Quality Painting
 

Hi everybody, I put a post on here last week about how I was loosing my job. I freaked out at the thought of this. I think I am going to start my own business. I am starting a painting business called Quality painting. I love doing this type of work and I think I am really good at it. I had a few contractors come to my house this week and look at the work I do. They said I did great work and they would call me when they need a sub-contractor. I am going to do interior, exterior painting and wall-papering. The other thing I wanted to let everyone know is how much CHEAPER I am than most painting contractors. I was shocked at how much they charged. If you need a free estimate give me a call.

Eric Walker
812-236-7747

Re: Quality Painting
 

I hate to be negative, but you might think a little longer about this. The architectural painting market has been down for over two years now. I sell paint as my day job, and we see professional painting companies shutting down or at the very least having their worst years in almost 40 years.

Good luck to you. Scratch & claw. Painters are a dime a dozen, good painters are not!

One more thing you might look at. I am looking at our list of accounts. There are 59 "Quality Painting" accounts active in our system. I never can decided if that's good or bad!

Again, good luck.

Re: Quality Painting
 

thanks for the insight. I do know there alot of painters thats why I am planning on being the cheapest. I will definately look into a different name though. I have some friends who well paint for Sherwin Williams. I had looked into doing that.

Thanks Joe

Re: Quality Painting
 

I am sure you are going to do a great job, but just being the cheapest doesn't guarentee clients and your profit margin will take hits when a homeowner does a close inspection after you left and decides that a perfectly good job isn't "exactly what they wanted". "Could you just comeback and touch up a few things" which you will do because you believe in customer service and word of mouth.

Plus you have material(paint,brushes,clothes,tape and drop cloths) gas,insurance, advertising and probably a bond. I am not saying don't follow your dream, but cheap isn't always cheap for you and could really cost you. Also, if you cannot make money on a job, don't do it. Doing it and losing money is worse than not doing it.

The problem with dealing with people who just want cheap sometimes is that they don't have the money in the first place and may write you a hot check. They figure you are desperate enough to do it and that you probably don't have the funds needed to go after them.

I wish you all of the best and hopefully you will achieve much more than even you expected, but watch yourself and always treat it as a business. Friends and family are great, but sometimes things happen in those situations where you wish you can turn back the clock, but we never can.

Re: Quality Painting
 

The only advice I have is do the job as you would do it for yourself.I ran a detail shop for my dad for a while and am still in the detail business for 14 years now.I still do every car like I do my own and it has worked out well.I have people call me at home to do there cars on the side now.Dont know much dont know much about painting but crunch your numbers on supplies paint and labor.And always ask yourself if you dony have time to do it right the first time how are you going to find time to do it right the second.Good luck in your adventure.I hope you succeed.

Re: Quality Painting
 

It would probably be a good idea to create a feasibility study to give you a broad idea if it would be possible to make a living doing what you want to do. And if you get real ambitious then a business plan would be smart to help you look at every aspect of the business. This will help you be much more prepared going into it and also raise your chances to succeed. You can google both of those to help out. If you need any help at all feel free to pm me.

Re: Quality Painting
 

Its a no brainer... If you don't have a job and you know how to paint, then why not sell your service. You gotta survive. Do NOT over think it.

Get everything in writing and dont skimp on the products you use.

Re: Quality Painting
 

Originally Posted by Boston41:
Its a no brainer... If you don't have a job and you know how to paint, then why not sell your service. You gotta survive. Do NOT over think it.

Get everything in writing and dont skimp on the products you use.

That is a great point as well. More things have been done by doing than by thinking about doing. I just don't want to see him sell himself short, but he does know his situation better than all of us combined.

Re: Quality Painting
 

Originally Posted by LEADERS EDGE:
That is a great point as well. More things have been done by doing than by thinking about doing. I just don't want to see him sell himself short, but he does know his situation better than all of us combined.

Yes he does.But you cant jump in with both feet in todays economy without knowing what exactly you are going to do.Not saying he doesnt,I would just rather see one more person suceed than ten more fail.:thumb

Re: Quality Painting
 

Originally Posted by micro94:
Yes he does.But you cant jump in with both feet in todays economy without knowing what exactly you are going to do.Not saying he doesnt,I would just rather see one more person suceed than ten more fail.:thumb

Yah, because taking a toe in the water approach in this economy is smart. If you have to work, get after it.

Re: Quality Painting
 

Someone once told me that it is safer to try and walk on water by getting a running head start than trying to wade above it. Their point was that you have a good chance of failing either way, but at least by running you have a tiny chance of making it.

Of course that guy was an absolute idiot.

Re: Quality Painting
 

Originally Posted by LEADERS EDGE:
Someone once told me that it is safer to try and walk on water by getting a running head start than trying to wade above it. Their point was that you have a good chance of failing either way, but at least by running you have a tiny chance of making it.

Of course that guy was an absolute idiot.

Kinda like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhsxo7vY8ac
:eek:

Re: Quality Painting
 

Originally Posted by Sprint39:
Hi everybody, I put a post on here last week about how I was loosing my job. I freaked out at the thought of this. I think I am going to start my own business. I am starting a painting business called Quality painting. I love doing this type of work and I think I am really good at it. I had a few contractors come to my house this week and look at the work I do. They said I did great work and they would call me when they need a sub-contractor. I am going to do interior, exterior painting and wall-papering. The other thing I wanted to let everyone know is how much CHEAPER I am than most painting contractors. I was shocked at how much they charged. If you need a free estimate give me a call.

Eric Walker
812-236-7747

Eric, here's my thoughts, and I've been thru your situation. I was "terminated" from a large Diesel Engine Company, due to the economy, in 1985. I had a a side job, at home, that sustained me for about a year, as a mechanic, then that "business" out grew my home shop, so I went looking for more space, found a building that was pretty run down, but the location was decent, found a banker who was willing to take a chance on me, and we bought the building, and set about fixing it up, and working at the same time. I can tell you this, you don't want to be the "cheapest" in town, you'll be covered up, in my case, it was everyone's broken down lawn mower, that they wouldn't pay for, after I got it fixed. Lesson one. We eventually got our prices up to standard, got our good name around, and after a couple years, managed to be able to get our heads above water, and succeeded. In you case, I watched a similar situation, a young man had lost his job, got started in the painting business, but he approached it from a different angle, he got hooked up with several of the local banks, most of them have houses, or buildings, that they aquire thru their trust departments, and these need to be kept up, so you've got a first rate client, and you know they have the money to pay. They will keep you busy, and it'll be a continuas supply of "good" work. Good luck, but don't under sell yourself! Bob