TL;DR: Before comparing prices, make sure every commercial painting bid covers the same scope. Then check five things: surface prep, the named coating system, insurance and bonding, exclusions, and red flags. In Central Florida’s heat, humidity, and salt air, bids that skimp on prep or coats tend to fail sooner and cost more over time.
To compare commercial painting bids, first make sure each one covers the same scope. Then check five things: surface preparation, the named coating system, insurance and bonding, exclusions, and red flags. The lowest number often leaves out prep, coats, or access costs. In Orlando’s heat and humidity, those gaps tend to show up as early coating failure.
Use this commercial painting bid comparison checklist after bids come in and before you award. It is built for facility managers, procurement officers, general contractors, and public works staff across Central Florida. It assumes you already have a written scope. The goal here is to judge the bids against that scope.
1. Does every bid price the same scope of work?
Usually not, so fix this before you look at price. Two bids can cover the same building and still price very different work.
Line the bids up and check:
- Surfaces included: walls, doors, frames, structural steel, handrails, canopies, bollards, concrete floors
- Quantities: square footage or linear footage for each area, not just one lump sum
- Repairs: caulking, crack repair, spot priming of rusted steel, and who decides how much is needed
- Access: lifts, scaffolding, swing stages, and who pays for them
- Work hours: daytime, nights, weekends, or phased work around tenants and operations
If one bidder left out an item the others included, ask for a written price for it. Then add that number to their total. This step is called bid leveling, and it often changes which bid is actually the lowest.
2. What surface preparation is each bidder actually promising?
Look for a named prep method for each surface. Prep is where bids differ most, and it is where low bids most often cut corners. An AMPP CoatingsPro article notes that substrate prep may account for about 75 percent of the overall effort on a coatings project. Another AMPP CoatingsPro piece cites Sherwin-Williams as attributing up to 80 percent of coating failures to poor surface preparation.
A complete bid says how each area will be prepared. That might be pressure washing, hand or power tool cleaning, or abrasive blasting. For steel, it should also say how the bidder will deal with mill scale, rust, and failed coating. It should give the target cleanliness level based on industry surface preparation standards and the anchor profile range the primer needs. Near salt air, or on industrial sites with chemical exposure, ask whether the bid includes testing for soluble salts before coating.
| Bid item | Vague bid says | Complete bid says | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface prep | Prep as needed | Method for each area, cleanliness level, anchor profile range | Prep drives most adhesion and delamination problems |
| Coating system | Two coats paint | Manufacturer, product, primer, intermediate, topcoat, and film thickness for each coat | Lets you compare equal systems |
| Exclusions | Not listed | Written list: lifts, repairs, after-hours labor, disposal, containment | Most change orders start here |
| Quality checks | Not mentioned | Dry film thickness readings, weather and dew point logs, final walk-through | Proves the spec was met |
| Schedule | To be determined | Duration, work hours, and how weather days are handled | Needed for shutdown and tenant planning |
3. Is the coating system named by product, coats, and film thickness?
It should be. A bid that just says two coats tells you almost nothing. Two coats of acrylic and a primer with a urethane topcoat are very different systems, with very different service lives.
Ask each bidder for the product data sheets. Then compare:
- The manufacturer and exact product name for the primer, intermediate coat, and topcoat
- The dry film thickness for each coat
- Whether the topcoat is meant for outdoor UV exposure, since Central Florida sun breaks down some finishes quickly
- Whether the bidder will follow the manufacturer’s limits on humidity, surface temperature, and dew point
That last point matters on a warehouse in Clermont or a city structure in Orlando. Summer afternoon storms and morning dew can cut a work day short. A careful bidder plans for that. A bidder pricing for speed may coat anyway.
4. Can the bidder prove insurance, bonding, and local registration?
Ask for proof before you award, not after. Paperwork problems are easier to catch on paper than on a stalled job site.
Workers’ comp: The Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation says any construction employer with one or more part-time or full-time employees working in Florida needs a Florida policy. It also says Florida’s workers’ comp law does not allow independent contractors in the construction industry. Ask for a certificate of insurance that names your organization and meets the limits in your contract.
Bonding on public work: Under Florida Statute 255.05, contractors on public buildings and public works must record a payment and performance bond in the county where the work is done. The awarding board may exempt city and county contracts of $200,000 or less. A public works department in Ocala or Deltona should confirm early that every bidder can actually get the bond.
Local registration: The Florida DBPR tells buyers to check with the county or city about a local business tax receipt or certificate of competency for work that does not need a state license.
5. Which red flags belong on a commercial painting bid comparison checklist?
Watch for these signs that a low bid may cost more later:
- The price is far below the others, with no explanation
- Prep is described as needed, or not described at all
- No products are named, or or-equal swaps are allowed with no approval step
- There is no exclusions list
- Quality checks such as film thickness readings are not mentioned
- The bidder is slow to send an insurance certificate or bond letter
- There is no plan for occupied buildings, overspray protection, or site safety rules
- The schedule makes no room for rain days during Florida’s wet season
One red flag does not rule a bidder out. Send written questions and compare the answers. How a contractor handles clarifications tells you a lot about how they will handle the job.
Why is Southern Sandblasting & Painting a fit for Central Florida bid lists?
Southern Sandblasting & Painting LLC is based in Orlando and has 20+ years of experience serving Central Florida.
The company handles abrasive blasting, surface preparation, commercial painting, industrial painting, and concrete sealing.
Clients include municipalities, general contractors, airports, theme parks, pipeline and utility operators, and commercial facility owners.
Project types include municipal water tank restoration, airport hangar maintenance, pipeline blasting, theme park upkeep, DOT and city-owned structures, and warehouses.
Work follows industry surface preparation and coatings specifications, with close attention to Florida’s humidity, heat, and salt-driven corrosion.
The company works only on commercial, municipal, and industrial projects.
You can learn more about our commercial painting services in Dr. Phillips or our commercial painting services in Altamonte Springs.
Need a bid you can compare line by line? Get a free estimate: call (407) 409-1158 or request an estimate online.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many commercial painting bids should we collect?
Many private owners collect three bids, so there is a middle point to measure against. Public agencies should follow their own procurement rules, which may set the number of bids and the process.
Should we automatically reject the lowest commercial painting bid?
No. A low bid that matches the scope, prep method, and named coating system can be the right choice. The risk comes from low bids that leave out work or don’t explain how the price was reached.
What is a bid leveling sheet?
It is a spreadsheet that lists every scope item down the side and every bidder across the top. Gaps get priced in writing and added to each total, so you compare equal scopes instead of raw numbers.
Can we ask bidders to clarify their pricing after bids are opened?
Private owners and general contractors can usually send written clarification questions to every bidder. Public agencies often have strict rules about contact after bid opening, so check your procurement policy first.
Does Southern Sandblasting & Painting bid on residential painting?
No. The company works only on commercial, municipal, and industrial projects in Greater Orlando and Central Florida.
Recommended Reads
- Commercial Painting Services in Bay Hill, FL
- Commercial Painting Services in Dr. Phillips, FL
- Commercial Painting Services in Casselberry, FL
