Painters are very busy right now. So busy that they are turning down jobs. They raise their prices, regardless of what a painter is worth, until they reach the supply/demand equilibrium point meaning enough people are willing to pay their price to keep them busy. If someone doesn't think they are worth the price they ask, they are free to say no and the company doesn't care because someone else will say yes and they can only do so many jobs. Prices for most of these subcontractors have doubled in the last 3 years. Their costs certainly haven't.