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Painter & Decorator Edition

Job & Materials Tracking Built for Painters

Stop losing track of paint orders, rollers, and wallpaper rolls. Log materials, track jobs, scan merchant receipts with AI, and see your exact job profit instantly on site.

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Calculate Your Unclaimed Expenses

Painters often miss major deductions on leftover paint, masking tapes, sandpapers, caulk, and merchant trips. Check how much you can claim back.

Calculate Your Mileage Claims

Log mileage automatically in VanLog and claim write-offs at approved local tax rates.

Region:
Weekly Drive Distance150 miles
10 miles1000 miles
Estimated Tax Bracket20%
10% (Basic)50% (Higher)
Annual Claimable Expense Value£3,510
Real Estimated Tax Savings£702

Estimated cash saved based on writing off £0.45 per mile against your income.

Why Decorating Contractors Lose Margin on Site

Leftover paint and consumable prep materials make decorating costing complex. If you don't log your actual material usage on site, your margin slips away:

  • 1.
    Unbilled Paint remnants & Tinting ChargesBuying specialty tinted paint in bulk often results in leftover tins. If you don't allocate the correct materials portion to the job, or fail to charge the client for the full tin ordered, you are absorbing the paint costs into your labor rate.
  • 2.
    Prep & Consumables ExpensesMasking tape, decorators' caulk, fillers, sanding pads, and lining paper add up to significant figures. Many painters ignore these small purchases, letting hundreds of pounds in claimable expenses slip through the cracks.
  • 3.
    Lost Merchant and Wholesaler ReceiptsPaper invoices from Brewers, Crown, or Dulux Decorator Centre get lost in the van or damaged. At tax time, your accountant can only write off what you have clear proof of. Lost receipts equal higher tax bills.

Features Purpose-Built for Painters

AI Invoice Scanning

Take a quick photo of your Brewers, Crown, or Dulux Decorator Centre invoice. Our AI scans the invoice, extracts every item (paint tins, rolls, prep gear), and links them directly to your job budget.

Smart Materials & Paint Library

Log paint tins, wallpapers, lining paper, and caulk easily. VanLog autocompletes past items and remembers pricing, making on-site tracking take less than 15 seconds.

Mileage Logging for Merchant Runs

Record your runs to local decorators centers or site surveys. VanLog automatically calculates your tax-deductible mileage value based on HMRC (45p/mile) or ATO (88c/km) approved rates.

Offline-Capable Interface

Works on remote sites, utility rooms, and new builds with zero cell reception. The app caches all materials and mileage inputs locally and syncs automatically when you're back in range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the AI scanner support Dulux and Crown invoices?

Yes. Our AI receipt scanner recognizes layouts and invoice terminology from major national decorators centers and independent paint merchants like Dulux Decorator Centre, Brewers, Crown, Farrow & Ball, and local merchants.

Can I track my color consultation preparation time?

Yes. You can record color consultations and preparation hours and allocate them under your labor or overhead logs to keep your job costing highly accurate.

How does VanLog handle paint remnants?

You can add paint tins to your job log and choose to allocate a percentage of the total cost to a specific job (e.g. 50% of a 5L emulsion tin to a bedroom project), or log it fully to a job and let VanLog track the rest as van stock.

Ready to stop losing profit on your painting jobs?

Join self-employed painters who use VanLog to track material costs, capture tax-deductible mileage, and manage their business efficiently.

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⚠️ Important: VanLog is a record-keeping tool. Verify all calculations with your local tax authority and consult an accountant before submitting tax returns. You are solely responsible for your tax compliance.