My father does property management for a few low income apartment buildings .

his friend that he used for painting retired

my question : i would like to start a "business"

i already talked to a few friends, who would be interested in working

how hard could it really be , to slap some paint on the walls lol

it would be small apt's, nothing fancy, just one color, like i said for low income apt's

i think its a great opportunity, i mean, there will always be work for me

and it beats my current $10 h/r job

im 18 by the way

any tips/advice on what to do/ how to get started

 

I'm no expert but one thing you will probably need to have is insurance of some sort which is going to cost some money. You will probably need to set up an LLP, but I am only 19 so I'm not that knowledgeable on the issue.

 

i would get a job with a painting company first ..work for awhile to learn all u can about the bussiness. after painting everyday u might decide its not for you and if u quit no big deal. i do property maintenance for a big company up here in mass. we do most of our own painting.

 

My Dad used to run his own painting business. Lot more involved then just throwing paint on some walls. Gotta be able to quote the jobs before starting. Need supplies. Need dependable, good painters b/c if they do a crap job, someone is going to have to fix it which will cost you more supplies, and man hours. If it is low income, you probably wouldn't make enough to pay your buddies, afford supplies, and have enough left over for yourself. Best bet would be to do it yourself, so you don't have to pay anyone else. But if you're not an exp. painter, then you have a problem. It is one thing to paint a wall in your house, but when painting someone elses wall, they are going to point out all the flaws, and expect them to be fixed, at no additional cost.
Just something to think about.
Getting a job with a paint business would be your best bet to get the exp, and learn the ropes. Then do some side jobs here and there to see if you can manage just yourself before hiring people and taking on big jobs.

 

Not much more need be said....

 

i see, thanks for your input fellas, looks like a bit more than i can handle





point taken

 

That is an easy part time busines if you are going to work painting apartments. Look into the other rental companies for their painting. They are looking more for cheap cover the wall painting. I used to paint vacation rental apartments in Hawaii back in the 80's. Easy money, they are not so concerned about high end finishing. Almost never any trim work, just walls.
Two guys can do an entire two bed room apt in one day. We were using a pressured paint system that had a pad on the end of a pole and all you do is paint none stop. I would keep the hopper full and cut the walls and ceilingand floor. As Dave was setting up I would remove the switch plates and then start cutting the walls.

Check the local building codes about the needs of a contractor license, There may be no requirements for one if the job is under $1000.00 dollars. That may fall under the grouping of a handy many catagory.



Go talk to a rep at home depot to learn about the different paint and brush types.types. Get some books on painting.




The painting business is an easy one to get started in. almost no entry cost for tools. Easy to do, learning how to do wall repairs would be the tricky part.
Pricing is done by the square foot, get the pricing from your dad on what his old painter friend charged.
Invoicing the commercial companies may take 30 - 60 days to get paid. But they are intrested in quanity not a high end finish. Painting residential would be more money but more experience would be needed in the trim and prep work but some good tips would be in the books.



I was 19 when I bought my first commercial truck, so age may slow you down a bit but it is not the end of the world.
I was 20 when I sprayed my first house exterior, That was also my first time with a sprayer, went well.That is one to be carefull about the wind moving the over spray onto cars and trucks. Did this for extra money on a long weekend with two friends.

 

Offer to paint your folks house free of charge to get some practice. After doing so, you and your buddies will realize how much painting sucks and you will be instantly cured of your desire to pursue painting as a means of income......

 

i agree painting sucks.. im lucky the guy i work with loves to paint and usually im good at weasling my way out of it but sometimes i have no choice but to pick up the brush and roller.

 

Dont let anyone talk you out of it!. If you've got someone on the inside (your dad) you've already got a hand up. It's like this, I wouldnt quit your job, invest in a wagner or talk to your dads friend, he may rent tools to you for cheap or sell them. But dont quit your job until it becomes steady. And insurance is expensive. I pay $89 a week for my wife and my daughter. I assume you will want a family some day. Good luck