I have always found that reputable shops price it out (for estimates) by the foot.
If you are concerned about budget, they will sometimes ask you for "distance"... like, ten foot, five foot, or ($$$) one foot. That's the offhand way of describing how far back you need to stand to look at it.
One part paint applications will cost less. Two part LPU costs more. The best LPU products cost even more. Adding a clear coat adds to the total.
A current Awlgrip paint system can use two color coats and 2 or 3 clear coats, which is then buffed out. Proprietary primers are required as well. Great system IF you planning on keeping your boat for another 10+ years of enjoyment.
It's kind of a long scale of durability and looks vs cost.... as you probably know.
Just do not go too cheap - I personally know guys that got a semi-shiny looking LPU finish done by an "intinerant truck painter" and in just a few years it turned dull and dingy.
All that said, I have seen a reasonably good paint job done by amateurs using the "roll and tip" technique and they saved a lot of money by DIY. And when you have a boat with gel coat that is worn away by UV in many places, almost any paint will be a major upgrade.
Good Luck!
Edit: I do not regularly disclose the cost of our "high end" paint job. That's because it was rolled into a complete re-fit, rig, deck, and hull. I could wade thru the labor and parts pages and do some tallying, but I have no regrets and the work was within estimates and some increases came after I was informed and then approved of them. ( Dealing with an honest ship wright was one of he best parts of the project. )
And then, revisiting major expenses to boat, home, or sometimes vehicles --- is not always helpful or sane. As one might put it. As Jimmy
Buffet once wrote about surviving a hurricane: "Breathe in, Breathe out, Move on".
![Cool :cool: :cool:](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Yes, I know, not the same sort of thing, but a useful mantra anyway.
Note B: when you got an estimate for painting the whole boat, did that include the deck also? Who strips off all the hardware? Epoxy fills, re-drills, and then reattaches all the hardware? We did almost
all the epoxy and hardware work on our boat, for instance, and saved a lot of money.