Home Business Information

Qualifications

You don't need a university degree to start a painting business. What you need is common sense, and the ability to learn quickly. You also need to be pleasant in dealing with customers, and prompt in carrying out work. Painters who accept a contract and don't turn up for work are unlikely to get a job in that neighborhood again.

Equipment

A used truck or van, a couple of ladders, some brushes, empty paint cans and drop cloths are what you need to start a business. If you don't have a van you can use folding ladders that can be pushed into the back of your car. Also, if you are starting with a very low budget then you can even rent this equipment for the first few jobs. Once you have made some money, and can afford to invest in fancy equipment then you can go in for gadgets like sir compressors or electrical paint rollers. This will make your work easier and faster.

How to Start

The best place to get work for a painting business is real estate companies or rental agencies. They have a lot of painting work waiting to be finished. Of course, these agencies are smart, and not the best paymasters. But that should not worry you. Your objective should be to procure work.

Payment Rates

Rental agencies have their own painting formulas. You can use them as a guide to work out your own painting business rates. These can be on per hour basis, on per room basis or on the basis of surface area that is to be painted. You should also take into consideration the condition of the surfaces to be painted. Will minor putty work be enough to surface the cracks or a large plastering work required? Is there any need to spray chlorine to remove mildew before painting? Does the surface need to be sanded or scraped? These should be added to your estimates.

It is good business to use the best quality paint, primer etc., and to let the customer know what you are doing. It is quite possible that the customer may have a small budget. This is especially true of rental agencies. They want a quick and cheap paint job to be done before showing the house to a customer. In this case, give the customer an estimate based on cheaper materials. Also, provide an extra 5 to 10 per cent in your estimates for modifications. This is especially necessary for private homes, where owners change their mind about colors after placing an order or insist on extra coats of paint.

Publicity

You may start with rental agencies or real estate companies. But you surely need to expand your painting business, and get contracts for painting private homes and commercial establishments. For this, you need to print handbills carrying your mobile number for distribution in your immediate neighborhood. You also need to get your name included in yellow pages for painting jobs. But the best way to grow your painting business is to earn good customer testimonials. Every house owner wants a good paint job done with the least amount of fuss. You can be sure that a satisfied customer will recommend your name to his friends. So, make it a policy to do every job well. You will soon have more jobs than you can handle.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:37 AM