Common Commercial Painting Mistakes –And How To Avoid Them

A new paint job for your business is an exciting project for everyone involved. Even just painting one wall of a building, adding a design feature, or any other change can positively impact the success of your business. A new paint job is also an investment. Before you start working with a commercial painting company, you should be aware of common commercial painting mistakes and how to avoid them. 

Many commercial painting companies have estimators on their teams. Like construction and renovation projects, estimators assess the proposed project’s scope. They consider which supplies will be used, the paint used, labor costs, and more. Then, they can estimate the total cost of the project. Although this cost may change after the project, it is essential to work with an estimator in the first place to have a ballpark cost and determine if your business is financially able to take on the project. 

Paint is a complex medium. Since your commercial painting job is an investment, you’ll want to ensure that you have the correct type of paint for the space and the paint is applied correctly. This is crucial for any exterior painting project – different paint types weather the elements better than others. Researching and working with a strong painting team can help prevent this.

Many folks like to tout their “eyes for design.” When choosing a paint color or design, the best choice is to leave it to the experts. You may have a vision for the color scheme you want inside/outside your business, but professionals from a commercial painting team can offer meaningful suggestions or ideas you may have yet to consider. 

A paint job is a great refresh for a space, but it doesn’t serve as a complete fix if parts of the building are damaged. Some business owners make the mistake of painting over leaked and cracked walls rather than repairing them first. If your building was recently affected by a flood, fire, or another disaster, it is vital to restore the building before starting the paint job.

Any project has the potential for timeline issues. This is a common mistake with commercial painting projects when the business owner does not plan the job well in advance, and the team runs into issues with weather, availability, or a material shortage. This is another reason why working with an estimator and a commercial painting company is essential, as they can guide the project’s timeline. 

Another common mistake during commercial paint jobs is the crew’s lack of proper equipment. This can stem from several reasons, such as poor communication, improper funding, material shortages, etc. Material shortages may be outside of your control, but one area you can control is how you communicate with the team and keep them updated on which areas of the building will be painted so they can prepare. Once again, working with an estimator and commercial painting professionals will lessen this likelihood. 

There is always a possibility for disputes within the team. There could also be issues with insufficient painters showing up or leaving the job early. To prevent these issues, communicate expectations with the team and work with experienced industry professionals. Working with union painters is another way to ensure they have had solid training. 

If you plan to keep your business open during the project, you need to prepare for how this will affect your business. You may need to block off entrances/exits and hallways, change parking configurations, move items around, and more. This takes planning and preparation – your business can lose money if you are not communicating with the painting crew, staff, and customers. Ideally, when you use a commercial painting company, they will have experience in getting the job done while minimizing disruptions.

Working with a commercial painting company can prevent many of these mistakes. At SmithPro Commercial Painting, we have experience with many types of projects and have been serving the community for over 50 years. Many of our painters have over 20 years of experience in the industry and are ready to exceed your expectations. Let’s talk about your next project today!