So you have scheduled a time for a painting professional to come out and quote your paining needs.  What do you need to do to prepare for this quote?  It can be summed up into three categories:  Surfaces, Color, Timeframe

Surfaces:
Specifically what do you want painted?  Think in advance what you want painted:  walls, ceilings, trim, doors, closets?  Each of these are specific items in a quote and adding or taking them away will change the price of the quote.  Generally if you say I want my bedroom painted, it is understood that you want the walls only of the room painted.  This may be all you need/want, but once the walls are painted and looking great you may notice that the unpainted areas are not as pristine as you thought.  Take a moment to check the trim for wear and/or dullness.  And you may want to ask the painter about their opinion on the ceiling brightness.  Adding trim and ceiling before the walls have been painted will give you a package pricing and allow the painter to work more efficiently for a high quality finish.

Doors are another question and an item not included in a trim package unless specifically stated.  If you would like to brighten the doors and add new sheen (recommended) make sure to state this at the time of the quote.  Also think about which sides of the door you would like to paint?  You would usually want to paint the side of the door that is in the room being painted.

Closets are not included in the price of painting a room unless specifically stated.  If you want the closet painted make sure to indicate that at the time of the quote.

Color:
You will also want to let the painter know the general color you would like to paint the room.  The exact color is not necessary until closer towards the time of the job, but you will want to let the painter know your general thoughts on color; for example, light based gray, beige, deep or dark based color.  This will keep there from being surprises throughout the job.  Quotes are generally good for one color.  So if you are wanting different colors in different room or an accent wall, make sure to tell the painter.  This will slightly change the price of the quote because it requires more paint, more tools/supplies, and more set-up and clean-up.  None of these are a problem and sometimes a color changes really adds a nice detail.  Just make sure to state this in the beginning to receive an accurate quote.  These changes later are fine but change the terms of the job and will change the pricing some.

Timeframe:
Finally, make sure to tell the painter your ideas for a completion time-line.  When would you ideally like the job to be completed?  This may have to be negotiated given the current painting demand, but the painter will work hard to make your timeframe work!

Knowing these details will allow the estimate to be accurate and efficient.  Make sure to verify that the company is licensed and insured and ask them about the product lines they plan to use on your project.  With surfaces, color and timeframe in mind you are ready for your estimate!