Frequently Asked Questions

You have questions, we have answers! Below are some of our clients’ most Frequently Asked Questions about commercial painting projects.

What Commercial Painting Services do you provide?

We provide the following services for commercial properties: Drywall Repair, Interior Painting, Exterior Painting, High-Durability Coatings, Light Carpentry and Repairs, Off-hours and Weekend Production, Power Washing and Tilt-up Repairs and Painting.

Why hire professional commercial painters?

We specialize in completing commercial projects with minimal disruption and take special care to work around your specific needs. Of course we are fully licensed and insured, and we are trained to meet and strive to exceed OSHA guidelines.

When should I paint my commercial space?

The frequency with which commercial spaces should be painted depends upon the wear and tear of the area. Although our recommendation is highly dependent on traffic and usage patterns, we generally recommend a fresh coat of paint every 3+ years for interior spaces.

How long after the estimate does painting begin?

After we put an estimate together, there are a few factors that affect project start dates. This depends in part on the size and skill set of crew(s) needed, as well as existing backlogs. However, our team works closely with clients to fit their timeline and schedule in order to minimize operational impacts on the business.

How do I prepare for painting once I have signed a contract?

We will work with you to coordinate all the preparation steps needed, from logistical, safety and security considerations to scheduling and communications.

How long can we store leftover paint?

Paint left after a project has been completed is useful for later touchups, of course (lower sheens generally touch up better than higher ones). The key environmental factors in storing paint are temperature and air. Always store paints away from direct sunlight, especially in the summer months, and always store paint in a heated space. Paint stored in an unheated garage or shed will freeze, which alters the chemical properties of the paint to the point  that it should not be used. Further, the more air left in the paint can, the more the paint will thicken/dry in the can over time. So a full can of paint stored at room temperature can last for years, while paint stored in extreme temperatures or small amounts of paint left over in a mostly empty can will deteriorate quickly and be rendered unusable in as little as some months or a year. As an aside, old waterborne paints can simply be left open to thoroughly solidify and then disposed of in the trash, while oil based paints or stains must be disposed of properly, typically at a designated collection date/time for toxic substances.

Can you match colors for us?

Yes, we can. If you choose to have a color formulated to match an existing sample, we cannot ensure 100% accuracy, but the match will be extraordinarily close. Color matching, though very accurate, is not an exact science, and human/mechanical error can come into play. One way to make sure a paint color will meet your expectations is to apply a Test Patch to the area that will be painted using a sample obtained from the paint store before making the final selection.

On a final note, we are sometimes asked to match digital color codes that are used in electronic marketing media for corporate branding. We can’t directly match digital color codes because there is no way to translate them to paint colors. Digital codes are used to represent colors from the visible light spectrum (e.g., which map to pixels on a computer screen), not pigments. Consider that “white” light includes all visible colors, while white paint in its base-tint form has no colored pigment added. Moreover, screen-representations or even printed matter vary widely from sample to sample. The best we can do is approximate by “eyeball-matching” from the standard manufacturer’s color palette, for instance, and adjust from there, which is more art than science. Plain/pure white and black are relatively easy, but all other colors present this same problem, even those among the various shades of gray.

We take care of everything so you don’t have to…

We manage every detail of your project from start to finish, coordinate scheduling and communications, and keep you informed at every step. You may have to report to others about the job, so we’ll tell you as much as you want to know in order to help you keep track of decisions and details. To help you succeed in your role as project manager, we can prepare project presentations for you or even make presentations to boards and corporate offices on request.

Can I get help with our budgeting and planning cycle?
Yes, of course. We can provide estimates just for yearly budgeting and planning (i.e., fourth quarter) so that you have an idea of project costs for the next fiscal year. The only real variables are relatively small updates to labor rates and material costs that may be needed when a project is initiated the following year. In addition, we can visit with manufacturer experts to provide paint specifications of the right type and grade of paints needed for any painting project so that you can include that in your RFPs. This helps make apples-to-apples comparisons easier when all respondents are using the same baseline materials.