RC Painting is a full-service painting contractor based in Cedar City, Utah.
Their picture gallery has some good examples why hiring a Professional Painting Contractor
is not just about insurance, licensing and other peace of mind goodies.
Sometimes it is something as simple as painting straight lines.
Take a look at their compelling evidence:
http://www.rcpaintinginc.com/Why_hire_a_professional_painting_contractor.html

Painttalk.com is a forum where Painting Contractors discuss business and exchange painting suggestions with other painters.
Recently a forum was added to accommodate the growing concern painters and contractors have for environmentally friendly practices.
The discussions are lively, informative but definitely interesting: http://www.painttalk.com/f26/
If you are a consumer, you may find the discussions interesting.
If you are a paint contractor jump right in and participate.

It is always amazing to see how the accepted rules of the marketplace don’t apply to Painting Contracting or the contracting industry in general. We are all willing to accept that a BMW will cost more than a low end KIA, or dining at a high end restaurant would be a bit more expensive than eating at a McDonald’s. When you take this simple logic and apply it to the Painting marketplace, common sense does not apply.
The following are real headlines by “painters” from Craigslist and Kijiji free classifieds:

…We do quality work; we guarantee the lowest price
…We do not charge extra for filling nail & screw holes
…We guarantee to beat any written estimate by at least 10% and we guarantee the quality of work
…Painting and decorating services of unbeatable quality and price.
…QUALITY WORKMANSHIP PROFESSIONAL QUALITY WITH REASONABLE PRICES!!!!!!
…We offer quality work for a great price.
…Professional painting and drywall service with Lowest Price Guaranted.

Are consumers really that gullible?
How does that make sense?
Or is it the “anyone can paint” thinking the big box stores are promoting?

- Good quality paint tools and materials are more expensive
- Professional Painters need to be payed well or give them a loaf of bread and don’t let them get close to a paint brush
- Insurance, WSIB safety training etc. cost money
- A reputable painting company that will be there after the paint dries, has fixed expenses, like any other business
- Service, quality work, protecting customer valuables, they all take time. Any legitimate business needs to charge for that time.

This YouTube video is perfectly making the point. It is a must watch!

And yet, despite the countless warnings consumer get, even after the proliferation of shows like Holmes on Homes and others, we are still faced with the $100 per room painters, student type painting companies and “man with a brush” types portraying themselves as professional painters.

Painting services are available by the contributors to this blog. Fill the online form for a consultation.

Some painting companies prefer to use independent subcontractors, instead of hiring employees. This can be a very successful and legitimate way to run a contracting business.
The reality though seems to be quite different.  The majority of small painting contractors use and treat painters as employees and pay them as subs.
The reasons are many and the motives questionable:

• To avoid paying payroll taxes
• There is no need for employee benefits
• No paid vacation or vacation time
• Statutory Holiday pay, are you kidding me?
• An independent subcontractor does not have to pay for WSIB
• No safety training  or any type of training is necessary
• There is work today, none tomorrow, so who cares, there is no obligation, right?

There are many more reasons but in reality, these painters are really employees, paid hourly wages. The problem is that they are seriously short changed. After missing many days with no work, getting no vacation pay,  getting no statutory holiday pay, paying taxes and insurance (hopefully), working for the local donut shop may make more financial sense.
With the “disposable painter” syndrome, comes the lack of job security and unsafe working conditions. The  low morale created and downgrading of this great profession lends credence to the stereotypes we painters face daily.
Consumers here need to be more aware of who they are hiring. This seemingly great painting company they found in Google, is likely using underground economy type of tactics.

Ecopainting Inc. is one of the very few Toronto Painting Contractors that only uses it’s own employees. All employees are on payroll, get trade and safety training and have WSIB coverage.