Painting a condo is a specialized task, which requires a different approach than painting other structures. Here’s some reasons why CAM Painters offers the best condo painting experience in Toronto!
We offer remote estimates
Many of our clients hire us to paint their condo before they move in. This can present some challenges for an in-person estimate, given that an estimate is required before our client’s have possession of the property.
We are happy to do a physical inspection during a real estate visit, but sometimes that’s not possible.
Fear not! We offer remote estimates! Send us pictures of the condo along with a floor plan and we can provide an estimate based on these. Another option is when visiting the condo, let’s do a video chat walkthrough of the space and we can provide an estimate based on that.
We only need one trip up the elevator
We understand what a hassle it is to book a service elevator for multiple trips up and down with tools and other equipment!
We address these issues with a modular stackable tool kit that allows us to get all we need up to your suite in one trip. Since we’re up in one trip, we find most of our clients don’t even have to book an elevator (check with your management office as rules vary between condos).
We work efficiently
In most condos, space is at a premium. Therefore, we work methodically from room to room, so that furniture can be moved out and then put back in that particular space after we’re done. This minimizes disruptions for our clients and keeps a clean and neat work environment.
In summary
We offer remote estimates, we only need one trip up the elevator and we work efficiently. Why not let CAM Painters transform your condo with lasting beauty?
There has been a lot of talk about paint and primer in one products. Are these all they’re cracked up to be? Are they much different than regular paint?
Whenever I mention the need to prime before painting, many times I hear from my clients “what about the paint that has the primer built-in, why don’t you just use that?”
Is paint and primer in one any different than normal paint?
In a word, “no”, it’s no different than a good quality paint. A good quality paint is self-priming in all the situations that a “paint and primer in one” product is.
If the surface is previously painted a primer is not necessary in most cases. If the surface is glossy, a light sanding will allow the new paint to adhere properly, no primer needed.
When do I need a primer?
When there is a major colour change
Paint will get better coverage over a primer, than over a paint. Therefore, if you’re going from a light to dark colour a grey primer is recommended. If you’re going from a dark colour to a light colour a white primer is recommended. The primer makes the surface porous, so that when the finish coat goes over the top the coverage is better than if it was going over a paint (which is generally less porous).
Paint and primer in one, does not give any advantages in terms of coverage over that of a good quality paint.
When painting over unpainted surfaces
There are primers designed to adhere to certain surfaces. The sole purpose of these products is to adhere to the surface, they don’t have any protective elements in them, that’s the job of the finish coat.
Paint is designed to sit up on the surface and protect it. So when you have a system of a primer, followed by a paint, you have both adhesion to the surface along with protection of the surface.
When sealing out stains
Water stains, nicotine stains and wood knots/tannin bleed can come through the finish coat. What does that mean? You’ll paint the area and then as it dries, you’ll see the stain reappear–Not Good!
What that means is that you’ve got to use a specific stain-sealing primer. Generally these are oil-based or shellac-based, which can seal more stains than a latex-based product can.
In conclusion
As we can see, there’s not a great deal of difference between the performance of a high quality paint and a “paint and primer in one” product. There are many instances when a primer is necessary even when using a “paint and primer in one” product. Therefore, when your painting contractor recommends a primer they are not trying to upsell you, they just want to give you the best end result. The best end result is a job that looks great and can stand the test of time.
So if you want a painter that will give you a great looking and durable paint job, while giving you a great painting experience along the way, why don’t you book a quote? We’d be happy to Transform Your Home With Lasting Beauty!
I was in a paint store in the east end of Toronto and I overheard a conversation between the associate and a homeowner. The basic gist of the conversation was this “I had a quote from so and so
painter and he’s supplying X brand paint. I think the reason that he’s using X brand paint is that he’s getting a big kickback from them.”
The homeowner seemed to be implying that his painter was using inferior paint, and getting a big kickback from the manufacturer for doing so. His solution was to supply the paint himself, and just have the painter price out his labour.
Is supplying your own paint the best approach? Are painters getting kickbacks from the paint store? Well let’s find out….
It’s true, painting contractors get volume discounts on paint
Just like any other business, if you buy a lot of product you get a volume discount. A typical homeowner might buy a few hundred dollars of paint every few years. A painting contractor typically buys thousands of dollars worth of paint each year. This amount of business is very valuable to a paint store, so volume discounts are offered typically between 15-30% depending on the product.
What should a painting contractor do with those “kickbacks”?
Some painting contractors mark up the paint, so that the end client is paying more for the paint than if they supplied it themselves. This is quite common, and in the free market system, a business should be able to quote whatever price they deem fair.
At CAM Painters we pass on some of the discount to our clients and keep some of it. Why don’t we pass on the entire discount? Our clients don’t have to go to the paint store to pick up their own paint, using their own gas and time. They don’t have to research all the products to select which one is the best for their particular application.
Keep in mind that this time and effort on the part of the homeowner is on top of paying full retail for their paint.
Because it’s our time going to the paint store, it’s our gas that we use to pick up the paint, and it’s our time spent researching products, we feel that keeping a portion of the discount compensates us for this.
So why don’t we let customers supply the paint? Are we simply doing that to get a discount or kickback? Actually, when we supply the paint we can offer the best customer experience, let me explain…
We use the best quality paint so we can offer an excellent warrantee
Even if a homeowner was to supplies us with top-line paint from a reputable manufacturer that we’d typically use there can still be potential issues. We can’t be sure how long it’s been sitting around, or if it was stored at below freezing temperatures, or anything else that could affect its integrity.
When we supply the paint, we can confidently stand behind our warranties, which is 3 full years for exterior work and 5 full years for interior work. This also includes 1 hour of free touch ups each year, to keep your home looking its best!
It makes sense for us to supply the most durable product so that it will hold up for the duration of our warrantee.
It allows the work to flow efficiently
When we supply the paint, we can accurately calculate out how much paint we need. This saves a homeowner purchasing extra gallons which aren’t used.
On the reverse side, if we don’t have enough, we can go out and get more, and the price to our client doesn’t change. Consider this, if a homeowner purchases the paint and doesn’t purchase enough they have to go out and get more. What if the painter runs out of paint in the middle of the day, either the homeowner has to leave work to go get more paint, or the painter has to wait until the following day to get more paint. How inefficient is that?!?!
We know what products work
Painting is what we do. We know which products work better than others because we are the end users. We also have strong relationships with paint stores, so we can get the best advice. So our clients get their homes transformed with products that have been selected collaboratively by both the applier and the manufacturer, which is the best of both worlds.
In conclusion
In order for us to provide the best painting experience for our wonderful clients, it’s essential that we supply the paint for our painting projects. So if you’d like us to Transform Your Home With Lasting Beauty why don’t you book a quote?
On first glance when I tell customers that I average around $50 per painter per hour on my quotes, people are sometimes taken by shock. One prospective customer even told me that it’s like paying someone $100000 per year for painting (based on 2000 hrs working per year)! Unfortunately no, this simply isn’t the case, so allow me to explain why we have a $50/hr charge rate (as of this writing in March 2018) for our services.
The painters that work in your home are skilled craftspeople
Our painters are skilled craftspeople with an eye for detail that the average person simply does not possess. Some people think of painting as a low skill minimum wage type job, but if you pay low skill labour, you get low skill results.
Currently (as of March 2018), our average wage rate is in the low to mid $20s per hour.
However, we have employees, so we have additional costs that are incurred. We pay WSIB on our employees, we pay EI, CPP and other source deductions. We also offer health benefits to keep our team happy and healthy!
Why do we do this? We could just use all subcontractors, like many other painting businesses. Well, it adds value for you, the end client. Employees are covered under our WSIB and Liability Insurance policies, whereas subcontractors are not. This gives you peace of mind, that if (heaven forbid) any injuries or accidents occur while on your property you are not liable.
So, when all is said and done, our average wage rate plus our labour burden puts our cost per hour at an average of $28.
We don’t skimp on the extra job-related costs
With any paint job there are little extra job costs. A roll of plastic to cover furniture. A roll of paper to cover floors. Caulking and patch to fill holes and gaps. Drywall tape to ensure that cracks are repaired correctly and don’t return. Roller sleeves and brushes. These are all little in and of themselves, but they add up to 5% of the overall cost of the job
We invest in our business to make it a great experience for our clients
Any business has overhead expenses. Just because we don’t have a retail space, doesn’t mean that we don’t have overhead.
We have ladders! We have step ladders, extension ladders, ladders that will fit into stairwells, extension ladders that will fit into elevators for condo work, ladders for uneven ground.
We want to make sure that we can access all parts of your home in the safest and most efficient manner. We easily have thousands of dollar invested into many different ladders, so that we can transform your home.
We have proper tools. Painting tools aren’t just a brush, roller and roller tray. We have dropsheets, drywall repair tools like mud pans, drywall knives.
We have dust extractors so that when we sand dust doesn’t get through your home. We have air cleaners that filter the air in a 400 square foot room every 10 min. One dust extraction system that we use is worth over $3000.
We have vehicles to transport equipment to your home. For us, the average cost of running a vehicle is in the range of $8000 – $10 000 per year
We have a storage unit to put our equipment in when it’s not in use. This costs us another $2400 per year.
When we total up our numbers for the year, our overhead generally runs 20% of sales when all is said and done.
So how do the numbers shake down?
$50 per hour charge rate
Minus $28 per hour average labour cost (wages plus associated costs)
Minus 5% for assorted sundries, which equals $2.50 per hour
Minus 20% for overhead, which equals $10 per hour
So when you do the math we net out an average of $9.50 per hour profit, which gives us a profit margin of 19%. So, if we do $300 000 in sales in a year our net profit is just under $60 000.
Why should you as a client be concerned if we’re profitable? Profit keeps us running our business and doing excellent work for our wonderful clients. When we stay in business we can honour our warranties and stand behind our work.
So if you’d like CAM Painters to Transform your home with lasting beauty, why don’t you book a quote?
If you take a few simple steps to prepare your Toronto home you can have a great painting experience! The painting experience can run very efficiently and be done with minimal inconvenience, however, there are things that you should do to make this a reality. In this post, I’ll give you a checklist of the things that should be done to prior to painting.
Ensure that your colours are chosen well in advance
Colours are tricky, they can look different on your walls than on the paint chips. Also, they can look different on various surfaces and at varying times of day.
What we recommend at CAM Painters is to have a colour consultation from an interior designer. We can even recommend interior designers based on your budget and location. A good interior designer will save a lot of time and frustration in the colour selection process, so it’s definitely a good investment! If you’re looking for a good selection of premium paints, visit your nearest Benjamin Moore paint dealer.
If you’re wanting to do colour selection yourself, at least buy some tester pots of the colours you’re thinking about so that you can test them on the walls. A rundown of the procedure is here:
We usually like to pick up colours a few days before the job starts. If you can prepare your final colour selections a week before the job starts, that would be best.
Arrange access to your home with us
Our hours of work are generally 8:30 to 4:30. We don’t need someone on site with us in order for us to do our work, but we do need access into your house. If you are not available, we have lock boxes that you can leave a house key in. If you’d prefer to meet us in the morning to let us in, that’s fine too.
Make arrangements for your pets
We are pet-friendly at CAM Painters, so if your dog or cat wants to say hello, that’s fine with us. However, once we start working it’s best if pets are not in our workspace for their own safety. It’s best if they can be shut off in another area of the house, so they don’t get into our tools or wet paint. Yes, we have had cats get wet paint on their paws and track it all over the floor!
Prepare your rooms for painting
This is not as daunting as it sounds. All we are asking is that you remove any small, fragile objects from the room and remove pictures from the walls. If you are planning on putting the picture back in the same place please leave the picture hook in the wall. If you are planning on repositioning or leaving off the wall altogether, please remove the picture hook and we’ll be sure to fill in the nail holes.
We don’t mind moving a couple of pieces of furniture per room, which we cover with plastic to make sure it’s protected.
There are a couple of items that we prefer not to move, which you should make arrangements for before the painting begins:
Wall-mounted TVs
Fridges – these can damage floors if the wheels don’t move freely, and fragile water lines can break too
Washers & Dryers – brittle hoses and vent ducts can be damaged during moving
So if you can arrange for these items to be moved that would be great!
Finally,
We at CAM Painters want to give you a great painting experience and if you follow these guidelines you can ensure that is what you get! Feel free to book a quote! We’d love to Transform your home with lasting beauty!
If you want the paint work in your Toronto home to look the best it can, the preparation work that goes on before a can of paint is opened is critical to the finished product.
First thing, let’s define levels of preparation and what type of customer each is geared towards:
Level 1 “Good” – this is geared towards someone wanting just the basic level of preparation, maybe someone needing a quick turnaround, or perhaps the space that is being painted is one that isn’t of prime concern, or perhaps they just need the paint freshened up in order to put their house on the market
Level 2 “Better” – this is for a typical customer that wants decent workmanship, they want to have a great painting experience, they want their painted surfaces to look smoother than they do currently, but they don’t expect or necessarily need perfection.
Level 3 “Best” – this is for someone who demands the best and realizes that it takes time to achieve this level of finish. These customers are typically interior designers and people that like to keep their homes immaculate.
So let’s go through the steps we use to properly prepare a typical interior paint job for painting:
Organization is key, we ensure that we have all the tools to properly tackle each job. Proper tools ensure that things get done with maximum efficiency, and minimal disruption for the customer.
Flooring and furniture is covered and protected. We use either dropsheets or rolls
of paper for flooring protection, depending on which is most appropriate for the situation. Furniture is covered with clean plastic sheeting.
If we are painting things to a “good” level, then all that’s usually needed is a pole sand of the walls, and then a filling of all the visible holes and cracks.
If we are painting things to a “better” level, then we will pole sand the walls and ceiling, fill all the visible holes and cracks, but then in addition to that we will sand out sags and drips on the ceiling, walls and trim and we will fill in any noticeable divots or dents as well.
If we are painting things to the “best” level, then things get a little crazy! We like to put an LED light on an angle at every area that is to be painted, that way, we can see all the imperfections that are in the ceilings, walls and trim. The angled light causes shadows to be cast by every little dent or bump, which we can then sand or fill.
One consideration that we deal with in achieving a level 3 finish is that many of the walls in older Toronto homes have been at some time painted poorly – either by a do it yourselfer or a less than skilled painter. These walls typically have a lot of drips, sags and excessive roller texture. To make these walls smooth it takes a lot of work, which has to be accounted for in our timelines and our pricing.
When we sand the walls we use a power sander attached to a vacuum, to eliminate dust at the source. No one likes dust and it’s best to eliminate it before it gets into the ventilation system and spreads throughout the house.
After we have done all this patching and filling and sanding, we still aren’t done the preparation work, we still have to prime certain areas, and do a little more filling and sanding, just to make sure that the surface is ready to paint. However, when we do the preparation work right, then the painting goes relatively quick in comparison and the end result looks fantastic!
The difference in price from the good paint job to the best paint job can be more than double. So when getting paint quotes be sure to compare apples to apples. If someone has been quoted a level 1 paint job, but then expects a level 3 – frustration will result, both for them and their contractor!
In conclusion, as you can see, a lot goes into a paint job, even before a can of paint is opened. In some situations more time goes in than other times. I like to make sure that this is communicated to my potential clients as clearly as possible, so they know the value that they are getting when they use my services. Why don’t you book a quote? We’d be happy to Transform your home with lasting beauty!
