[pauls painting]

well my boss ticked me off so i decided to go on my own! i have been painting for 20 or so years so i know the ins and outs of the trade. should have liscense this week and insurance ,what else should do i need? i have most of my own equipment sprayer ,ladders ,dropp,ect. i was doing alot of side work at night and on weekends, it just happened that someone i gave a bid to also called my boss for a bid when he didnt get the job he drove by and saw my truck there and knocked on door the home owner let him in and then he started going off on me for taking his work,told me if i didnt walk off job that iwas fired ,well i didnt leave but took him outside so the home owner wouldnt have to hear him, i told him if i was getting more hours iwouldnt have to do side work plus more $. he was only working me 25 -30 hrs week after 11 years working for him.

 

[donb1959]

well my boss ticked me off so i decided to go on my own! i have been painting for 20 or so years so i know the ins and outs of the trade. should have liscense this week and insurance ,what else should do i need? i have most of my own equipment sprayer ,ladders ,dropp,ect. i was doing alot of side work at night and on weekends, it just happened that someone i gave a bid to also called my boss for a bid when he didnt get the job he drove by and saw my truck there and knocked on door the home owner let him in and then he started going off on me for taking his work,told me if i didnt walk off job that iwas fired ,well i didnt leave but took him outside so the home owner wouldnt have to hear him, i told him if i was getting more hours iwouldnt have to do side work plus more $. he was only working me 25 -30 hrs week after 11 years working for him.

I am a new start up as well. I too have been painting for over 20 years. I needed General Liability, and I set up as an LLC, and a business checking account. Also what I considered essential, others may disagree: I had hats, and tees screen printed with all my info on them, as well as magnetic signs and yard signs.

The reason I consider those items essential is there's a ton of contractors in this area. I needed to stand out...the uniforms do that. Heck, around here if you shave, don't wear a Budweiser tee, and have a truck/van that isn't falling apart your already ahead of the game.

Image/professionalism is everything. Other start up cost were 2500 doorhangers, pressure washer, newspaper ad,flyers,business cards ladders, etc....

 

[pauls painting]

:Thumbs: like i said i have most of my equipment as i did alot of side work to make ends meet as i havent been working much for my boss so i started buying tools a few years ago. i just checked on advertising in local paper that comes out 3x a week 80 bucks a week does that sound high?? i had fliers made last week now to just start passing them out. i have had my own bussiness cards for awhile now. my insurance guy is working me up a quote while i type this .how much ins. should i cary?

 

[Grumpy]

Hi Paul.

I want you to know that if youa re the worlds best painter you might not be the worlds best painting contractor.

 

[pauls painting]

i dont consider myself the worlds best painter bcause thier is always someone better.or so they think!? i have done enough side work that there is not much to do besides advertising ins liscense ect to go legit

 

[ProWallGuy]

Welcome from St. Louis, MO.

 

[pauls painting]

prowallguy where are you at in st.louis? i start on a ihop remodel next month in des peres (sp) on manchester rd.

 

[Paz]

If you dont mind me asking, what was your boss paying you. A guy with 20 years experience and his own vehicle and kit would be very well paid here.

 

[pauls painting]

i just got a raise to 18 2 weeks before this happened ,my old boss was atight wad . a buuddy of mine works for another co. and he got 1.50 raise and aweeks pay at x mas , he has only been there 3 months. as you can tell i am non union

 

[jiriki87]

Carry as much insurance as you can affoard and then some more. Carry atlest 1 million with a 1 million dollar umbrela aswell. Shouldn't cost more then 2,000 dollars per year.

FYI- I pay my guys 18 dollars per hour + bonus's and free cell phone. Pay them higher then other contractors are paying there labor. Why?, b/c then you will not have to do what you ended up doing!!!

 

[donb1959]

:Thumbs: like i said i have most of my equipment as i did alot of side work to make ends meet as i havent been working much for my boss so i started buying tools a few years ago. i just checked on advertising in local paper that comes out 3x a week 80 bucks a week does that sound high?? i had fliers made last week now to just start passing them out. i have had my own bussiness cards for awhile now. my insurance guy is working me up a quote while i type this .how much ins. should i cary?

I know know what the circulation is on a paper, here the circulation is 600K weekly, for $140 monthly I get a card size ad in the business directory, seven line and a logo. I carry $2mil 1mil per occurance, 1mil aggregate. My premium is 1k yrly with Nationwide.

i just got a raise to 18 2 weeks before this happened ,my old boss was atight wad . a buuddy of mine works for another co. and he got 1.50 raise and aweeks pay at x mas , he has only been there 3 months. as you can tell i am non union

Here the average top wage for a first class painter with transport is 10 bucks per hour....that's why these contractors here draw the kind of help they do.