The house painting business involves painting or repainting houses and other buildings. Painters may paint interior, exterior, or both. Some painters may specialize in residential painting, while others may specialize in commercial painting.
Getting Started
Getting started in the house painting business is not difficult if you have decent painting knowledge and skills (or are willing to learn before you start painting a customers house). In fact, a painting business is well suited to operating from your home, and can be started on a shoestring budget.
Home-based painting businesses do not require much in the way of overhead. Your vehicle might be the most expensive part of the business, as a van or truck can be handy for carrying equipment, tools, and supplies. However, I have seen painters working out of compact sedans, minivans, and vintage Volkswagen vans so don’t let you vehicle stop you from pursuing an interest in this business. I used to work out of a Dodge Dakota extended cab pickup until I had to retire the truck. I now work out of a full-size Buick sedan. Upgrading to a truck or van again is on my list, but the car does work in the meantime. The biggest challenge with working out of a car is needing to transport ladders. Fortunately, several manufacturers (including Werner) now offer folding, multi-adjustable ladders that will fit into a car.
Ultimately, a few ladders, brushes and rollers, drop cloths, and some basic supplies are all you need to get started in the painting business. Many people already have this equipment at home and will not need to purchase anything.
The quality of painting supplies and materials does matter quite a bit. This starts with the paint, and continues to the tools you use to apply the paint. There is no comparison between quality paint and discount paint. They are not the same. I always recommend quality paint products to my customers. The slight extra cost is a worthy investment.
You will probably never see a professional painting contractor using a paint brush from everyone’s favorite discount retailer. My personal choice for paint brushes is Purdy. I have used a few other brands but always come home to Purdy. They are not the cheapest brushes you can buy, but they do an outstanding job and last well if you care for them properly.
Quality roller covers are also essential for good and even rolling. Inexpensive roller covers tend to leave lint on the wall as you roll, and also tend to apply unevenly. Neither situation is what you want to experience when you are charging someone to paint their house!
You will probably want to add more equipment, tools and supplies as your business grows. Scaffolding and lifts can really simplify bigger jobs that require a lot of high work. Fortunately, many painting jobs will not require this type of specialized equipment though. Many cities have rental stores where you can rent scaffolding, lifts, and other specialized equipment until you can afford to purchase your own equipment.
Joining a trade association and online painting contractor forums like Paint Talk [1] can provide invaluable information and resources when starting a new painting business. When I first started painting full-time and professionally (as opposed to the occasional odd painting job) I was nearly overwhelmed by how many decisions needed to be made, and how much knowledge was required for different job situations. Online painting forums were a tremendous asset to me, since they allowed me to interact with other painting professionals. I learned a few new things just recently on a painting forum that I will be using in a coming painting job.
Marketing
Successfully marketing any new business is a challenge. Successfully marketing a new shoestring-budget business is a real challenge! However, there are cost-conscious marketing techniques that can be used that are also cost-effective.
I think one key concept here is that you are probably not trying to compete with the large, corporate painting contractors. More likely you are trying to find enough work for yourself to stay busy, since you are reading how to start a shoestring business. Understanding your business niche, along with your customers needs, will help you plan a marketing campaign appropriate for your business.
Phone book advertising is extremely expensive, and may benefit established companies with advertising budgets in the thousands of dollars. However, most people launching a shoestring business will find phone book advertising unaffordable. Another reality is this: when was the last time you used a phone book for anything? I simply do not use phone books any more, and I am certainly not alone.
Direct mail can be an effective means of reaching targeted, potential customers. Mailing campaigns can target homeowners in a certain neighborhood, homeowners who have recently purchased their home, or homeowners that meet certain other demographic criteria. Mailing lists can be purchased online and restricted to the demographic criteria you are seeking. Melissa Data is one company that offers downloadable mailing lists for new homeowners, homeowners in certain areas, etc.
There are also some old marketing standbys that still produce results. Door hangers can be distributed to an entire target neighborhood at very low cost. Yard signs at properties you are working on can also generate referrals. Also, don’t forget to consider putting lettering on your work vehicle. This is almost free advertising that goes everywhere you go.
Cautions
Every business has some potential pitfalls, and the painting business is no exception. General liability insurance is always a good idea to protect you from accidental damages or injuries caused while you are working on a property. You may also consider worker compensation insurance if you do not have medical insurance.
The amount of knowledge required for different situations can also be overwhelming at first. The best approach to correcting a problem, which type of paint or primer is best for a particular application, and many similar questions will arise. There is certainly a learning curve with painting professionally, but fortunately there are excellent resources online and in print to help fill in any gaps in knowledge.
Profit Potential
Painting houses can be a reasonably profitable, home-based business. I typically charge $15 per hour for my services. Paint and supplies are charged separately. I usually provide incidental supplies like caulk, paint tray liners, etc. at no additional cost to the customer. I do charge for them if the project will require considerable usage though – for instance, an exterior repaint may use quite a bit of caulk.
I have heard of experienced painters who earn more than what I charge. Earning a reputation as an honest, quality painter may allow you to eventually earn more money. Specializing in a niche can also help to increase your earnings in the painting business.
Conclusion
A painting business is a good business to start on a shoestring budget. Painting businesses can be run from home quite easily. Many people who would consider starting a home-based painting business may already have most, if not all, of the tools and equipment that is needed to run this business successfully.
Footnotes
1) Paint Talk
2) Melissa Data
