Painting Business Software for US Contractors
Surfacely is built for American painting contractors — imperial measurement in ft² and gallons, USD pricing, JHA generation under OSHA 29 CFR 1926, and Stripe payment processing for client deposits and final invoices. Production rates display in ft²/hr (32 ft²/hr for intricate work, up to 375 ft²/hr for production spray).
What's built specifically for the United States
- JHA (Job Hazard Analysis) generation. Locale-aware safe work plans referencing OSHA 29 CFR 1926, with fall protection per 1926.501 (above 6 feet), respiratory PPE per 1926.103, scaffold per Subpart L, and electrical clearance per 1926.416.
- Imperial measurements. Length in feet/inches, area in ft², volume in gallons, spread rate in ft²/gal, production rate in ft²/hr. The 8 speed steps display as 32, 70, 110, 160, 215, 270, 325, 375 ft²/hr.
- USD pricing. Starter $59/mo, Professional $119/mo. Per-seat Enterprise above 10 users.
- Lead paint cutoff at 1978. Buildings built before 1978 trigger automatic lead-paint hazard with 1926.62 controls — wet methods, P2 respirator, contained waste disposal, decontamination procedure on exit.
- US rate benchmarks. Validated 2026 US rates: cost rate USD $30–55/hr (significant state variation), sell rate USD $55–100/hr, margin range 35–50%. California and the Northeast run higher than the Midwest and Southeast.
- Statutory on-cost defaults. 7.65% FICA (employer share), state SUTA (configurable), 10% workers' comp (painting class average), 2 weeks PTO, 8 federal holidays.
- Buy-size rounding to gallons. Material orders round to quarts (0.946 L), gallons (3.785 L), or 5-gallon pails (18.927 L) — the painter pays for the container, not the litre.
- Material category names. Latex (interior), Enamel, Stain & Decking — matching US trade terminology.
- Emergency number 911. Pre-set on safe work plans for US painting businesses.
Pricing in USD
Tier pricing in USD. US painters typically don't charge sales tax on services, so Stripe Tax doesn't add tax at checkout for US service-only billing.
Free
2 users, 5 free buildings, full feature access
Solo
1 user, unlimited buildings
Starter
3 users, unlimited buildings
Professional
10 users, unlimited buildings
Enterprise: Professional base + USD $15 per additional seat above 10.
Production rates in ft²/hr
The 8 speed steps display in imperial for US painting businesses. The system default is Step 4 'Steady' at 160 ft²/hr.
| Step | Character | ft²/hr | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intricate | 32 | Heritage cutting in, fine detail |
| 2 | Detailed | 70 | Multi-sided components, panels |
| 3 | Careful | 110 | Average condition, some cutting in |
| 4 | Steady | 160 | Standard repaint, good condition |
| 5 | Efficient | 215 | Open areas, minimal cutting in |
| 6 | Open | 270 | Large surfaces, good access |
| 7 | Rapid (spray) | 325 | Production spray, repetitive surfaces |
| 8 | Production (spray) | 375 | Full new-build spray |
Other key features for US painters
- Simple measurement, real rates behind the scenes — the painter taps in length × height, the system runs production rate × surface formula × prep level × spread rate × cost-plus formula. Clean output, accurate underneath. Fast and right at the same time.
- Mobile-first design — measure and track on your phone in the field, refine the quote detail on desktop in the office.
- AI intelligence engine integrated throughout — photo analysis, voice transcription, auto-hazard derivation. Catches what the painter might miss: a pre-1978 building that triggers OSHA 1926.62 lead controls, a spray application that adds atmospheric containment requirements.
- Homeowner self-scope portal — branded link the painter sends to leads. Homeowners walk through their property, capture photos, note conditions. Tire-kickers self-disqualify; serious leads arrive pre-qualified with data the painter would otherwise gather on Visit 1.
- Cost-plus pricing — sell rate derived from cost + margin, never stored.
- Permanent surface register — re-quote without re-measuring.
- Offline-first PWA — works without coverage on remote sites.
State licensing context
Painting contractor licensing varies by state. Florida, California, and several others require a state contractor licence above certain dollar thresholds. Texas, Illinois, and others have no statewide painting licence but may have municipal requirements. Surfacely captures licence number on your business profile and displays it on quotes when configured. The painter remains responsible for confirming compliance with state and local requirements.
OSHA reference highlights for painters
- 1926.501. Fall protection required above 6 feet on a walking/working surface with an unprotected edge.
- 1926.62. Lead-in-construction standard. Applies to any work that disturbs lead-containing paint.
- 1926.103. Respiratory protection. Required for spray application, lead disturbance, and any atmospheric contamination above PEL.
- Subpart L (1926.450–454). Scaffolds. Painter must be trained in scaffold use; scaffolds must be erected and modified only by competent persons.
- 1926.416. Electrical clearance for general construction work.
FAQ
What is the best painting software for US painting contractors?
Painting-specific with imperial measurement, USD pricing, JHA under OSHA 29 CFR 1926, Stripe payments. Surfacely starts free; paid tiers from $35/month.
Does Surfacely generate JHA documents for OSHA compliance?
Yes — referenced to OSHA 29 CFR 1926. Auto-hazards include fall protection (1926.501), lead (1926.62), respiratory (1926.103), scaffold (Subpart L).
How much does painting software cost for US contractors?
USD $0 Free, $35 Solo, $59 Starter, $119 Professional. Enterprise +$15/seat above 10.
Does the painting software work in feet and gallons?
Yes — ft², gallons, ft²/gal, ft²/hr. Stored metric, converted at display layer.