Samples

ModernStyle

How many of you guys carry samples ?
I am talking about something like a piece of rough cut cedar, weathered and old on one end, cheap paint in the middle, and your quality finish on the end.
I am also thinking of heading to the local Habitat for Humanity store and picking up a couple of used kitchen cabinet doors to do similar samples with. I have been getting alot of request to paint cabinets this year. People get nervous about it though because they always know someone who tells them that the paint will fall off, I want to show them that it wont.
Anybody do anything like this ? I would also like some ideas on other substrates that it would be good to create samples on.

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Mike(VA)

How about an old piece of brick mold or fascia? Peeling on one end, your work on the other. I carry decking samples but that's about it. Pictures, always carry pictures.

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I EXPECT THAT SOMEDAY I WILL SEE THE FRUITS OF MY LABOR. IS IT SOMEDAY YET?
Clifton, Great Falls, McLean, Fairfax Station, Manassas, Virginia Renovation Contractor

J F

If you've got the time, you could order a few doors or drawer fronts from a cabinet door co. and work up as many samples as you like. Might take some time for the weathered/bad job sample to show itself....as well as your "5 year old" great paint job....just a thought.

J F

I think most prospective customers would appreciate seeing real samples in person, as long as you can preserve the good quality ones, without too many dings and dents.

ModernStyle

I have pictures but when I do some cracked and weathered cedar and make it look like vinyl when I am done, the picture doesnt do it justice.
I think I will hit the Habitat store tomorrow and stock up on beat up building supplies that I can refinish. I have plenty of room in my basement to hang them, then select the ones required for each estimate and bring them along with me.
People see someones painted cabinets or something similar that looks bad and they get nervous about having theirs done, I want to be able to do more then just tell them that I can deliver a quality finish, I want to show them.

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J F

Hell, homedumpo or blowes may have some doors, don't recall. But you could put your finish on a few of them to give it a shot.

Dustyrose

Funny you should bring this up. I went shopping for a cabinet door not too long ago for the same reason.
I keep a sample refinished countertop in my car. Definitly helps sell a job.

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platinumLLC

Real life finished products always impress homeowners and will help sell. Around here alot of people are painting their cabinets also. On one of our jobs I bought an extra door from habitat restore and had my painter finish it along with the cabinets. I'll use it to show future customers options if they can't afford brand new cabinets. I bought about 8 doors, all I could find of decent quality for a doller a peice. Can't beat the price for a selling tool.

I also have a bunch of small roofs that certainteed that show proper venting and a proper roof system. Those really help sell jobs when the customer can see each peice of the roofing system and see how it does it's job instead of just reading a pamphlet.

Alot of people don't have the ability to see finished products in their head. Especially ones that aren't in the trades. So any kind of visual aid you can show them really helps them get a picture of what the finished job will look like. It also sets you apart from the hacks that show up with a pencil and peice of scrap paper for an estimate.

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