Feb 17 min read

Getting The Job

You got a lead!!!!! Now it’s time to work. No worries it’s pretty simple. Lets plan a mural.

You finally got your first lead, whether it was from word of mouth, something you advertised for, or you went through a job searching platform like Thumbtack.com or Callforentry.com. It’s now time to really lock in the job. Just because you got the LEAD doesn’t mean you got the JOB. This is when you put all that resourceful learning you’ve been studying (I hope) to work.

Example of what a “lead” looks like on Thumbtack.com

To do list:

Ask about job
Go into detail
Set up a price
Design it
Schedule
Contract & Deposit

Whatcha want?

This is when you get all the information you need from the client in order to get an idea of what they want painted, how you’re going to paint it, what it will consist of and how you’re going to price it.

First, what is the job? Ask if they have an image already that they want painted. If they do, then quote them based off of that image. If not and they are going to need something designed for them then keep in mind that that is extra work which means more money.

Whether the client has an image or just an “idea” of what they want then I would usually ask them to set up a budget. This will give you more of an idea of how you’re going to design their mural and how much detail you’re going to put into it. I like it more when a client gives me a budget and lets me design it. That way I can tweak it however I’d like to go with my style and while also giving me control over the amount of work I’ll be doing. When the client already has an image that makes my life easier for sure but a lot of the time the client won’t want to pay the amount I need to charge in order to make it worth it.

Clients seem to think that painting is super easy and consists of just an image. Some just don’t understand the meaning behind a mural and just because you’re being given an image doesn’t mean that you don’t need the inspiration and will to see beyond the image in order for it to be astonishing.

For a design fee, $50 is pretty reasonable. If they’re really trying to stay within a budget and it’s not a big design I’ll include it into the main price, meaning I probably won’t charge them at all. Then off rip they feel like they’re getting a good deal which confirms the job a tad bit more. If it’s a complicated design and they’re ALREADY being a pain in the ass then yes, I will add that design fee because sometimes you get people that make you do all this work then not get a mural in the end.

With that being said, since they’ll already have their “budget” in mind then you can go ahead with your contract and deposit to seal in the job so you can start the design and will already have the design fee ahead of time so you know you won’t be wasting any time. I will go more into detail about contracts in the end and will also be making a post about contracts shortly after this post so follow up with my email list so you don’t miss them.

One thing to ask and consider before giving a final quote is the LOCATION and the SURFACE OF PROJECT.

Will you need a lift?
What is the surface that the mural will be on?
Will that surface require more paint for extra coats?
Is it inside? Is it outside?
How long will it take you?
How far is this commission from where you live?

Lift

These questions are SUPER important. If you need a lift then you’ll need to reach out to lift companies and get quotes on delivery and rental. You will also need to set yourself up with liability insurance for yourself. This is required with renting a lift but it is also smart to have if you have big jobs that require you being high up on heavy machinery.

Most lift rentals charge less for a whole week than a couple of days. The delivery fee is usually between $250-300 depending on your location. They will drop it off and pick it up for you.

Painting the “Legacy Tower” Fort Myers Beach FL, 2023

Surface

The surface as to where the mural will be is important to know beforehand. I have personally made the mistake of not looking into a project enough before starting. I would be so desperate and excited to make money that I would make impulsive decisions. Trust me you really regret it when you get to the job site and the surface turns out to be metal which requires extra coats of paint. Or it’s an uneven surface which makes it to where you can’t spray the background or the image gets distorted. So now you’re doing double the work for half the price. These learning experiences do make you a better muralist in the end but let’s avoid the mistakes and wasted time I’ve had.

This mural took me 3 weeks when I had only planned it to take 5 days. The surface was metal which made me have to fail multiple times till I got it right. Cleetus McFarland’s Freedom Factory warehouse. Bradenton FL, 2021

Inside? Outside?

Location

If it is inside then great. You don’t have to worry about weather or being at a job site at night so that it is dark enough for you to use your projector to trace on the mural. If it is outside you need to be aware of sun exposure (makes it easy to know what time of day to paint), rain, how close you are to roads, being in public, etc.

Although the annoying outdoor ones are the ones that get the most public exposure and honestly sometimes it’s really nice to be outside painting by yourself. That’s if it isn’t the middle of summer in South Florida and you have so much sweat pouring off your face you can’t see your painting. This. Happens. To. Me. Every. Year.

Location

Location is very important. If it’s 5 miles from your house then no extra charges need to be discussed. If this job is 2 hours away then you’ll need to charge for gas and accommodation.

When I was first starting out I was so desperate for jobs that I didn’t charge for all the extra stuff. I wanted it to be as easy and affordable as possible for my client which works if you really just need money and you’ll still be making a good profit. Although, spending $100 on gas and almost $200 a night at a hotel, it gets very costly and takes a lot away from your profits. Then you’re rushing your project just so you don’t have to spend another $200 for another night.

Once you’re more established charge them for EVERYTHING. Or you can do it when you are first starting out but from my experience I only lock in probably 3/7 jobs that inquire a mural so adding on all these extra charges I always feel brings down my chances of getting the job even more. Also, know your clients. If it’s a million dollar house then I’m sure an extra $500 for accommodations won’t be an issue. If it’s a new mother scrapping up change for a mural in her babies nursery then bite the bullet, get it done and think of it as an investment because no matter the cost, you now have more in your portfolio and can now add on a “new mother” audience to your clientele history.

So depending on all these factors, you’ll really need to take everything into consideration when giving a quote to a client.

Contract

If you haven’t already given your client a contract and deposit sheet, now is the time. With that confirmation you can now get them on your schedule.

Example of my mural contracts

Invoice.com

I use Invoice.com to set up my invoices and send out deposit requests. This website makes it easy for you to put together a professional invoice form which gets sent directly to the client. On the form you can write out a price for all the expenses which is helpful and organized for your client to understand and keep track of. It is also good for your records.

Invoice example made on Invoice.com

Schedule

Buy yourself a yearly calendar planner. You will need it to keep track of all the jobs you get. I also write down the exact amount I’m making from each job so that at the end of the year I can go through my calendar and add up my sales for the year. It’s an easy way to stay organized and up to date with your business. I always buy the exact same one every year, it has everything I need in it plus extra pages in the back to keep notes on my business.

Once the design is locked in and everyone is happy, schedule them with a day that works for both of you and BAM! Your first commission is set in stone, your ass is covered with a contract and now you can start getting excited as you go paint shopping for your job!

Go get your planner if you haven’t already! Here’s the link.

2024 Planner

Follow up with all my future posts as I will be going more into depth about all of the steps to make when becoming a professional muralist.

Please subscribe to my email list as well!! I will be giving away FREE PAINTINGS and tutorials as soon as my email list gets established!

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