How to Price a Mural and Develop a Price Sheet – For Artists

One of the most common challenges for artists is determining how much to charge for a mural project. Developing a structure and system will make it much easier for you.

But how do you develop a pricing structure for murals? Simple: follow the example of many of the best muralists. Create a price sheet that lists a rate per square foot, as well as any possible additional charges.

How to create your price sheet:

1 – Determine the price per square foot you will charge for most murals (Most artists charge between $30 and $50 per square foot. You can charge for the higher price if you are experienced and in high demand. Go for the higher price). lower price if you are new to wall painting.)

2- Include additional charges in your price per square foot, such as:

• Please add a design fee to design and draw the artwork (we charge $500 and it is non-refundable)
• Add an hourly charge if additional work is required to prep a problem surface (we charge $95/hour)
• Add $3 – $5 per square foot if the design requested by the client is highly complex or difficult.

3 – The price sheet should list what your charges include (local area travel, attendant fees, all materials and scaffolding).

4 – The price sheet must include a list of what your charges do NOT include (travel outside the local area, insurance fees, drafts beyond the first 3 sets of changes).

5 – There should be a minimum charge for small murals. We charge a minimum of $5,600.00, even if the mural is very small. This is because the time it takes to paint a small mural is not much less than a larger one.

Once you’ve determined your price, keep in mind that you can change it at any time. If you find you’re charging too little, raise your rate per square foot. If you find that your price is too high to keep the business, lower your fees a bit.

When you have a price sheet handy, it’s much easier to have a professional conversation with a potential client. if they ask “How much do you charge for a mural on the wall?“You can say with confidence, “The rate is $35.00 per square foot (or whatever your charge is) and I can send you a price sheet with additional details if you’d like.“

For a sample mural pricing sheet, go to How to Price a Mural. You can copy and paste the price sheet into that post and enter your own numbers.

Keep in mind that your client will be happy for you to have a written price sheet. This tells them that you are professional, and that will give them more confidence in your work.

One final thought on mural price quotes: make sure you get a 50% deposit up front before purchasing the necessary materials. This requirement should also be printed on your price sheet.