a bargain; it's a smaller job.
Line two: preparation
This is where proposals differ most. Look for washing, scraping, sanding, patching, caulking and priming, each named. A proposal that says "standard prep" tells you very little. On the outside, with a freeze-thaw count like the station's about 57 a year, the fate of open joints and cracked caulk matters: ask whether old caulk will be cut out and replaced or just painted over. Our surface preparation guide explains each step.
Line three: products and coats
Compare the actual products, not just brands, and the number of finish coats on each surface. One coat of a premium line and two coats of a budget line are not the same thing, and neither is directly comparable to two coats of the premium. If one proposal names products and another doesn't, ask the second painter to fill in the blank.
Line four: repairs
Rotten trim, soft sills and damaged drywall have to be fixed before paint. Some painters include a set amount of repair; others price it as found. A proposal that ignores repairs entirely may grow once work starts. The station's 100-year rainfall rate of 3.2 inches per hour is a reminder that water reaches every sill and window head, which is where hidden rot tends to be.
Line five: schedule, cleanup and guarantees
Compare start dates, how long each painter expects the job to take, how rain days are handled, and what cleanup is included. If a proposal offers a workmanship guarantee, read what it covers and for how long.
What Illinois says about contractors
The Illinois Attorney General says general contractors do not need a state license or certification, but may need a permit from the municipality where they work; roofers and plumbers are the trades it lists as needing a state license. That is the guidance as the Attorney General gives it.
Putting it together
Once every proposal describes the same work, the comparison becomes simple. If one painter still costs more, ask what they're doing differently. Often it's more preparation, better products or an extra coat, which is where a paint job's life comes from. Our pricing guide lists the main cost drivers.