In this article I’m going to do something that some of my friends warn me not to because they are so darn practical:
I’m going to tell all. Oh My God, I’m sharing with the entire world our pricing structure for wall murals. (Subject to increase by 10% every year…)
Why would I do something so daring and crazy, you ask? Because that’s what my blog is all about – uniting artists and sharing information so that we all can be successful and live the dream life.
In a second follow-up article, I’m going to give you our “secrets” for making mural clients so happy that they scream from their rooftops “Use this artist for your next project. She’s/He’s the BEST!”
But first, I’ll go over the money part – because for me, money is important. I love to eat good food and travel. And for some strange reason, it costs money to do that. 🙂
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP A STRUCTURED PRICE SHEET
You should have a detailed mural pricing structure in writing. And if you don’t have one already, you can use mine as a guide.
Determining what to charge for a wall mural can be tricky. But once you get a structure in place, pricing murals will be a smooth process.
This month we have two large murals that Drew has been commissioned to paint. One of the murals is for a new store called Yogurt Wave. We flew mural expert, Katie Staib, down from Spokane Washington to help make it look great.
The owners, Kerry and Tommy, contacted Drew because his fun style attracts young people that are into action sports, which is their target market.
Their first question was “what will it cost to have Drew paint a 46’ foot mural?” In just a few short minutes, I was able to give them a quote thanks to my nicely organized price sheet.
One of the most common challenges for artists is determining what to charge for a project. Developing a structure & system will make it so much easier for you.
Our current system is working well for us and our clients understand it. But there may be alternative ways to do it, so if you know of a better system, please share in the comments!
HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR PRICE SHEET
Your mural price sheet should be structured in a way that makes sense and that enables you to easily determine what you will charge based on size of the mural.
We charge approx. $25.00 – $35.00 per square foot with a minimum of 160 square feet. Knowing this makes it easy to establish pricing based on various sizes.
Below is a copy of the price sheet that we give to people prior to a written proposal.
Giving a client a price sheet:
- Weeds out the people who can’t afford you (so you don’t waste your time or theirs); and
- Demonstrates your professionalism. People tend to feel better about handing you a big check when they think you know what you’re doing.
Keep in mind, our pricing may be considered high by some standards and very low by others. We know of many artists that charge a lot more than we do. And then there are some that are charging half of what we do.
HOW MUCH $$$ YOU CHARGE IS RELATIVE TO: your experience, where you are located (some places are cheaper to live than others) and supply and demand of your art.
You are welcome to copy and paste the form below and adjust it accordingly for your own use.
OR buy my Mural Pricing and Proposal Package HERE (it will save you years of agony having a TEMPLATE on a mural proposal!)
SAMPLE MURAL PRICING SHEET
Minimum Price: Murals sized 0 to 160 Square Feet: Price is $5,600
Pricing starts at $35 per square foot and decreases with increased size of mural; at 290 sf price drops to $32/sf – at 500 sf drops to $30/sf – at 900 sf price drops to $28/sf.
(Square Foot is determined by multiplying the height x width of the painting surface)
*Price per square foot may increase if design requested is complex. This will be indicated in price quote and determined at the time that the final sketch is approved.
SAMPLE PRICING, per square foot:
| Prices per Unit Size (sample sizes) | ||
| DIMENSIONS | ²AREA | PRICE |
| Up to 10ft. x 16ft. | 160ft. | $5,600.00 |
| 11ft. x 16ft. | 176ft. | $6,160.00 |
| 12ft. x 20ft. | 240ft. | $8,400.00 |
| 13ft. x 20ft. | 260ft. | $9,100.00 |
| 14ft. x 21ft. | 294ft. | $9,410.00 |
| 15ft. x 23ft. | 345ft. | $11,040.00 |
| 17ft. x 26ft. | 442ft. | $14,144.00 |
| 18ft. x 28ft. | 504ft. | $15,120.00 |
| 19ft. x 30ft. | 570ft. | $17,100.00 |
| 20ft. x 31ft. | 620ft. | $18,600.00 |
| 25ft. x 39ft. | 975ft. | $27,300.00 |
| 28ft. x 44ft. | 1232ft. | $34,500.00 |
Non-Refundable Design/Sketch Fee: $2500.00 – Includes up to 2 sets of changes by client (Additional sketches charged at $250/sketch)
In my Mural Pricing and Proposal Package I also tell you how to handle and what to charge $ for:
- Travel fees
- Liability Insurance
- Unexpected changes to the art
- Adverse conditions on the surface of the wall (i.e. it’s not “paint ready”)
- Payment terms: How much $$$ to ask for UP FRONT before starting the sketch process and when the balance is due
- MORE things you never thought of!
PRICE SHEET EXPLANATION
Every detail and *caveat on the price sheet is necessary and came from us learning the hard way. Below are a few points and for ALL of the info get my Proposal Package:
Pricing Structure: I’ve talked to mural artists who charge $40 – $50 a square foot. For us, a starting price of approx. $35 per square foot works, because Drew is extremely efficient and gets a project completed rather quickly.
- You might charge less if you’re new at it or if you live in a low cost-of-living area, or
- You might charge more if you are very experienced or in high demand, or live in a high cost-of-living area (like New York or LA).
Minimum Price: We charge a minimum for small murals under 160 square feet because it’s a lot of work and time to set up at a location. It’s not worth it for us to have Drew go out to paint a small mural and only be paid a couple thousand dollars. You may want to adjust this number up or down, depending upon where you are in your career.
Realistically, for murals smaller than 160 sf, an artist is better off painting an original painting in their studio. It’s easier and doesn’t require travel or set up someplace else. The upside for the client is a piece of art that they can remove from the wall if they move, or that they can resell if they want to later.
Non-Refundable Design (Sketch) Fee: Every mural we do is designed on paper first. We offer the client the ability to pay just for the sketches first, because sometimes a client isn’t sure if you can do what it is that they want.
If they don’t like your design or decide not to use your services after all, they only lose the money they paid for the sketch fee and you are at least paid for your time to sketch it for them. We don’t sketch out anything without the design fee because it’s a lot of work. Just meeting with the person to discuss what they want can take a couple hours. You want to make sure that you are paid for that time.
Why You Should Limit the Number of Sketches: We have a limit of up to 3 sketches (2 sets of changes) and then charge for each additional sketch beyond that. When you do this, your client will be motivated to be very specific about what they want. If you don’t limit the number of sketches, they will just go on and on with changes. Trust me on this!
Wall Preparation: So far, we’ve never had to charge additional fees for wall prep. We’ve only had brand new walls to paint. But if Drew arrived at a location and the walls were in bad shape, we have this caveat in the price quote so that we can charge extra for getting the wall paint-ready.
Payment Terms: This is very Important! We require 50% of the total amount 2 weeks prior to the scheduled start date. This allows us to block out 5 or more days on the calendar (thus not accepting other projects for those days) and to purchase the necessary materials prior to the painting.
Paying a deposit is also a psychological thing with your client – you want to train them to view you as a professional who expects prompt payment, and they are fully committed when they pay half up front.
If you are just building your portfolio, there are other ways to handle the deposit, and I tell you how in my Mural Pricing and Proposal Package.
THE BALANCE is due on the last day of the painting. This is because I personally hate chasing money. I want to be paid and done with a job when it’s finished. Also, I have to pay our assistant on that last day as well. And if you know anything about me by reading my posts, you know that I got out of the Art Banking business years ago!
PROPOSAL PROCESS
When we get a call from someone interested in a mural painting, our process is:
1.) E-mail them the pricing sheet above. This is so that from the very beginning, your client knows your general pricing and they can determine if it’s in their price range.
2.) Gather details about the mural, such as: Height and Width of the proposed mural, physical location, the shape that the wall is in, and what design they want. (I ask the client for this – we rarely go out to see the mural space until after we know it’s a “go”.)
3.) Based on the information provided above, then I’ll write up and e-mail a written proposal. (My Mural Proposal Template available HERE)
Throughout the process I will verbally clarify, up front, how we work (meaning our payment policies). I’ll usually say: “We will begin the sketch process once you pay your Sketch fee. The fee includes up to 3 sketches, so please be as specific as you can about what you want. A 50% deposit is due 2 weeks before the painting begins. The mural will take approximately 5 days (or however many). We plan to work from 9-5 daily. Your final payment is due on the day it’s finished.”
Being clear and direct helps to prevent misunderstandings later. I don’t like surprises, especially when it comes to money. That’s why I’m so specific in both my written agreements and my verbal discussions with clients. Everything goes better that way, and clients appreciate knowing what to expect.
GIVING A DEAL/PRICE BREAK
Your client may ask for a deal on price. Sometimes it’s reasonable to give a small discount or freebie to a returning client.
For new clients: If it seems like it’ll be a less complicated design, sometimes I’ll offer to deduct their sketch fee from the mural price. Basically I’m waiving the sketch fee, but I still require a payment prior to the sketch process.
You could also offer to lower the per-square-foot fee if the mural is going to be very simple and easy, say, like a basic design. On the other hand, if the design they want is extremely detailed, you should consider increasing the per square foot fee.
ONCE THE SKETCH PROCESS IS COMPLETE
After we get the sketch drawn out, and the client is ready to move forward, we ask for 50% down and we schedule the dates that the painting will take place.
Typically Drew can get a mural completed in 5-7 days. Using a system of gridlines and efficiency, along with the help of an assistant, most murals, even very large ones, can be completed in that time frame.
In the end, the most important thing is to make sure that your client is extremely happy with your work. Read my article “Painting a Wall Mural – Ten Ways to Please Your Client” on how to make your client so pleased, that they are screaming your name from their rooftops!
SAMPLE WALL MURAL PROPOSAL TEMPLATE:
Artist’s Wall Mural Proposal Template Package
I hope this has been helpful to you. Please let me know in the comments below. (Or share your suggestions on how to make the mural pricing process better).
AND: Sign up for my informative Newsletters! In every newsletter I send by email you get FREE art business strategy coaching – my gift to you for being on my e-mail list!
Because of my freakish nature of ruminating over every little detail, it takes me hours to write these articles, and if I know that I’m helping people, I will keep on doing it!
AND, IF YOU WANT A PROFESSIONAL PROPOSAL PROCESS and TEMPLATE, check out this awesome package I created that has helped hundreds of artists proposal and price out murals:
Artist’s Wall Mural Proposal Template and Price Sheet
Luv, Maria xxoo
517 Responses
This is an interesting article, however arbitrary unit prices without data to back them up means you don’t truly know what the project is going to cost you.
I estimate by how many hours it will take to finish a mural. I have production rates established for the field painting, backgrounds, figures, various landscape features, etc. I know how long it will take to prepare the substrate. I know how long it takes for the design phase. I then need to figure access to a site. Am I working off of lifts? Scaffolding? Then I calculate my materials. Then an understanding of my overhead and insurance costs get factored in. Once my costs are established, then I can play with my profit rate based on the specific market condition.
Understanding your costs will allow you to make better business decisions as to whether or not you would even accept a particular project. If you aren’t covering your costs, then take a pass on the project.
An added benefit to understanding your costs will make your accounting much cleaner. Comparing estimated costs to actual costs will allow you to refine your future estimates. This will take more surprises out of a project and permit more reliable profitability.
One more benefit is you can be smarter and provide more value engineering options to your client when you understand your costs. Maybe it would be cheaper to paint a large scale interior mural in your studio on canvas? A controlled environment permits better quality and efficiency. Then you can just install the mural. The client gets a better quality product with the added benefit of a reduced schedule for actual time on site.
Essentially, we need to be smarter as an industry. Granted we see ourselves as artists, however our processes are similar to construction. We need to start planning and calculating costs as construction companies do. Construction has spent decades (or longer!) solidifying a process for estimating and establishing cost controls for the implementation phase. Why should we operate any differently?
I with you Matt, then I’m not, then I am. On one hand, I don’t like the idea of commoditizing too much of what we do. Doing so feels like an opportunity for the client to argue why if the tube of paint cost $20, I’m charing you $200. And I think that’s what I like about the standardized matrix. But on the other, it is good to know how much the job is costing you, as the artist.
In other words, I’m getting the impression that the best way to operate is to know your costs, understand them, but to have a client facing price matrix that quickly filters out clients who aren’t serious. It only becomes a ‘one size fits’ all scenario if an artist never does a cost/profit analysis.
The only real benefit I see to keep the pricing matrix mystic is that it obfuscates what you are charging as an artist to the public in general. To me, that’s actually the opposite of what we want. The more people see that a project costs thousands of dollars, the more they’re accustomed to the expectation of art costing thousands of dollars.
I agree with both of you. The price matrix helps the clients understand cost without them being able to pick apart cost. And yes, certain materials cost more, certain colors definitely cost more. That’s why you can have a scaled matrix and charge more per square foot based on what your client request. It gives you the opportunity to put a cost scale on your website, and gives you the freedom to go higher as needed after your initial meeting.
Hello guys!
thx to the author for article. Very helpful.
it’s one more way to make our wall more better 🙂
Besides, I with my wife was using a “glue-way”.
thx to poster printer we printed our family picture. It was really magic! 🙂 some one can use our way 😉
Thank you so much for your clarity & assistance in writing this amazingly helpful article. The explanation of what you charge & why you structure it the way you do helped me to create a pricing structure of my own that makes sense & doesn’t constantly present problems & losses. Kudos to you!
Ditto to Tracie T
Late to the party, but want to echo my appreciation for this article (& spot on comment by Tracie Tolentino)!! Just starting out and needing the advice (hence the Google search that landed me here.) Thank you!!!!!
Thank you for sharing this valuable information with us! Just today a potential client proposed a mural project to me and i had no idea how to charge him for it. This is incredibly helpful. I will be checking out the related articles you alluded to as well. Thanks again!
Woah, so helpful..thank you so much!
Very helpful. I appreciate the information and the well thought out plan.
Annette
Thanks for this informative price structuring formula. I underbid jobs regularly so as to get the job and I get emotionally involved w the client and want them to afford to have their dream manifested on the wall. They use the I can’t afford it card on me and I say I will work with them. Yes, I am a soft touch . I am extremely good at trompeloei murals and decorative finishes and so many times I “give” my work away. I have been in business for 35 years. I am a fast painter and so I don’t charge by the hour and so don’t want to penalize myself and a I have also felt uncomfortable w charging by the square foot because you can put a lot of detail in a 12″x12″ area and little detail in a 10’x10” there are variables and so how is sq footage considered in this scenario? I liked your article so much and think you are right when you say it makes the client more comfortable when you do give them a formula. In the beginning of my business I used to do free sketches and have been burned by customer canceling and even keeping my painted sketches ..yes painted,,, I don’t do sketches anymore. I just do a 2 min pencil sketch in front of them and say if they want any changes as I go I will do it. I always say I don’t give prices over the phone and I will go to their homes to give free estimates. Then I just give them an price.. Based on supply and demand and how easy or difficult it is for me, kinda what the market will bear. I know spoken like a true artist that needs structure and guidelines. Or a manager. Most of the time I will add extra painting just because I like the customer and they get so happy and excited and I like them to be happy. Truthfully By not having structure I end up underbidding the job. Thank you so much. This formula will help me stop this nightmare.
Thanks Maria for this informative price structuring formula. I underbid jobs most of the time because I do not have a formula. I also get emotionally involved w the client and want to work w their budget that they usually tell me about. I want them to let their dreams manifest when in actuality I need to learn to say no. If I underbid then I am missing out on a regular paying client. I am great at what I do and have been painting trompe’loeil murals for 30 years. I am very fast as well so I do not charge by the hour as I do not want to penalize myself for it. I also don’t really feel comfortable charging by the sq ft because much detail can be in a small piece and simplicity in a large piece. I liked your article so much and think you are right when you say it makes the client more comfortable when you do give them a formula. In the beginning of my business I used to do free sketches and have been burned by the customer and even keeping my painted sketches. Yes painted. I don’t do sketches anymore .I just do a 2 min pencil drawing in front of them and say if they want any changes as I go I will do it, I show them pictures of the theme they are interested in and merge the pictures together etc. I always say I don’t give prices over the phone and I will go to their homes to give free estimates. Then I give them a price based on supply and demand and how easy it is for me. Kinda what the market will bear. I know I speak like a true artist that needs a manager or agent so I Can concentrate on the art only. I envy Drew that he does not have to concern himself w the business end of it..I need to hire a Maria. I hate dealing w the business end. Much of the time I will add extra painting just because I like the customer and they get so happy and excited and I always connect w my clients. I have made many friends through the years w my clients which really makes it hard to bid jobs after I have return jobs w them. I am tired of underbidding my jobs and I thank you so much for this formula .
Barbara – its seemed like you wrote this for me!
i am an interior designer in Texas. have done more kids murals then design work and to tell the truth i enjoy them more- i love the look on the kids faces when they see it for the first time. like you i have given away, done it for free, got attached to client and added extra design or details on the Murals. i have a hard time saying this is what i charge!- this article is very helpful and an eyeopener in some ways. Thanks for posting Barbara and thank you to Maria for this great tips.
Thank you for the much needed information Maria.
I’m a portrait artist that works primarily with pastels or graphite. It is my hope go further my talent by learning more mediums. I was recently asked to do a wall mural for a local business. I’ve been experimenting with pastel on dry wall. The surface texture is much like that of the papers and boards designed for pastel. So, at the least I can fall back on them if I’m unable to immediately grasp the different methods I’m about to attempt. The info on your page has helped me tremendously in determining how to market myself.
I sure wish I had read your site first! This was my first mural for money. 11x 44 outside and they kept changing their minds once I got started…plus I had made a prelimiary sketch first…anyways next tme will be a lot different.. our local school has asked me to do some touch up on an old mural….live and learn
We are all living and learning Susan! And living and learning the hard way as Maria stated in her informative article. Kudos to you for putting your uncertain foot forward and being bold!
Very helpful, I appreciate this as I am a fine artist pitching a large mural to our city and typically do smaller easel work. This gives me a good set of guidelines as to how to operate. Thanks!
I typically do a wall size murals that might be 10 x 10 or slightly larger. I’m currently pitching a job which is a 3700 square-foot Mural. It’s an underwater ocean aquarium scene which includes in this tunnel style walkway a ceiling painting finishing both sides of the walls. I can’t miss out on this job for my portfolio which is why I’m really thinking hard about what to charge without being insanely expensive. A team of four could finish this in a 2-3 weeks im sure being that I’m spraying the whole area ceiling and everything out with the ocean blue undercoat as a start. This article was very helpful but even at $30 x 3700 sq ft it’s $111k which I know is in sanely off their charts for a Mural. I am honestly thinking of charging a quarter of that. Insight?
it’s very nice mural painting.How long have finished it?
Maria, thank you for sharing! This article has been extremely helpful, but I am left with one very important question that has been running through my head… What happen’s if an exterior mural (the only kind I do) is vandalized or damaged? Is this something you are prepared for and include in the initial contact, or is it something that is handled IF it happens? I am fortunate that I have not had to deal with it yet, but I want to be ready when and if I am in this situation.
Thanks!
Theresa, this is an excellent question! The artist should not be financially responsible for any damage to the mural during creation or after creation, due to unforseen circumstances, vandalism or any act of God (weather, disasters). This could be included in your contract or proposal (and should be). Should there be damage due to these items, by no fault of the artist, the client is responsible to cover the costs to have the mural repaired or made whole. The client’s business insurance should cover any damage caused in this case.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and wisdom. I am so grateful to have found you and so grateful for your advice.
I paint murals on cement retaining walls. I have always painted for the joy of painting but have realized that maybe it is possible to have your greatest pastime earn you a living!
Why not me? Seeing that others are doing it makes me see and even begin to be.ieve that O can be one of them.
Especially with all the help available to be professional .
Thank you so much
I am a newbie. Its really helpful! tks!
Thank you so much for this article!!! I’m considering working on a room mural for a friend from college and I didn’t know where to begin. Some people may have some issue with the pricing from reading the article but I don’t.
Thanks so much. I’m going to bookmark this piece.
Hi Maria. I first read your mural pricing article five years ago, and it was extremely helpful to me in developing my own pricing chart. It gave me the courage to have a minimum project fee and to post my mural pricing online. Thank you for writing the article and for doing what you do to help artists with the business side of things.
This is a great article with much needed information for artists. I have been painting murals & much more for many years and found information & tips I had not thought about.
Thanks
Fabulous article! Thank you for sharing your thoughtful and organized process and tools. I have shared with a community of artists on FB…who are discussing the difficulties of the art & money relationship. It will be very helpful! Keep writing!😘(FB: Eli Trier, Beautiful Creative Life.)
Hi, Thank you so much for all of this information. I have always wanted to paint murals but not knowing what to charge has been holding me back. I was wondering how much detail do you have with the sketches, and do you have any advice on advertising?
Hi Maria!
I truly your effort to reach out to artists globally through your very beautifully explained article. I am an amateur artist from India and have currently started murals. I haven’t followed a defined structure in implementing this business. your guidelines are well applicable for running this artfolio stratergically! Thanks much!
Great article, GREAT pricing structure… people seek YOU out for a service and all too many times, the artist is underestimating their own value….it’s YOUR skill, YOUR creativity, that is being hired, not the amount of paint value… Value yourself, your skills and others will too.
Hi Maria,
A lot has changed since 2010 (when you first posted this article) in the industry of printing. Have you used large decals of your artwork instead of painting it? Just curious.
ty for this article!^^ God bless
Wawu…..finally i found the lost treasure…lol this is a really wonderful article that i have been looking for ages. This is really helpful… you never know how many dead souls you just resurrect from dead’…i really appreciate your effort. Please keep the good work going… 🙂 cant say about anybody, but for me, this article is 99% be of help to me.
cheers
Does this pricing per square foot also include the cost of paints? I imagine at this point you have a collection of paint at the ready, but what would you recommend to someone who doesn’t do too many painted large scale murals do in regards to painting supplies (mostly just the paints).
Also, thanks for this article, it is amazingly helpful!
hi, so here’s a question…how much would you charge for a firm to do a one time only reproduction of an original painting. It would be for a 8′ x 20′ wall. I’m at a total loss as to how to charge. My originals are roughly $2100 for a 2′ x 4′ panel. I’m trying to figure out what to charge for the one time rights to reproduce one and it’s totally new territory for me.