Painting As Part Of Your Estimate

Mike Finley

How many guys doing remodeling include painting in the scope of work. A lot of times it has been easy to just allow some homeowners to do the painting and I spec out the details as leave in paint ready condition for them. On the next few jobs I have included painting in the finished price. Mainly because the projects are nice enough that I will want pictures of them and when leaving the paintng to the homeowner I often can't get finished pictures because I just never get back around to going back to take them, of the homeowner destroys the place with their painting.

Melissa

My husband never wants to include paint in the price, but I don't understand why, we have a good guy that he uses, so I say price it out for paint, then tack on a percentage, and make money on it. So, he has started doing that just recently.

ProWallGuy

Mike, I say seek out a top-notch high-end residential painter, and form a good relationship with him. I work with a couple GC's that do good work, not Git-R-Dun type guys. They know they pay more with me, but I make their finish work shine.

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jensenconstruction

We include painting in all of our remodel bids unless the HO asks otherwise. We have inhouse painters so its natural for us but if we didnt I think we would still include it and sub it out to a qualified painter that way we'd still make a little something on it.

realpurty2

It's included (using allowances for customer selected choice of color) unless the H.O specifies otherwise.

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maj

Mike, I thought you advocated the "total package" method of contracting? Seems I remember you distinctly saying that more than once. I would think a man in your world would not go to all the trouble of doing a job to his high standards, then leave the final finish up to the homeowner???

What gives, Mike??

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ProWallGuy

Yeah, I think you guys who do remodeling would be freaked out to let go of the final portion. The painting is what finishes your product. To do all that work, and have some HO or jackleg come in and paint it would bother me to no end.

I have been contracted to just remove wallpaper, and prep the walls for paint. They then hire their 'regular' painter to finish it, or do it themselves. I never put these jobs in my referral list, as I have no idea how they look after I leave. But then again I'm a perfectionist freak, as most paperhangers are.

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maj

I've been back to jobs I was so proud of, Really patted myself on the back, only to see that the ho & "friends" had a painting party over the weekend!!!! Paint all over the woodwork, cut-ins were awful..... well, you get the point..

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ProWallGuy

Yeah, that is my point exactly.

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AtlanticWBConst

AGREED.
Seen some of our nicest work....butchered by bad painting work. Have also seen some of our work stand out, because of great, professional painting.
We don't include painting in our original proposal as most homeowners want to paint it themselves. We do include it on the proposal - as an offer for addional work - if they are interested.

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Mike Finley

I know what the answer to your question is, and bet most everybody else here does too, but since it has you puzzled I would sure like to hear your answer to it.

I'm all ears...

maj

I just found this post surprising coming from you. From what I have learned about you & your business, this strikes me as unusual that you would allow ho's to do the final painting on your projects.

No, I am not starting another round in the ring here, , It just seems a little against your business practices to allow ho's to do this aspect of the project. It sounds like you usually keep a good handle on your jobs, and now we find out you have been lettting the ho's "destroy the place with their painting."

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Gordo

I will always ask the HO if they want to us to include the painting or do they want to do it. Usually they say can you break it down both ways. I will and the HO is like "$750 to paint a bathroom?"

The HO does not realize all the walls need to be stripped of wallpaper,sanded, primed,sanded again, and two finish coats (alot of work). They think all you need is a paint brush and a gallon a of Behr.

Most good painters will not waste their time with these small jobs and rightfully so. Thus we end up doing them if HO gets past sticker shock or they(HO) end up hacking the job.

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Mike Finley

Maj - like most people in business I take on a mixture of projects, some fit perfectly with my ideal project some deviate to varying percentages from that ideal.

It's pretty much the same thing as when you take a crap and you wipe your ass, you're always shooting for that ultimate 100% perfect ass wiping, even though statistically there are going to be times when you won't hit that ideal you still start every crap with that goal in mind.

maj

Never really looked at it that way, Mike....

So some projects end up like an ass rash in the heat of the day!!???

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Melissa

OMG I don't think I even want to chime in after that!

But I think it comes down to painting is a PITA! Few people like to do it. And like pointed out above HO's don't want to pay what we want to do it.

Gordo

That is not right.

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maj

Boy, did we get

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IHI

Back to topic before we get locked

I address it the same as Gordo, I will ask about painting and they will rebut with can you price it both ways. I'll tell them straight away it will be a minimum $650 for material and labor to have a typical bathroom painted after we're done remodeling and I've yet to have one customer have us paint since they look at it as $20 worth of paint and a few hours of work, we'll do it ourselves...and that's fine with me since I've had pickey folks in the past with trying to color match stain of new millwork to old faded existing millwork...I hate da paint and it dont break my hear to not get it.

Should i ever get a customer that can afford what I'd call a kick azz promotion worthy project then I'd see to it the project was 110% complete before leaving, but these cut and dry run of the mill remodels/projects I could care less what they do to hack it up after I'm done with agreed contracted work so long as I get's paid

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realpurty2

whistling Um..uh... well Mike, even in your distorted ways, you manage to make a valid point, not every job follows the perfect pattern. Remember that the next time we all end up in a debate.

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