Changing My Way Of Work / Any Pointers?

KellyPainting

I've come to the conclusion that I won't be able to go back to work 100% for a while...so with work still coming in, I'm changing my operation from ME doing all the work w/ a few helpers to hireing a crew and putting people on different jobs ( supervised by ME of course). It's a big step.. My customers still expect ME to show up and do the (quality) work they have become a custom to. Going to run an add " Painters wanted - Above average need only aply. Kinda scared about payroll and keeping everyone busy and producing.... and don't know how much income will be left for me
to live on... but works pileing up so I got to make this jump and fast.. by next week got to have 2 to 3 jobs going.
Alot of you run this type of operation already.. remember when you took the leap? Anything you would do different? Any pointers or suggestions would be more than helpfull... Thanx

Exroadog

No pointers. But, I always check craigslist in Boston for specialized painting (woodgraining/marblizing ect.) and notice that in Boston they ask for painters with 5 years experience minimum, great skills, courteous, and they will pay them $9-12 an hour.?????? Get real. I think if you want it to work to your benefit, hire the best and "take care" of them. Good luck.

__________________
www.decoartisans.com
http://dpap.org
http://paintedfx.com

George Z

After you hire good people, let them do their thing and treat them like gold.
You can know exactly what is left for you by paying your crew fixed compensation.
This injury maybe the best thing for your business.
Just remember: there are thousands of well painted buildings
and homes out there and you didn't paint them.

__________________
Toronto Painters Commercial Painting Commercial Painting Toronto Toronto Office Painters
Painting Toronto Blog

Dave Mac

Kelly do you have at least one guy that you can trust? the thing i did when i went from painting to not painting at all, was actually worked with one guy in the field for about a year, and realized he could handle things. and have been building around him.

If you dont have a guy, you may want to think about subbing out, I always know the big companys in town that have good reputation, and when ever i see their subs at work, i talk to them find out how long they have been around and if they would be interestead in subbing from me, i can as many telephone numbers as possible.

good luck,

Teetorbilt

Welcome to business 101! You have always thought that you were the only one that could produce quality. Now you get to learn differently AND how to run a business with employees. A different world. Once you are used to the different perspectives, this may be the best thing that ever happened to you. Letting go is the most difficult step. Now you have no alternative. Watch and learn.

__________________
You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

KellyPainting

thanx guys .... keep the comments comming

realpurty2

Don't know if you saw my recent post on a similar subject or not.. best advice I can offer is not to let desperation guide your decisisions. We normally work with employees divided into to crews, but got bottlenecked on a couple of jobs so in a panic, I hired two new guys. They worked with a foreman the first day and on day 2, like an idiot, I trusted them to work alone on a simple easy job that should have taken them a few hours at best. It was mayhem. 8hrs of payroll wasted, replacement materials for what they ruined, and still bottlenecked trying to get the job completed.

Every crew must have a trusted and well trained foreman on site at all times when working unless they have been with you long enough to know they will work correctly and represent your company as you would in your absence. It's still a leap of faith even with supervision, but one that is well worth it when you get the right group of guys. I screwed up sending out the two new ones too quickly and definately learned an expensive lesson in the process.

Talk to your clients, explain your injury and that you will make sure their job is taken care of at the same level of quality as they have come to expect from you. I highly doubt anyone will be upset that your on-site but without a tool in hand. Wish you well on your recovery.

__________________
Woman in a Man's World.

KellyPainting

Thanx, I hired a new lead guy today... he's starting next week and will be on a trial basis (to prove himself) for the next 2-3 weeks. He'll be supervising a carpenter/painter and a high school kid (gofer) He will be watched and trained by me every hour of the day. I started him off @ $12.50 (take home)w/ a promice of $15.00 if he works out.In 2 weeks or so I'll send him to finish a job on his own. If everything goes alright .. He'll be my new forman.

Teetorbilt

$12.50 in MA? That's barely beer money there, here too. Where do you live? Roxbury?

__________________
You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

KellyPainting

No beer.... just work.

I worked in R.I & Conn. for years always started at $100 per.day. (U.T.)

Dave Mac

TTHATS WHat i was thinking, thats not to much, and would not attract good people, im thinking

KellyPainting

I need a quality person... someone I can trust.. I'll pay that much for someone who produces or can be taught to produce MY quality of work.

George Z

No one will produce your exact quality of work. Sometimes close will do.
Also keep in mind that the owners production rates are different than the workers

__________________
Toronto Painters Commercial Painting Commercial Painting Toronto Toronto Office Painters
Painting Toronto Blog

KellyPainting

Ya, I know ... thats what scares me.

slickshift

Write up an employee manual ASAP
Not having one will bite you in the butt eventually

__________________
Signature Quote

Quote:

Originally Posted by ModernStyle I have never used this crap before and I pray to the paint gods that I never have to use it again, I would rather use Behr

Downeast

Thats bizzare that you hired a guy to be a foreman for 12.50 hr.And to supervise someone you describe as a carpenter/painter.


As you know and many others realize on this thread the cost of living in mass is one of the highest in the country.Good luck,but for 12.50hr with a lick and a promise to 15.00 I can't believe you have a top notch guy there.Maybe he is ,but he sure is under cutting himself.Is he on a 1099 to boot ?


What would you other guy's on this thread pay a foreman that you were to trust and get super quality work from,or just good painters in general?

Not getting down on ya Kelly, sorry if it sounds that way.Really more power to ya, if it works out.

amcline

i do (sub out) work for a painter i started with about 5 yrs back. anf here in FL i wouldnt touch anything for less then 15 per hour thats if he is there and "running" the job, if i have to deal with materials, timing, anything more than just painting is 25per hr min up to flat price per job,
no ive learned that the price i give him for labor only is doubled per job. so 50% me to do and deal with all. 25% materials and 25% profit for him just to get the job call me and play gofer between me and the customer. i pick up materials and supply smaller stuff usually. that should give you an idea about what to charge/pay if you can make 25% of each job that you only do mind/mouthwork on then IMO you have it good.
granted i dont do ALL this guys work but a large percentage of the large jobs.(over 1000.dollar jobs my price)
but now that i am better set up to do everythng myself im looking to make the jump to contract only jobs and no more cutting my profits,
so dont let your guys know what your making on them exactly or they may not stay around,
if i had known 5 yrs ago i would be here i would have got legal then and went on my own. and this guy would have been stuck with BS 10per hour guys and him on job all day.

KellyPainting

You have to understand that.. #1 I haven't even met him yet... he's on a trial basis for 12.50 then a raise after 2 weeks... he's moving into town from a ways away and I know nothing about him other than what he says.
Hen says he 's got 6 yrs experience, which probably means 4 and he's only done one house on his own... he doesn't have much spray experience or even none at all. So I will have to train him for a good month or two just to get him to where he can be left alone.... As I see it, I guess I'm taking all the risk. if he becomes what I'm hopeing for then his hourly rate will increase... untill then I could just be throwing money away.

amcline

hey what ever happened to this ? did the guy work out, how did your pay setup work out?

PlainPainter

I am a painter in Mass - and I can attest to the low wages. I have been losing contracts left and right - you'd think that the most expensive state to live in - that nobody would show up to work for a penny less than $23/hr. You thought wrong - people here are taking advantage of illegal labor like it's going out of style. I got yelled at by a guy looking for work - I told hime it was $11/hr over the table. He shrieked - and I told him there was nothing I could do - if he wanted me to procure work at the prices people are biting - that's how cheap he would have to work for. He was mad at me, like it was my fault. Regardless, I haven't been estimating for a while - I just can't bring myself to work for so cheap with people that have money.