Painting Business Start-up Questions

Originally Posted by gallerytungsten

Since you admit you don't have painting experience, why don't you get a job as a painter, and work at it for a year or two. Pay close attention to what the owners and managers of the company do, how they estimate, how they do takeoff. Since you're "good with numbers" you should start making spreadsheets for all the jobs; figure out all the materials and supplies costs, and determine the profit. Don't forget to find out all the overhead costs too, so you can determine, or at least estimate, the total cash flow and profitability of the company.

After you do that for at least a year, you'll probably know enough to start up your own painting business and maybe even succeed.

Originally Posted by ChainsawCharlie

If the painting thing don't work out for you, you could always go to home depot, buy a lawnmower and become a landscape contractor.

Originally Posted by WisePainter

Seems like I had to fight my way to the top. Nobody let me see their numbers, or were willing to create competition by teaching me the ropes.
It is a long fight and if you are unlucky enough you will become an owner/operator painter.

Originally Posted by gallerytungsten

Hey, I didn't tell him it was going to be easy, did I? Hey, he's "good with numbers," so he'll find a way to extract, extrapolate, and exit when the time is right. Right?

Originally Posted by gallerytungsten

Since you admit you don't have painting experience, why don't you get a job as a painter, and work at it for a year or two. Pay close attention to what the owners and managers of the company do, how they estimate, how they do takeoff. Since you're "good with numbers" you should start making spreadsheets for all the jobs; figure out all the materials and supplies costs, and determine the profit. Don't forget to find out all the overhead costs too, so you can determine, or at least estimate, the total cash flow and profitability of the company.

After you do that for at least a year, you'll probably know enough to start up your own painting business and maybe even succeed.

Originally Posted by oneelwayfan_com

I found this site as I was looking for information on starting up. Here's my story and questions:

I don't have very much experience in painting, but am fairly good in the business sense. My Dad, who has no business sense, is a great painter. Here's my business idea. And my questions are at the bottom.

I have a '98 Jeep Cherokee Laredo, and will have the money to start up early this summer. Until then, I'm wanting to learn all I can about starting my business, learning what equipment I absolutely need to begin, and all the painting books, magazines, websites, experts help, that I can get. My Dad will help me learn about all the painting aspects of it as well.

I'm checking out every business website I can find to help me get ready. SBA, TN.gov, etc. I know it's going to be hard to jump in headfirst into something I'm not an expert in, but I'm 25, do not have a college degree yet, and had nothing but dead-end jobs up until now, so I'm wanting to make something of myself with a lot of hard work and dedication.

I'm going to do this myself, and hopefully my Dad's help every now and then, as a consultant maybe. I have my wifes support, which is all I need right now, and I'm not expecting to 'get rich quick', or making a killing early on.

I'm just hoping to make this a labor of love, a business I can continue on for years to come, and something I will enjoy doing, especially since I won't have a boss (except for my wife).

1. What equipment is absolutely necessary to start up for a one-man operation?

2. Without a line of credit, where would be the cheapest, but good quality, supplies? eBay, Paint Supply stores, or Home Depot/Lowes?

3. What books, magazines, articles, or websites, besides this and Painttalk.com should I get or visit to help me learn?

I'm sure I'll have more questions later, but for right now, since it's midnight, that's all I can think of.

Lastly, I respect anyone who works hard for a living, I respect each and every one of you. Electiricians, plumbers, construction workers, painters, etc., everyone of you.

I hope I can get as much help as previous posters with similar ideas. I thank you in advance.

Originally Posted by Frankawitz

I have been painting and doing plaster work coming up on 30 years now, When I started out I worked for a guy who had 48 years in the painting trade. I worked for him for 2 years and if you don't start out as someone who knows how to paint, and don't give me this crap "ANYONE can paint!" "Cause it aint nothing to paint a house!"
that's why painters today are refered to as "Blow and Go" cause there aint nothing to painting Heres a question your on a job site and the paint store is a 30 minute round trip and you have a stain in a ceiling, you have no Kilz, but in your truck you have some primer, paint, turps, denatured alcohol, what could you use to seal the stain, and still be able to paint and know the stain wouldn't bleed back through your finish paint? or do you jump in the truck and go to the paint store? and lose a hour or more of working time!
Then as for painting and theres nothing to it, I can get my dogs to paint too, all I have to do is dip there tails in the paint, back them up to a wall and make 'em happy, they'll paint their azzes off as long as I keep paint on their tails Yeah thats how I look at "ANYONE can Paint!"
I would say you should get at least 2 years of the following production painting, apartment painting, insurance work painting fire jobs, water damage and water stains how to seal or know when to remove and repair the plaster or drywall. I'm 52 and I still can out paint guys who are half my age, interior or exterior work. but like my old man use to tell as a kid "Practice, Practice, Practice!" that's the only way you'll learn painting is by doing every day. when I started we only use Oil base paints no latex at all. big difference
Good luck

Originally Posted by Toronto

So Frankawitz how would you handle that problem? Re. water stain on ceiling?