Painter's Estimating Program

Created by a painter, for painters

Getting Started

Set Up:

  1.  Download the free 7 day trial of PEP XP.
  2. Call a PEP associate to activate your program.
  3. Start with the "Company Settings" icon.  where you can customize your company's pricing structure
  4. In "Company Settings" go to "item rate" and customize your pricing for all substrates and categories.
  5. The "Multi-users" tab allows you to set-up for a network, should you need that option
  6. The "blueprint pen" tab is easy access to set up the digitizer pen.
  7. In order to install your own company logo, you must first complete the following steps to delete the PEP logo:
    1. On your main computer click on "Start"
    2. Click on "Programs"
    3. Click on "Accessories"
    4. Click on "Paint"
    5. Click on the "File" menu
    6. Select "Open"
    7. Click on "My Computer" on the left
    8. Double click on "Local Disk (C:)"
    9. Double click on "Program Files"
    10. Double click on "PEP Associates, LLC"
    11. Double click on "PEP XP"
    12. Double click on "Logos"
    13. Click on "Default Logo"
    14. Click on the "Open" button
    15. Click on the "Image" menu
    16. Select "Attributes"
    17. Change the Width Box to read 10
    18. Change the Height Box to read 10
    19. Click on the "OK" button
    20. Click on the "File" menu
    21. Select "Save"

That's it! Go view a contract in the PEP XP program. The logo should be gone!

Insert your company logo:

You must use a jpeg file and it must be named "DefaultLogo.jpg".  The image must be 300 pixels by 300 pixels in size.  The resolution must also be 300 x 300 dots per inch yielding an image 1 inch wide by 1 inch tall. 

  1. First you have to Copy and Paste your logo into our "logos" folder. 
  2. To save it in our "logos" folder go to "My Computer"
  3. Then, "Local Disk (C:)".
  4. Then "Documents and Settings"
  5. Then "All Users",
  6. Then "Application Data"
  7. Then "Pep Associates, LLC",
  8. Then "PEP XP",
  9. and finally "Logos". 
  10. Call the file "Defaultlogo.jpg".  When you are finished, go to the PEP XP program and look at your contract or proposal and your logo will be there.

Inserting supplemental logos:

If you would like to insert an additional logo of smaller size, it will show up on your paperwork underneath your main logo which you have inserted previously above. To do this follow these steps:

  1. Again, locate your "logos" folder by following the pathway described above.
  2. If your supplemental logo is square in shape then save the logo here, under the name  "SmallLogo1.jpg"
  3. If your supplemental logo is rectangular in shape then save it in the "logo" folder as  "SmallLogo2.jpg"

Starting an Estimate:

  1. Select "Customers" from your Customers screen.
  2. Go to the "Estimates" screen and select the customer.
  3. Locate the "Detail" tab.
    1. Select an "area"
    2. Select "items"
      • Price according to the application rate.
      • Continue to add areas and items as necessary for your estimate.
  4. Add pictures to each area by opening up your picture file.
  5. You may choose to bid your job however you wish.  You can choose to charge by the linear ft, square ft, cubic ft by the hour, or a fixed cost.
  6. Go to the "Cost" tab and enter in your material cost.
    • You may choose to adjust the overhead/profit margins or stay with the default settings.
    • You can view the estimate in the form of a "Proposal," an "Office Copy," or "Work Order" , to make sure the estimate is complete.
    • You can look at the Job Tracking screen and review the profitability of each estimate before you submit them to your client

Proposal:

  1. Choose to view your pictures along with the proposal.
  2. You may click on "Summary" and choose not to show the client individual pricing.
  3. You may choose to print your proposal, or you may email them as a PDF file quickly to your customers.

Work Order:

  1. Notice that every area has a "total hours", and every item has "individual hours".
  2. All work order notes are visible to the crew only.
  3. All other necessary square footage and colors are identified.
    • Your foreman and crew now know the expectations for the job, and can be held accountable for their progress and also the efficiency of the estimate itself.

Contract:

Once you've read over the estimate and are satisfied with the hours and details for the job bid you are ready to sign and complete the contract.

  • The contract comes in four easily modifiable forms: Interior Residential, Exterior Residential, Interior Commercial, and Exterior Commercial
  • Modify the contract to fit your company needs and profile
  • PEP allows you to capture a customer's signature on site with your mouse or stylus.

Job Tracking:

Once you've signed the contract, you have the ability to see your profitability prior to submitting (finishing) the job.

  • By tracking your jobs, you can check your estimating skills and increase your efficiency
  • View single jobs or all jobs and compare profitability in all of your work
  • Most screens have the ability to be view in PDF form

Invoices

PEP provides you with a simple and easy way to use invoices to send to your customers and ensure timely payment.

Please check out the Paint Estimating Blog for more information

Testimonial

"I was looking for an estimating program that was not too complicated and expensive. I do not have a lot of patience when it comes to computers. Even though we were 15% higher on a job over $127,000, because of the presentation and the details we provided, the other painter backed out and the job was awarded to us"  -Stanley Pawlowski "Boro Painting"