Read the spec first
Start with 09 91 00 Painting. Read the paint systems. Each system lists the substrate, the primer and the number of coats. Check for 09 96 00 High-Performance Coatings. Read the list of surfaces the spec says to leave unpainted.
Sheets and schedules that carry the count
- The room finish schedule. It gives the wall, ceiling and base finish for each room.
- The finish plans and the finish legend. They show accent walls and paint colors.
- The door schedule. It shows which doors and frames arrive with a factory finish.
- The reflected ceiling plans. They show gypsum ceilings, soffits and exposed structure.
- The interior elevations and the building sections. They give wall heights.
- The exterior elevations, for exterior paint.
Steps in order
- Mark each room with its finish codes from the schedule.
- Measure the wall length in each room. Multiply by the height.
- Measure gypsum ceilings and soffits by area.
- Measure exposed structure where the documents say to paint it.
- Count doors and frames by type. Keep field-painted and factory-finished apart.
- Measure handrails, trim and other running items by length.
- Group the areas by paint system. Each system has its own coats and rate.
Count, length, area or volume
- Count: doors, frames, access panels, bollards and other single items.
- Length: trim, handrails, exposed pipe and wall base if painted.
- Area: walls, ceilings, soffits, exposed deck and exterior surfaces.
- Volume: none in the takeoff. You convert area to gallons when you price.
Conflicts to find, and what to exclude
- The finish schedule says paint. The finish plan shows wall covering on the same wall.
- A ceiling note says to paint exposed structure. The spec does not list that system.
- The spec calls for more coats than the finish legend implies.
- The door schedule calls doors prefinished. The spec lists a paint system for doors.
- The gypsum board spec sets one finish level. The paint needs a better one.
Decide how you treat openings and write it down. Exclude factory-finished items, wall covering and sealant unless your section includes them. Qualify touch-up after other trades. Qualify concrete sealers and floor coatings.
Trade takeoffs · Updated 11 Nov 2026