When a board or property manager lines up three painting bids, the numbers rarely line up the way they should. Most of the time, that isn’t because one contractor is cheap and another is expensive. It’s because the bids are pricing different jobs. The reason is usually the difference between the scope of work and the specifications.
Here is how the two differ, why it matters for the price and the life of the paint job, and the questions to ask before you compare bids on your next condo, HOA, apartment or commercial repaint.
What a scope of work covers
The scope of work says what gets done. A typical exterior repaint scope includes:
- Which buildings, elevations and surfaces are included
- Cleaning the surfaces before painting
- Stucco, wood and sealant repairs
- Painting stucco, siding, trim, railings, doors and frames
- What is excluded, such as roofs, glass, signage or certain buildings
What specifications cover
The specifications say how it gets done:
- Surface preparation for each substrate
- The primer for each surface: stucco, wood, metal, fiber cement
- The paint system and the exact products
- The number of coats and the required film thickness
- Application standards and manufacturer requirements
- The warranty and what it depends on
Scope vs. specification: examples
“Paint all exterior stucco” is a scope line. “Prime weathered stucco and apply two finish coats at the required film thickness, per the manufacturer’s instructions” is a specification. A few more side by side:
| Scope of work (what) | Specification (how) |
|---|---|
| Paint all exterior stucco | Clean, prime weathered stucco with the specified primer, then apply two finish coats at the manufacturer’s required film thickness |
| Paint railings and metal doors | Remove loose rust and coating, spot-prime bare metal with a rust-inhibitive primer, then apply the specified finish coats |
| Caulk windows and doors | Remove failed sealant and apply the specified sealant type to clean, dry joints |
| Repair stucco cracks | Repair method and materials for each crack size, priced as unit prices so every bid counts the same way |
Why the same scope can produce very different prices
Two bids can carry the exact same scope and still price very different work. One might include primer and two full finish coats. Another might be one coat with no primer. One might replace failed sealant, and another might caulk over it. On paper the bids look comparable. On the building, they won’t last the same, and the cheaper one is often the one the association pays for twice.
That’s why we talk about protecting the asset with the right coating system, applied the right way. The specification is where that gets written down.
Where the specification comes from
You don’t need to write a specification yourself. On larger exterior repaints, the paint manufacturer’s representative can walk the property with the contractor and write a project specification, matching products to each surface and to the warranty level the owner wants. Some associations use an engineer or consultant instead. What matters is that one written specification goes to every bidder.
How to get bids you can actually compare
- Send every bidder the same written specification, not just a scope.
- Use one bid form with the same line items, so prices land in the same places.
- Price repairs as unit prices or an allowance, such as per crack, per linear foot of sealant or per board of wood, so repairs are counted the same way.
- Ask for the warranty in writing, including what it covers and what it depends on.
- Compare exclusions as carefully as the prices.
Three questions to ask before you compare painting bids
- Is every bidder pricing the same written specification?
- Which products, and how many coats, go on each surface?
- What does the warranty cover, and does it depend on the specification being followed?
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a scope of work and a specification?
The scope of work says what gets done: which surfaces are cleaned, repaired and painted, and what is excluded. The specification says how it gets done: surface prep, the primer for each substrate, the products, the number of coats, application standards, manufacturer requirements and warranty.
Who writes the specification for a painting project?
On larger repaints, the paint manufacturer’s representative can write a project specification after walking the property, with products matched to each surface and to the warranty level the owner wants. Some associations use an engineer or consultant. Either way, the same written specification should go to every bidder.
Can contractors bid a repaint from a scope of work alone?
They can, but each contractor will fill in the specification differently, so the prices won’t be measuring the same job. If there is no written specification, ask each bidder to list the prep, primer, products and number of coats for every surface in their proposal.
Why are two painting bids for the same scope so far apart?
Usually because they are pricing different specifications. One bid might include primer and two finish coats, while another prices one coat with no primer. Repairs, sealant replacement and warranty coverage are other common differences.
Does the specification affect the paint warranty?
Often, yes. Manufacturer warranties usually depend on the products being applied to the manufacturer’s requirements, so a bid that skips specified steps may not qualify for the warranty you expect. Ask each bidder what the warranty covers and what it depends on.
How should repairs like stucco cracks or rotted wood be priced?
Repairs are hard to measure before work starts, so they are easiest to compare as unit prices or a stated allowance. That way every bidder prices them the same way, and the board pays for the repairs actually found and completed.
Bayshore Painters repaints condominiums, HOAs, apartment communities and commercial properties in Tampa and across Tampa Bay. If you’re planning a repaint, our team is glad to walk the property and review your scope and specifications before they go out to bid. Request a property assessment, or read more about our condo and HOA painting, apartment painting and shopping center painting.