Learning Center #1 - How Much Does Line Painting Cost?

Let’s get right to the heart of many purchasing decisions - “How much is this going to cost me?”

​It’s a fair question to ask, especially coming off the heels of a very difficult year in 2020, that affected every business in the world not named Zoom or Uber Eats. (If you’re reading this in 2050, and weren’t sure what the deal was in 2020, we  strongly encourage you to go check it out.)

Property managers, business owners, store managers and everyone else responsible for making decisions in a parking lot are often guided by the cost of a proposal, especially when comparing it to other similar proposals.

So, what's the price of line painting?

In what can only be described as a completely non-exhilarating answer… it varies widely depending on a number of factors. If you were hoping for an M. Night Shyamalan caliber plot twist, apologies - next time, we'll spice it up.

As with nearly every project in the contracting world, no two jobs are similar. While the end result may look the same (painted parking stalls on the ground), here are some factors that will dictate the cost from various painting companies:
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• Re-Striping or New Layout? It takes quite a bit of time to carefully and correctly layout all of the parking stalls, stencils and other markings on a brand new parking lot. Re-striping still requires assessment of the current markings, but is less time intensive. New layout costs can range 20%-50% higher than a re-stripe.
• Condition of the Existing Paint: If the existing paint markings are very faded, a striping company should take the time to ensure that all the markings are visible enough to re-paint correctly, the existing lines are uniform in length, and all other issues are clearly visible BEFORE the paint hits the asphalt (It kind of sticks on there for a while.)
• Condition of the Surface: Here is another terrible plot twist - paint doesn’t stick to dirt very well. If asphalt requires surface preparation (power sweeping,  blowing, etc.) this can impact the cost. A striping company should communicate their expertise on the current condition to the client and give recommendations for the best paint results.
• Coats of paint: Often, only one coat of paint is needed - traffic paint is designed to hold up well in parking lots. A second coat of paint will increase the cost, but will last longer - and may even save money in the long run if it reduces the amount of re-striping! Think of a 2nd coat like the “cheese and bacon” to a delicious hamburger - not required, but kind of nice to have. (Ask us for original burger recipes, we've got some good ones.)
• Final Scope of Work: Here are some items a striping company can paint: Parking stalls, handicap stencils, traffic arrows, painted curbs, stop bars, pedestrian crosswalks, special parking stalls, custom wording, stall numbers, NO PARKING hatch lines, EV Charging symbols, and much more. All of these get baked into the final price from a striping company. Non-traditional paint colors (custom) may carry a higher charge, too - but they look cool.
• Minimum Charges: If it's a small parking lot, a company often carries a minimum charge, often around $500.
• Size of the Company: Larger companies may have higher rates due to increased operation costs.
• Dedicated Striping Company: While this is not a hard and fast rule, dedicated line painting companies may have lower rates, as they can perform these projects more efficiently and with higher end equipment than a company who offers it as one of its many services.

Great info! So what is it going to cost ME?
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The best way to get an accurate estimate… is to ask a striping company for an accurate estimate. 

Seriously, if this blog post were a movie, it would be awful.  However, we have some guidelines below you can use.

​Most striping companies will be happy to provide you with a free estimate for your parking lot. If you are anywhere near Prince George, BC, Canada - Laser Line Painting would love to chat with you about what you’re looking for, offer some suggestions for your parking lot, and give you pricing for your specific project (We work in all areas of BC, too.) We also can provide guidance on our asphalt maintenance services to extend the life of your asphalt, such as crack filling and sealcoating.

In the meantime, you can expect painting companies to have painting rates varying from $4 a parking stall all the way to $20 a parking stall, depending on all the factors we mentioned above. Often, stencils are priced on a “per stencil charge” - for example, a painted blue handicap square with stencil can range anywhere from $25-$60 per stall, where traffic arrow may be $15-$40 per arrow. Companies often quote numbered stalls on a “per digit” basis, ranging from $3-$7 per digit. A company will also include it’s charges into it for mobilization, fuel, and other overhead expenses into a final project price, which varies by company.