This is the time of year that many restaurants, retailers, and other businesses make plans to freshen up their interior and exterior painting.

It may sound like a huge cost-savings to gather a few employees, some buckets of paint, and brushes to paint your business, but these DIY tactics often result in uneven paint jobs, flaking and peeling, and a finish that doesn’t last.

There’s more to a professional paint job than you might think and there are several ways things can go wrong. Here are six painting mistakes that could cost your business money.

Asking Employees to Paint For You

As we previously mentioned, having your employees do your painting for you may seem like an easy way to save money – but you could end up spending more to fix their mistakes than you would hiring a professional in the first place.

Allowing employees who aren’t trained professionals to paint your business could lead to a variety of problems. The smallest of those problems would be a poor, unprofessional paint job that would ultimately need to be redone by a professional.

Without proper training, a DIY paint job can result in runs, missed spots, paint drips, and more. Plus, without the knowledge of how to properly prepare a surface for painting, your new paint will likely flake and peel quickly.

The largest of your problems? Liability issues.

Say you ask an employee to paint your business’s walls, which is a task outside of their normal job. One wrong step on a ladder could lead to your employee getting injured.

Now, because they were completing a task that isn’t one of their agreed upon responsibilities, they may not be covered under your business liability insurance policy – which means you’ll be left to pay those claims out of pocket.

Hiring Uninsured Contractors

It can be tempting to save money by hiring a contractor with a surprisingly low price, but don’t be fooled – contractors with prices that are too good to be true usually are.

You may unknowingly hire contractors without insurance that advertise an extremely low price. These contractors won’t give you the result you’re looking for and can prove to be an expensive headache.

If they are injured while working or damage your property, unless they have their own workman’s comp insurance, they most likely aren’t covered by an insurance liability policy. When working with a contractor, you should always verify that they have current insurance.

In addition, even if your uninsured contractor leaves your building unscathed, there’s still the possibility for costly repercussions. Many uninsured contractors save money by cutting corners, leave jobs unfinished, and use substandard products and equipment that can create a hazard.

Another cost-cutting trick many uninsured painters use is hiring employees who lack experience. Similarly to using members of your own team, you add the risks of a slow timeline, potential slips and falls, and a substandard paint job.

The safety of your employees and customers isn’t worth the bargain price. Plus, you still might need to hire a second painter to fix any unfinished or unsatisfactory work.

Failure to Comply with Regulations

Performing an exterior building painting project that is not in compliance with state, federal, and local regulations could put your business at great risk for substantial fines and penalties.

Depending on your jurisdiction, local laws may regulate when commercial painting and remodeling can occur, the types of products that can be used, required safety equipment, and permit requirements. By working with a licensed professional painting company, you’ll have an expert’s help navigating the necessary steps to complete your painting project.

Using Inferior Products

There’s more to picking the right painting tools than just choosing a color and grabbing some brushes. The paint product that is going to work best for your product depends on several factors, including:

  • Whether your project is on the interior or exterior of your building
  • Age and condition of the building
  • Surface type
  • Local climate
  • Current Condition of surface

Selecting the wrong type of paint for the job or application can have disastrous results that will be costly to fix. These can include:

  • Flaking
  • Peeling
  • Rusting
  • Fading
  • Cracking
  • Short lifespan of your paint job
  • Uneven finishes

In the long run, it will save you money to work with a professional painter that knows the best materials for your paint job.

Lack of Paint Overspray Protection

If you’re using a paint sprayer, your final product could be ruined by overspray. Overspray refers to the extra paint spray that doesn’t land on your intended surface. Instead, it becomes airborne and can make a costly mess.

Using a paint sprayer can increase productivity when painting surfaces, but not taking adequate precautions against overspray could result in damage to furniture, carpeting, and the property of neighboring businesses. To avoid this, professionals know they must not only use the right materials but the right tip and spray technique among other factors.

Unexpected Project Delays

Any project has the possibility for delays from unexpected issues or inclement weather. But the likelihood increases when hiring an inexperienced painter or a contractor who is spread too thin. The longer your project is delayed, the more money and productivity your business is likely to lose.

By hiring a trusted professional with a proven track record for success, you’ll be less likely to be hit with delays that leave your project on hold and your business losing money.

How To Avoid These Mistakes

These mistakes could easily be made by any amateur painter, from one of your employees to an uninsured contractor. Your business is too important to gamble on, so, instead of cutting corners, involve a painting professional from the start.

If you’re looking for a reliable painting company to help ensure the job is done right the first time, contact Independence Painting Co. today. We’ll help navigate everything, including the timeline, materials, and professional crew. Plus, we have the experience, training, and insurance needed to ensure a safe job site.