Automated Wall Painting Estimates from Just a Photo? Yes, Please.

I’ve been working on a small tool that lets you estimate the cost of painting a wall just by uploading a picture. (Built to help my wife’s painting company quote jobs faster)

By selecting the corners of the wall in an image—and using a known-size object like a power outlet as a reference—we can calculate real-world dimensions and instantly generate a detailed quote.

Sample Estimate

• Estimated Area: 7.14 m²

• Paint (@ $4.50/m²): $32.11

• Labor (@ $3.00/m²): $21.41

• Materials: $12.50

• Transport: $10.00

• Subtotal: $76.02

• Taxes: $9.88

• Total: $85.91

This is just an early version, but it’s already showing huge potential for small businesses to quote quickly, clearly, and consistently, saving time and improving professionalism.

Technologies Used

• Python
• OpenCV (cv2), for image loading, display, and interactive point selection.
• NumPy, for array manipulation, vector math, and area calculation.
• Jupyter Notebook,  used for prototyping and running the interactive session.

Next Steps

• Build a standalone GUI or web app (FastAPI + React)
• Add automatic reference detection (e.g., outlet detection)
• Allow PDF/CSV export of estimates
• Support batch estimates from multiple images

Always learning…Always building.