How Paint Selection Affects Your Profit Margin (And What to Tell Your Clients)

The Math Most Contractors Get Wrong

A lot of painters default to the cheapest paint they can get away with. The logic seems sound: lower material cost = better margin. But it usually doesn't work out that way.

Here's why: cheap paint has lower hide, which means more coats. More coats means more labour, more time, more product. By the time you're done, you've spent more on materials and labour than if you'd used a better paint to begin with.

The Two-Coat Rule

A quality paint like Benjamin Moore Regal Select or Aura will cover most repaints in two coats. A budget paint often needs three. On a typical room, that extra coat adds 30–40 minutes of labour. Multiply that across a full house and you've eaten your margin.

The math is simple: if a better paint saves you one coat per room and you're painting five rooms, that's two to three hours of labour recovered. The premium on the paint is usually less than that labour cost.

How to Spec Paint for Clients

We recommend presenting three options: good, better, best. This does two things: it gives clients a choice (people like choice), and it anchors the conversation away from price and toward value.

Good: ben® Interior

Solid performance, good coverage, easy to apply. Appropriate for rental properties, low-traffic spaces, or budget-conscious clients who understand the trade-off.

Better: Regal Select

Professional-grade. Excellent coverage, consistent batch-to-batch, great levelling. This is what most contractors spec for standard residential work. Clients get a noticeably better finish.

Best: Aura

Benjamin Moore's flagship. One-coat coverage on most repaints, exceptional washability, Colour Lock technology for deep colours. This is what you spec for high-end clients, dramatic colour changes, or kitchens and bathrooms where durability matters.

The Client Conversation

Most clients don't know the difference between paint grades. Your job is to explain it simply:

"I use Benjamin Moore products — they're the best I've found for consistent results. I can spec three options depending on your budget and how long you want this to last. The better the paint, the fewer coats, the better the finish, and the longer before you need to repaint."

That's it. You're not upselling — you're educating. Clients who understand the value will choose up. Clients who don't will choose the entry level, and that's fine too.

Contractor Pricing at Salmon Arm Paint Center

We offer contractor pricing on the full Benjamin Moore line. If you're doing consistent volume, talk to us about our loyalty program. We also do project estimates — bring us your square footage and we'll tell you exactly what you need and what it'll cost.

We're open weekdays from 7am, which means you can pick up product before most job sites start. Call ahead if you need a large order ready: 250-833-1410.