Mural painting: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering mural painting

Mural work sells on the design and the trust that the sketch will come out right on the wall. Win the job by approving the sketch at scale, showing a test panel and naming the sealer and the cure time up front.

What customers ask

  • Can you paint my design exactly as I sketched it?
  • How long will the mural take, and how many rounds of sketches are included?
  • Will the colors fade, and how do you protect the mural from sun and wear?
  • What do you do about outlets and switches in the design?
  • Can you paint on a wall that is textured or in a wet area?

How to win the job

  • Visit the wall on the first call with the customer, measure its size and check the surface, and note any outlets, switches or cracks in the photos.
  • Draft the design to scale and show it on a photo of the wall, so the customer sees the mural in the room before it is painted.
  • Paint a test panel of the key colors and the sealer on a board or a small section, and show the customer the color under the room light.
  • Name the sealer type, its sheen and its rated use in the quote, along with the number of sketch rounds and the approval step.
  • Quote the lift or scaffold as its own line, so the customer sees the access work without it being mixed into the artist's time.
  • Plan the schedule around the cure time and the sealer dry time, and state when the room can be used again.
  • Keep a photo record of the wall and each stage of the mural, and share it with the customer as the work goes on.

What to put on your profile

  • Before and after photos of murals on walls of different sizes and surfaces
  • Photos of the sketch and the scaled design alongside the finished wall
  • Photos of the test panel and the color check under the room light
  • A list of the surface types you have painted, such as drywall, brick and exterior block

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • A care sheet for cleaning the sealed mural and for touching up any scuffs
  • A check visit after the first few months to look at the sealer and any fading near windows
  • A quote for a second wall or a matching piece in the same room, offered only if the customer asks

Licenses and permits

Mural painting commonly does not need a license, but outdoor murals and work on commercial buildings may need a permit or approval. Confirm your business registration and insurance in your state and locality, and check the local rules for any exterior or public wall.

Questions

Should I warranty the mural?

Warranty the workmanship and the sealer as the manufacturer states. Do not promise that the paint will never fade, because sun exposure and wear are outside your control.

How do I price a design I did not draw?

Price the drafting separately from the painting. Ask for the sketch, the wall size and the detail level, and quote the number of review rounds so the customer knows the limits.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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