Pro House Painters Share Nursery Tips

Ottawa Painting Companies on the Dos and Don’ts of Nurseries

Are you expecting a little bundle of joy, but you’re not sure about how to paint and design their soon-to-be nursery? It can certainly be an overwhelming task, from picking the right colour to picking the right finish—not to mention finishing touches! Fortunately, painting companies from Ottawa have plenty of experience with nurseries, and along the way we’ve picked up a lot of great tips and advice for making your baby’s first bedroom one to remember.

Ditch the Pink and Blue

It’s a tradition amongst house painters that has been going strong for generations, but we’re honestly advising you to break from tradition and think outside the toy box. Pink for girls and blue for boys has not only been done so many times before, but there are other colours that offer bring so much to the table. And by not sticking to these gendered colour schemes, you can also reuse the nursery if you decide to have more kids, with minor touch-ups instead of repainting the whole thing. Instead, consider warm, cozy orange, cheerful yellow, calm, nurturing green, or luxurious purple—as a main colour or an accent.

The Colour and the Shade

Choosing the right colour isn’t just about picking a hue you like. In fact, Ottawa painting companies have often found that babies and infants tend to prefer soft pastel tones and bright primary colours most of all. You can also blend shades of your chosen colour with white, off-white, or soft grey to create a textured and dynamic space that will be stimulating and fun for your child.

The Paint Finish

Just in case you were holding onto some small measure of hope that it wouldn’t be so—your nursery is going to get messy! We won’t get into the details, but it’s safe to say that you will need a paint finish that can stand up to a lot of mess and that can be easily cleaned. Glossier finishes, which also reflect more light and can make a colour appear darker, tend to also be easier to clean. A great choice for any house painters preparing a nursery is to choose an eggshell finish, which offers great balance of light absorption and easy-cleaning. It’s also resistant to fading, making it a great choice if you plan on having more children in the future.

Get Creative

Things like accent walls, prints, patterns, and more aren’t just for adults—and in fact, these can add a dimension of fun to just about any nursery project for those house painters willing to take things to the next level. Now more than ever, don’t be afraid to experiment. It could pay off spectacularly!

For help with your nursery project, feel free to call upon professional painting companies in Ottawa—we have plenty of experience to share!

The post Pro House Painters Share Nursery Tips appeared first on AXCELL PAINTING.

What’s on your Road Map for 2016?

 What’s on your radar for 2016? Have you got a plan? Or a roadmap?

Our talented BP staff have put their collective heads together to look at everything that made an impact in 2015 and what we predict will be hot in the coming year. You can see a map of that, with links, in the image above.

We’ll be drilling deep into these topics in 2016, and invite you to get involved by subscribing, commenting and sharing. That being said, if there are topics in our Road Map that you have expertise or passion about, please contact us here to be set up for a guest writing opportunity.

And if you are linked in this article, we especially encourage you to share this fun info with your readers! Together, we make the next year better than the last, for us all.

Meanwhile, here’s some of what we see lighting up the paint industry in 2016:

Education 

There may be no hotter topic in 2016 than education and training, because it encompasses so many aspects of both the running of a business and the delivery of the paint service that the business offers. Everyone seems to have realized finally that business owners need to plan and have their marketing, estimating and sales stuff together. And, their crews need to be working in the current decade of product and process. When those two things happen at the same time, there is profit.

In the area of education, according to our map, all roads will lead back to the PDCA and it’s members to raise the bar on both the business and production side educational fronts. The PDCA Expo  will be held in New Orleans, and we have it first hand from their educational director that the ‘16 Expo will deliver beyond what it has in recent years.

Contractors Helping Contractors

Additionally, you practically can’t go online without seeing what Steve Burnett’s DYB Movement  has been up to and is growing into. On the heels of his 2015 book release “How to Double Your Business Without Making a Sale”, Steve has become a top industry choice for business coaching that is by all accounts both fun and effective.

Steve is the founder of the legendary marketing machine that is Burnett Painting in Florida. More on the DYB movement later in this article.

Production to Profit

On the field based production side of the equation, our own Scott Burt and his Prep to Finish co-founder Todd Pudvar seem to have figured out how to trot the globe in the interest of teaching others how to paint with current technologies.

In addition to teaching vocational students practical paint skills, P2F partnered with the North East Council PDCA to launch a series of contractor training workshops, debuting in the Boston and NYC Metro markets in 2015. They also found their way to Sherwin Williams University in Dallas and the Navy Pier in Chicago, with additional stops in Connecticut and Rhode Island – all in the interest of paint industry training.

Publicity: Painters Will be Heard in ’16

By way of publications that support educational info for paint contractors, American Painting Contractor magazine continues to lead the pack. Again, supporting our theory that most educational roads lead back to the PDCA, APC is the official magazine partner of the PDCA.

Another top read is The Paint Contractor magazine, which is published under the editorial vision of Jerry Rabushka, who has a fun and informative style. And a new entry in publications is InPaint magazine, which in the past was a Behr publication but is now an independent magazine that seems to do a good job of covering industry trends and products.

You are likely to see a lot of familiar names in the above-mentioned resources, with an abundance of knowledgeable contractors sharing information and networking, we’ll look at a few examples in the next post, stay tuned!

Leave a comment below and let us know what you plan for 2016!

Author information

Blogging Painters

The Blogging Painter is always out on the web looking for the best information to share with readers.

The post What’s on your Road Map for 2016? appeared first on The Blogging Painters.

Decorating Tips

Everyone loves to eat cake, which is nicely and perfectly decorated. But due to lack of decorating skill ones wish is not fulfilled up to the maximum level. Now with the help of cake decorating book one can easily decorate the cake and make it look more rich and delicious. These books are specially designed for preparing cakes. They also provide you with additional mouth watering recipes and tips to make your cake more delicious for consumption.

Cake Decorating Book is a perfect choice to decorate the cake. This book provides you essential tips, together with illustrated pictures to decorate your birthday cakes, Xmas cake, wedding cake and party cake. If you want to decorate the cake for any special occasion then you need to purchase a cake decorating book.

Now days you can find huge collection of such books online. This book can help you to decorate your cake in a professional manner. Cake Decorating Books not only help you to decorate your cake but it also helps you to make your cake delicious, which is an added advantage. Cake decorating book, which is offered online, requires no fundamental experience. With the help of cake decorating book you can prepare exclusive decorated pastries or cakes. This book is published in such a way that no one can refrain oneself from making a decorated cake. Each chapter carries new ideas and tips.

It is necessary that one should decorate the cake as it gives a distinct and appealing look that creates the desire to eat it. This cake decorating book is also perfect for beginners, which gives step by step instructions and guidance.

Decorating Tips was first seen on Wimbledon Painters and Decorator Services

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/decorating-tips.html

Which Wallpaper?

Choosing the right wallpaper You’ve decided to upgrade your room, by giving the walls a facelift with wallpaper, but how to go about choosing the right wall covering for you? Here are some tips to guide you:   Firstly, think about the room. What do you use it for? Is it a busy living room, …

The post Which Wallpaper? appeared first on SD Painting Contractors.

Home Painting

There is no rule which says you must paint woodwork white, or strip it, or color it to merge with the walls. In a room whose walls, window frames and doors are in the same neutral color, you could paint the skirting board a clear contrasting color. This will define the line between the floor and walls. Trim colors that contrast with walls and ceilings might suit your style in one room, while a more subtle color change might be right somewhere else in the house.

You can liven up plain, flat walls by adding moldings so as to create panels around the room. For best results, make sure you keep your working area in the proper temperature range recommended for the paint. All interior woodwork that has been stripped, from baseboard to dining room tables, needs to be prhymed with either a standard acrylic wood prhymer. After that you can paint on it with oil-based flat eggshell, gloss, or acrylic paints.

Most interior woodwork looks best in an eggshell finish, as high-gloss paint can have a rather bleak, deadening effect. If your plan is to paint walls, ceiling, and trim, then it's best to get the trim painted first, along with the room's windows and doors. Paint woodwork in small sections. Keeping a wet edge to avoid lap marks.

A wide range of broken- color effects work well on woodwork, but ideally you should use oil-based paints as latex has little durability on wood. Stains add color to wood while allowing its natural grain pattern to show through. Varnishes are clear finishes that form a tough coating over stain. They are available in a range of finish sheens from satin to high gloss. At the end of a project, combine all of the leftover paint of the same color into as few cans as possible.

The article Home Painting See more on: http://wimbledonpainters.co.uk

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/home-painting.html

Zibra Brushes

The folks at Zibra  have supplied several of our readers with their Palm Pro and Chiseled Wedge Brushes.

Check back to see what they have to say!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

zibra Overall rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 0 based on 0 reviews

5 1

Name
Email
Product
Rating
Comment

Author information

Blogging Painters

The Blogging Painter is always out on the web looking for the best information to share with readers.

The post Zibra Brushes appeared first on The Blogging Painters.

Concrete Paint

Preparation is important when applying floor paint. You can only expect a surface to stay in place, if its substrate is permanent. If the substrate crumbles or moves, your surface and floor paint will move with it. After 40 years of application practice, flooring experts have developed application preparation procedures that minimize the risk of substrates moving. Floors that are new are especially vulnerable and require extra preparation before painting the floor. While a new concrete floor is dusty for the first couple of years while the latent of concrete on the surface are kicked, walked, or driven off. The latent must be removed before quality topcoats are applied; or the topcoats will move with the latent as they break free from the substrate.

Cleaning first with a high pH or alkaline degreaser attacks oil and grease contaminants while moving the floor pH higher will do wonders for the floor paint finish. And afterwards you put on a low pH acidic cleaner that attacks minerals, rust and other particles. That makes your pH jump 10 points or better to shock contaminants loose from substrates. An acidic cleaner should have detergents, rinse agents and water softeners blended into it so that it is formulated to do the best job possible. It is very important to bring the pH back to normal 6. 5 or 7 pH after cleaning, using a scrub rinse.

If you have ever tried to run your fingers across your car after pressure washing it; you know that it still has a thin layer of road film on it. That is because surface tension holds even high pressure from penetrating the road film. You must break the surface tension with contact during all three steps of cleaning. The more aggressive the contact the better for removing concrete latent, small particles of concrete that are ready to break of to become that endless dust coming off unquoted concrete floors.

You should be careful relying on retail store clerks alone, to help you with a floor that will be used for the next 10 to 20 years. Now a day's factory-direct kit of materials including step-by-step instructions and a 24/7 online help are now on hand. With these resources, you can put quality floor paint down in your garage that will last for many years. Like with a car finish, you may get any scratches and marks, but likewise a car finish, a little touching up can keep the floor paint looking good for many years.

Concrete Paint was first published to Wimbledon Painters

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/concrete-paint.html

Paint Schemes

Owners of historical homes know that choosing paint colors is a nerve-wracking and critically important decision. Ready-mix paints have been available since the middle part of the nineteenth century and from that time home owners have had to choose their colors without really knowing how their finished home will look. After all, a two inch paint chip looks very different from a 3,000 square foot house!

In a visit to New England in the 1840s, famed novelist Charles Dickens commented, "All the buildings looked as if they had been painted that morning . . . Every house is the whitest of white; every shutter is the greenest of green. "

If you have an older home and want to choose colors other than green and white, here are some guidelines"

1. Light colors "advance" a home while dark colors cause it to "recede". This means that lighter shades will make your home appear larger and closer to the street, while darker shades make your home seem smaller and further away. If you want your house to blend in and be less noticeable, therefore, a darker hue is best.

2. Light dramatically affects how colors appear to the human eye. In cooler climates the light is diffused and bold colors are intensified. In southern climates, the harsher, brighter sunlight will cause pale tints to appear washed out.

3. If you want your gutters and downspouts to be less noticeable, paint them the same color as the house.

4. Make sure any mildew problems are solved before painting. Test suspicious spots with household bleach and if they change color, you definitely have a mildew problem.

5. Moisture problems must be eliminated before painting. If they are not, water will ruin even the best paint job.

6. Some paint manufacturers offer color 'families' to simplify choosing. That is, there are several colors that go well together and eliminate the agony of figuring out the exact right shade for the trim so that it will relate well to the primary exterior color.

7. It's always possible to get expert help. This is especially desirable if you own a historical landmark and wish for it to be restored to its former appearance. Historical paint consultants are familiar with shades available at the time the home was built and can generally do research to determine original colors. These folks understand chemical changes in paint and can mostly figure out what the original colors looked like before they faded to today's milder colors.

8. There is software available that allows home owners to scan in a picture of their home and then try out different colors without making an actual commitment. It's powerful to see your home in Colonial Barn Red or Patriot Federal Blue before actually putting a drop of color on the outside.

9. You might consider staining your historical property, rather than painting it. Stain is cheaper and it will not peel off or crack the way paint does. This is because it actually sinks into the wood, rather than coating it so it will instead weather and dim over time. Stain will not cover up any imperfections in the wood the way paint does, however.

Owning and living in a historically significant home is a privilege and maintaining that house is a responsibility to take seriously. Therefore, avoid hasty color choices and take the time to choose wisely.

Paint Schemes was originally published on Wimbled Painters Plasterer Service

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/paint-schemes.html

Launch of a Superfine Imitation Goat Hair Paint Brush

VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA, December 14, 2015 – Attamark has introduced a Superfine imitation goat hair paint brush in 1″, 2″, 3″, and 6″ sizes to achieve a smooth painting experience while leaving no brush strokes.

 

Made with a proprietary blend of synthetic solid round tapered filaments and bristle, the Superfine paint brush encounters no drag, unlike any other synthetic paint brush.  The benefits of using a bristle paint brush would be the absence of drag, i.e. the resistance a painter feels when dragging a brush across the painted surface.  However, when used in water-based paints for an extended period of time, pure bristle paint brushes begin to lose their shape due to water retention in the bristles.  The alternative is a Superfine paint brush, which combines the best of both worlds – the long-lasting qualities of a synthetic paint brush, and the no-drag feel of a bristle paint brush.

 

Attamark makes quality paint accessories for the professional painter and contractor including paint brushes, paint rollers, roller frames, masking tape and scrapers, all available at various points along the price-quality continuum.  For more information, please visit www.attamark.com.

Author information

Blogging Painters

The Blogging Painter is always out on the web looking for the best information to share with readers.

The post Launch of a Superfine Imitation Goat Hair Paint Brush appeared first on The Blogging Painters.

Discover Ten Trade Secrets of Interior Painters

Ottawa Residential Painters Share Some Useful Painting Tips

To achieve a lasting, professional-looking job, read our ten interior painters tips and your next paint project will likely be less frustrating, with a quality finish on par with that of Ottawa residential painters.

1. Try to maintain a wet edge to eliminate lap marks: Lap marks appear when wet paint is rolled over an area of partially dried paint. Interior painters suggest maintaining a good working speed and to always slightly overlap paint coats before they dry.

2. Achieve a consistent colour by mixing several paint cans together: If you are painting a large room that requires more than one paint can, mix them together in a large pail ahead of starting your job, since colours can differ slightly from one batch to the next.

3. For sharp edges cut the painters tape loose before removing it: Wait a minimum 24 hours before removing the painters tape to allow for the paint to fully dry. Then carefully cut along the edges with a utility knife.

4. Obey a strict painting order: Stick to an order that most interior painters use. First the trim, then the ceiling and finally—the walls. The reasoning behind this? Ultimately it will save you time since it’s quicker to tape off the trim than the walls.

5. Prime any patched areas: To eliminate blotchy finishes, always apply primer to areas you had patched up prior to painting. Try using a roller and feathering out edges to achieve an even finish.

6. Always clean surfaces before painting: Any Ottawa residential painter will tell you this—thoroughly clean your work area prior to painting to ensure good paint adhesion. If there are holes, fill them and sand the area smooth.

7. Roll close to edges for a consistent paint finish: Brushed paint differs in texture from rolled paint. Interior painters suggest brushing on paint in corners and immediately rolling it out, as close to the edge as possible.

8. Cotton over plastic: Follow the lead of professional interior painters and use a cotton drop cloth instead of plastic. The latter is too slippery and does not soak up spilled paint. Nevertheless, wipe up any larger spills right away to protect the underneath flooring.

9. Feather out paint to avoid lap marks: Where wet edges cannot be maintained Ottawa residential painters suggest to feather out the paint by rolling the nearly dry roller in various directions along the painted edge. This creates a feathered border, which the next paint application covers.

10. Apply multiple coats on trim: To achieve good paint coverage on trims, paint multiple coats. Allow to dry for a minimum 24 hours, then sand the trim for a smoother texture using fine-grit sponges.

Did we miss anything? Get in touch with an Ottawa residential painter today to get your questions answered or your project evaluated.

The post Discover Ten Trade Secrets of Interior Painters appeared first on AXCELL PAINTING.

Update Your Kitchen in 2016

Creative kitchen design The kitchen is the heart of the household, a room that is put to the test daily, withstanding intensive use, which can leave it looking a little worn out and in need of improvement. You want to update your kitchen and move with the trends, but your budget won’t stretch that far, …

The post Update Your Kitchen in 2016 appeared first on SD Painting Contractors.

Industrial Painting

Americans memorialize those whoever have sacrificed their lives in a variety of ways. One man is making it easy to do it artistically.

A 20-by-25-foot memorial in Seattle to those whoever suffered in New York during Sept. 11 features a well-known photograph that reminds viewers of the strength of emergency personnel during that time. The image, originally taken by Thomas E. Franklin of the Bergen Record, was painted directly on the side of a building in October 2001 by John Tideman, an inventor based in Bothell, Wash. The process took 24 hours.

Tideman has developed a machine that can safely reproduce any image on a large surface. This computer-driven device, named an Automated Mural Imagery System, can paint a mural on any flat surface, including glass windows and wet plaster. Tideman used it to paint the well-publicized photo along a mural corridor just south of downtown Seattle.

In an industrial area that has been covered with graffiti and gang insignias, Tideman's mural remains undisturbed years after it was first painted, indicating the depth and strength of the image in the hearts of all Americans.

Now that pictures might be created on any surface with Tideman's fast, safe and inexpensive equipment, towns and cities have a better opportunity to honor heroes, display works of art or convey cultural expressions. Rather than conveying neglect or being an eyesore, blank walls can now bring expressions of life to a community.

Industrial Painting Find more on: Wimbledon House Painter Service

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/industrial-painting.html

Famous Interior Designers

Interior Decorating Book is one of the best references for decorating the interior in your house. With the help of this book anyone can decorate the interior of his house. If you are intending decorating your children's room, your kitchen, garden or your drawing room, this book provides you with different techniques of decorating. It is a well-informed book that contains any of the best tips for interior decorating.

Interior Decorating Book: Advantage

• It is a guide, which helps you to get the best interior design for your house.
• It is well formatted with interior decorating tips, step by step decorating instructions as well as basic interior decorating tips.
• The language used in this book is simple to understand and inculcate. To add up to its value these books also provide you with attractive pictures which make things easy to understand. This book is simple, easy and contains many illustrated examples. It contains many essential tips to paint ceilings and walls of your house. In other words, it is a complete Home Decorating Book.

Interior Decorating Book: Content
It contains step by step chapters on how to use wallpapers, how to arrange or remodel the furniture, how to paint ceilings, wall, doorstep, doors, tips to decorate the room for youngsters, children and aged, and much more.

Everyone wants to decorate his home in a unique manner. What better way can you find other than using an appropriate interior designing book. Today one can find number of outlets selling such decorating books online. These outlets provide you with different varieties of decorating books as per your requirements.

Famous Interior Designers Read more on: Wimbledon Painters

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/famous-interior-designers.html

Finding your Niche

In The Beginning

Most painters I know started out with a desire to be self-employed and have a decent set of painting skills. That was enough motivation for me to get going, too. Of course, I later found out that there is a whole lot more to running a painting business than I ever imagined! In those early days, we were thrilled to have a chance to bid a job and there wasn’t anything that I wasn’t willing to do. If it wasn’t nailed down, I would paint it; sometimes, even if it was! I didn’t really have a specialty, but I wasn’t trying to be a handyman. Basically, I was not running a painting business, I was running an Anything–For–Money business. But one day a beautiful accident happened that changed the course of my business and helped me land more jobs for painting and become a local expert in a very specific niche.

The Gift

We landed a job for an older gentleman that turned out to be the biggest one we ever had up to that point. This man was renovating a house and needed a lot of work done. We were hired to paint the walls and that was it. As he looked for other contractors to do additional work I would pipe up and tell him that we could do those other things he needed done as well. He needed the work done and we needed the work, so it seemed like a great solution for both of us!

We put in a new hardwood floor, a tile backsplash, hung a giant mirror, and even fixed a toilet. Then he asked us something I’ve never been asked…

“Do you paint kitchen cabinets?”

I had never done it before, but that didn’t stop the “YES!” from coming out of my mouth. Heck yeah we paint cabinets! Now I just had to figure out how it was supposed to be done. Little did I know at the time that this would be a golden nugget, a catalyst, that would later drive more business than anything else I had ever tried.

The Journey

That afternoon, I tracked down my Sherwin–Williams paint rep and asked him what products he recommended for painting cabinets so that it would look good and last a long time. After getting his recommendations, and watching a few hundred YouTube videos on the subject, we were ready to go. Of course, nothing is as easy as it seems and cabinet painting proved to be no exception. It was a lot of tedious work and, honestly, not worth what we charged for that first endeavor.

What followed made that little experience all worth it.

Even a Blind Squirrel Finds a Nut (or Niche)

After the job was complete, we took pictures of everything, got a great testimonial from our customer, described the work that had been done, and posted it on our website. Two weeks later, I started getting call after call from people wanting their cabinets painted. How did people all of a sudden know that we did that? It turns out that people had been searching online for “Cabinet Painting.” That one little post, along with the pictures, somehow got picked up by Google and was now ranking on the first page!

Whether I wanted to be or not, I was now the local cabinet painting expert.

Needless to say, I quickly honed my skills and methods to become more efficient and better with each passing job. Not only that, but I can now charge much more than I did in the beginning and our customers are thrilled! It’s still less expensive than new cabinets or even refacing.

What’s My Point?

By now you may be thinking, “Good for you. Now you can paint cabinets.” The truth is that we really don’t like painting cabinets. It’s tedious and time-consuming, but it’s a profitable niche, and the biggest plus is that we get so much additional work out of it. Let me explain; often times, when people want their cabinets painted, they also want their kitchen (or even their whole house) painted. When I get there to do a cabinet estimate, I always make sure to explain that we also do full interior and exterior repaints. More often than not, we will land that additional work as well. Most people don’t want to deal with 2 or 3 different contractors.

We no longer lay floors or deal with backsplashes and toilets because we don’t have to! We have so much paint work that we are now able to focus on what we do best!

Takeaways

I’ve learned several things in this (and other, similar) experiences. I have listed them here for you:

1. Become an expert at one or two things—that’s all!
2. “Brag” about it. Post it on your website, put it on your Facebook page, take before and after pictures. And ASK FOR REVIEWS!!!
3. Having a specialty that you are known for will make the phone ring and lead to additional opportunities.
4. Use this expertise to win additional work by letting customers know everything you offer. They will be more willing to use you if you are already at their place doing other work.

Ask yourself:

“What is a service that I currently offer that I can highlight to get my foot in the door?”

Here are some ideas for a niche:

• Garage floor painting/epoxy coating
• Wood door re-staining
• Wallpaper removal
• Deck staining/waterproofing
• Pressure Washing
• Specialty painting (we used cabinets, but there are other things: appliances, tile, concrete, etc.)

Focus your marketing efforts on these niche things to make the phone ring. Once you’ve established yourself within a niche then rinse and repeat with another one. Before you know it, you will be the expert at 3 or 4 things and dominate your market for everything else painting related!

Hi, I’m Dan Kelly with Kelly & Sons Painting in Salem Oregon.

Dan

I am the typical outdoor type of guy that loves camping, fishing, and spending time with my family. I love church and attend regularly. Like most Americans my purpose is to provide a good life for my family, make people happy and grow my business.

I have to admit that I am not a self taught painter. Instead I have been taught by well seasoned painters. This apprenticeship type training has led me to be a fantastic painter.

I constantly learn new things and keep my skills and abilities current with the ever changing and evolving technology in the painting industry.

Author information

Guest

If you would like to be a Guest Blogger, please contact us using the Contact Us page. Thanks

The post Finding your Niche appeared first on The Blogging Painters.

Floor Plans

There are various websites on the internet that allow you to view any of the finest floor plans. Some of these sites charge you a nominal fee to download the exact specifications of the online floor plan that suits you while others offer the most popular online floor plans for free!

The benefit of browsing through a website that offers online floor plans is that a whole new world of possibilities will open in front of you.

All of us have a dream house in mind that we would like to build and live in any day. In fact, many of us work towards a fine house where we would like to relax in. Sadly, the rising costs of living and even inflation have ensured that this house remains a dream for most.

The same is the case with me. I dream of a fine house with a lavish garden where my family and I can relax and enjoy life. And although I don't have the means to afford the house right now, I am pretty sure that one day I will be able to afford it. Meanwhile I continue to source out various aspects of the dream house. And recently, I stumbled upon a goldmine – online floor plans!

Speaking for myself, when I went to one such website looking for online floor plans, I was confronted by a mind boggling range of online floor plans for really any kind of house. This particular website had floor plans that could be searched by any or all of a combination of key words. For instance, I could search for online floor plans based on number of rooms. I could also select to view online floor plans based on the style of construction.

If I knew what I wanted and more or less how I wanted it to look, I could opt to see online floor plans based on the area of the construction or the material best suited for the online floor plan of a particular type of construction. Why? I could even view online floor plans for futuristic and designer homes!

While most of these floor plans are very basic, unless you decide to buy a complete online floor plan with drawings, scale sheets, blueprints etc, they still offer one a wealth of information about the kinds of construction taking place.

And once you browse through the comprehensive collection of online floor plans, your dream house will look that much better and you will be motivated to build and live in it that much sooner. Trust me! I still continue to browse through online floor plans. And my dream home is getting better by the day.

The following post Floor Plans was first seen on Wimbledon Painters Exterior Decorating Service

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/floor-plans.html

Cool Rooms

1. You'll be able to communicate with your visitors. They'll begin to trust you and get to know you on a more personal level. People will purchase products quicker from somebody they already know and trust.

2. People will revisit your web site to participate on your discussion board or chat room. They will meet other people with similar interests and your web site will become a hang out were they can chat.

3. You can learn important info about your visitors by reading the conversations they have. They may chat about your web site or products. With this info you could learn to market your products more effectively.

4. You could answer the questions your visitors ask in your online communities. You'll become known as an expert by giving the answers to their questions. This will give you and your business more credibility.

5. You could teach a free online class using your chat room. This will give you an expert status and increase traffic to your web site by offering the free class.

6. When your discussion board or chat room becomes popular, you could sell advertising space on them. This will give you an extra income stream for your web site.

7. You can network with other businesses by having a chat room or discussion board. You could exchange business ideas, leads, advertising, etc.

8. You could allow other web sites who don't have a discussion board or chat room to use yours. You will get free advertising by allowing them to link to your online community.

9. When you have a discussion board or chat room you can get free advertising by listing them in online community directories. You can also join web rings with similar discussion topics.

10. You can make money by advertising your own products and services on your discussion board or chat room. You could also join other people's affiliate programs and make commissions advertising them.

Cool Rooms is courtesy of Wimbledon Painters

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/cool-rooms.html

Bathroom Design

So what has the recent slump in real estate affected home remodeling trends in Southern California? After 4 years of heady growth, real estate inventory is going up and prices have cooled somewhat. Conventional wisdom would lead us believe that value home remodeling like kitchen design, landscape design, bathroom remodeling or cabinets replacement, will also go south due to paucity in home equity loans.
However, that has not been the case. Homeowners concern for addition in value and functionality continue to grow, and Kitchens continue to expand and bathrooms get remodeled often. Especially in Burbank, Malibu, Chatsworth, Woodland Hills and Fernando valley, home remodeling companies like 4 Seasons (www. 4scd. com) continue to report significant uptake. What is more noteworthy is that higher end homes continue to press for
obtaining more luxurious elements; both remaining highly desirable and popular remodeling projects. However, home improvement industry experts are reporting a surge in specific remodeling trend themes. Current remodeling projects are witnessing a dramatic emphasis – as niche needs are sought to be met, often focusing on a single family member. Specific attention to detail for smaller projects are required as the net has
made the consumers extremely savvy and knowledgeable. Right from the wood veneer to the remodeling layout, consumers are increasingly becoming vocal about their needs and interests.
Landscape Design is another cyclical trend industry mostly picks up in the fall. This time too, home remodeling companies like www. 4scd. com will prhyme themselves for the fall and summer of 2007.
For the uninitiated, this means that the housing boom will continue

Bathroom Design is republished from http://wimbledonpainters.co.uk/

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/bathroom-design.html

Exterior House Painting in Ottawa—In the Winter?

Ottawa House Painters Talk about Cool Weather Paints and Techniques

There used to be a time when, if you wanted to do exterior house painting in Ottawa, you had to get it done in the window between spring and summer when the outside temperatures were just right. Usually, this would be fine—except for those instances when your paint becomes damaged during the fall or winter, or things took a cold turn before you were able to finish the paint job. Then you’d have to wait until the warm weather came back to call on Ottawa house painters again.

Well, the times have changed, and today you can paint in much cooler temperatures than ever before.

The Way Things Were

Oil-based paints were the industry standard for house painting in Ottawa and around the world, and were favoured for their rich colours and smooth finishes. However, they dry slowly as it is in warm weather and even slower the cooler it gets, and can become brittle and crack in cold weather. Today, more and more painters are switching to acrylic house paint, though traditionally, most acrylics are only rated for use between 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit—about 10 and 24 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Paints Rated for Cool Temperatures

Today, you can hire Ottawa house painters even on chilly days, thanks to modern acrylics and additives rated for use between 35 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit (that’s about 2-10 degrees Celsius). While you wouldn’t be able to use this paint in weather below freezing (and really, would you want to?) you can certainly apply it on some of the warmer days that this particular fall and winter have in store for us—and future chilly days when you might need to touch up your paint without leaving it for spring.

What Else You Need to Know

Although your paint is rated for use at temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, it’s important to note that it will dry much more slowly regardless of its rating. You should ideally leave a coat to dry overnight before giving it a second coat. Paint while the sun is up, ideally between the hours of 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM, and try to follow the sun—i.e. work on the side of the house receiving the most sunlight at a given time. When buying brushes and other products, ask a professional for advice on the best products for cool-weather usage. And if you’re unsure if you can take on the task yourself, be sure to contract professional Ottawa house painters.

House painting in Ottawa doesn’t have to be limited to just the spring and summer—so don’t put off that touch-up job any longer than you have to!

The post Exterior House Painting in Ottawa—In the Winter? appeared first on AXCELL PAINTING.

Home Interior

It is quite rare to ask a person about their dream house, and to hear that they 'haven't really thought about it'. I am sure you have some of your own home interior ideas but you may need a little jumpstart to really get creative. This short guide will get your creative juices going.

What's Your Style?

You should keep in mind that in order to design your home, you have to get in touch with the signature style and express it in your own unique way. If you end up looking at a lot of other people's house, and merely try to replicate what they have done, it will be likely that you will not really feel like your home is an expression of yourself. Don't be afraid to be unique and creative with your home interior ideas.

You could express your style through the kind of collectibles you display, the artwork on your walls, the kind of foliage you maintain, etc. However, it is important to keep in mind that you are not doing all this just to occupy space. Each article should be an inspiration and convey a certain message about yourself and family. The true beauty in developing your unique home interior ideas is that you own the ideas, feel and look which is truly priceless.

Home Interior See more on: Wimbledon Painters Interior Decorator Service

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/home-interior.html

Painting Contractors

During the final stages of a painting project, taking a tour through the area and assessing the quality of the job should be first on the to do list. Here are a few tips from professional painting contractors for a finished surface inspection. If possible, examine the painted surfaces in both natural daylight and artificial light. Different anomalies may be visible in different lighting conditions.

Even Coverage

Look for paint coverage that's evenly and consistently applied. For finding uneven or patchy coverage, your best bet will be to check around window frames and adjacent corners. Make sure that the lines of the paint job are clean and even and that there are no gaps in coverage.

No Blemishes

Look for bumps, cracks, strange adhesions, and other anomalies on the surface. These blemishes are often the sign of improperly applied coats, or unforeseen complications in the process. If something is wrong, point out the area to your painting contractor and ask for an explanation.

No Bleed Through

A properly finished painting job requires several coats of product for even coverage and good protective qualities Check to make sure that you cannot see any of the old paint through the new paint layers. Similarly, watch out for prhymer bleeding through the fresh paint.

Looks Good Up Close and from a Distance

Finally, step back and look at the overall results of the project. Occasionally, subtle problems do not reveal themselves until you take a step back and look at the big picture. If you spot something that is just a little off, it may be a sign of a flaw that slipped by a close-up inspection. Take another swing through the project to discover any hidden flaws.

You don't need to do a rigorous inspection all on your own. Good painting contractors will help you appraise their work and walk through the finished project with you.

Painting Contractors Read more on: http://www.wimbledonpainters.co.uk

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/painting-contractors.html

Choosing Paint Contractors: Tip for Consumers

Times are Changing in the Paint Industry

The topic of choosing paint contractors has been done to death but never ends up in the ground. There’s lots of well-intended info on the internet about “How to Choose a Paint Contractor”, but even bad contractors have figured out how to dodge the common questions that homeowners ask, and they often smooth it over with lower prices. Buyer beware. 

If you are researching this topic, then you have probably already seen many of the garden variety offerings on paint contractor selection.  You know…”get 5 estimates, ask for 5 references”, and such. If contractors are starting to look and sound the same to you, then you need to better understand who you are hiring.

So, here’s a look at one of the most common and critical questions homeowners ask paint contractors during the estimate process:

“Are You Going to be the One Doing the Work?”

When choosing paint contractors, consumers apparently find comfort in knowing that the owner of the company will be present on the job and painting – presumably to keep the painters in line and to make sure the job is done right.

While that is understandable in theory, it rules out other appealing options for the homeowner. If you’ve had bad luck or bad vibes with the “on the job” paint contractor, consider another approach.

What if the Owner is NOT the Best Painter in his Company?

The makeup of the paint industry is changing quickly. In the past, most people starting paint companies were good painters who didn’t want to work for someone else because they thought they could make more money running their own show.

Often lacking proper business (communication and relationship building) skills, this can be a treadmill leading to burnout. Burnout causes desperate behavior. Desperate behavior causes low bids. Low bids cause shortcuts and shoddy work. Not in all cases, but it seems people only talk about the bad examples.

[Related: What Desperate Estimators Look Like]

In recent years, the paint industry has seen a significant increase in entrepreneurs entering as paint business owners, with little or no painting experience. And there are some high level resources available to assist business owners in the paint industry, such as the PDCA.

If the business owner focuses on the operation and success of the business, instead of making sure no paint is spilled on each job, it can be better for all involved. Imagine, paint services being delivered like a real business experience. 

This has always been my goal when building crews for my residential paint company. I came up through as a painter and started my business. By my 30’s, I realized that if I could hire and train the right people, I could actually be the worst painter in my company – and I am actually a very good painter.

I call this the “surround yourself with talent” phenomenon. By building a talented crew, and creating an Operations Manager position with the right person in charge on the job, I got out of the silly and unproductive situation of spending my days on the job with a paint brush in one hand and a phone in the other – doing neither at the highest level. 

Think About Changing Your Search Criteria

Don’t price shop or be in a hurry. Plan ahead.

So, what do you expect as the consumer when you insist that the owner be present? You are getting someone who may be physically present most of the time, but their mind is – and has to be – in a hundred other places throughout the day. You are not the only customer or concern.

In reality, there ARE more important priorities in running a paint company than changing the color of your dining room. The responsibilities of operating a company with employees is itself a full-time pursuit, requiring the immediate and full attention of the paint company owner. And that is to your advantage as well. It is good to know that if you call your contractor, he won’t have to put down a roller in someone else’s dining room to take your call.

The point is, if you search correctly, you can find a paint contractor who can put painters in your home that actually can make it their daily and only priority to make sure your project is done in the best way.

Can Employees Work Independently?

When you go to a restaurant do you expect the owner of the restaurant to prepare the food and serve you?

If the company owner can’t entrust a crew of employees (avoid companies who use subcontractors) to complete your project per your agreement and standards, then you simply should not hire that company. When the owner has assembled and trained a crew of painters that can focus on the paint job and customer service, it is usually the best experience for the homeowner.

Good paint contractors are not babysitters. They don’t have time for it, so they often choose to work alone. Those who employ successful crews build high expectations and accountability right into the program of hiring and assigning responsibilities. Trust me, you don’t want the owner of the company you hire to be surrounded by grunts who are not empowered in any way to care about their work. That is a waste of your time and money.

Final Word on Choosing Paint Contractors

As great as the temptation is, don’t make your decision solely based on price, even if all paint contractors start to look the same to you. Good paint contractors don’t sell paint jobs, they provide you with a service – an experience, and they make it their business to deliver that at a high level. The most trustworthy and reliable companies do this by employing skilled workers who are empowered and well paid for their reliability, quality standards and consideration.

Find a paint company with solid leadership on the job.

Check to see if the contractor you are considering has a website or blog, perhaps even with pictures and videos of their painters in action. This is a good sign.

If you can check the group out ahead of time, and confirm with the owner that these are real live employees (and not stock internet photos of painters), then you will be better prepared to know what to expect. First impressions are usually accurate, for better or worse.

You might also consider asking your top choice to introduce you to their operations manager/foreman/lead painter prior to commencement of work – perhaps for a meeting to sign the contract and schedule the job.

Paint company owners appreciate the opportunity to introduce their leaders to the customer, walk the job and review the scope of work in advance of the job. It is also a great opportunity to discuss day to day expectations such as where equipment may be stored and special requests you have to minimize inconvenience on the home front.

Well-thought-out contractor selection and honest communication allows consumers to proceed with confidence when choosing paint contractors. As the customer, you can actually influence the process for a smooth experience.

Homeowners often have bad experiences with paint contractors because they solely use price as the bargaining chip. You will pay more for a better paint company, but you will have a solid long term relationship that is reliable and predictable.

And when the painters show up on the first day, remember to offer them coffee and treat them as the professionals that they are. With well-chosen painters, showing respect guarantees you’ll receive it and much more in return.

Author information

Scott Burt

Owner at 802 Paint

Scott Burt owns and operates Topcoat Finishes, Inc. in Vermont, writes the monthly "From the Field" column in American Painting Contractor, and blogs prolifically at www.topcoatreview.com. Google

TwitterFacebookGoogle+LinkedIn

The post Choosing Paint Contractors: Tip for Consumers appeared first on The Blogging Painters.

Attamark Sash Brush

The folks at Attamark contacted Blogging Painters wanting to get opinions from our readers on this sash brush. They have been shipped out to our team, check back here to see what they say!

When it comes to cutting-in, having the proper tool is of paramount importance. Create sharp, well-defined lines fast with our Angle Sash paint brushes. Angle Sash brushes have a diagonal edge, instead of being straight across. The angled end allows you to reach into corners and paint more easily along lines. Many professional painters use an angle sash brush to paint window frames and for trim, paneled doors, furniture, cabinets or anything with grooves. Or where you have to paint close to another surface, e.g. where trim butts up against walls. In other words, it is ideal for detail work.

You can find more info their site here.

sash Overall rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 0 based on 0 reviews

5 1

Name
Email
Product
Rating
Comment

 

Author information

Blogging Painters

The Blogging Painter is always out on the web looking for the best information to share with readers.

The post Attamark Sash Brush appeared first on The Blogging Painters.

PDCA EXPO 2016-New Orleans

Get ready to let the good times roll in the Big Easy!

The PDCA is pleased to announce the 2016 PDCA Painting and Decorating EXPO will be headed to New Orleans on March 9, 2016 to March 12, 2016.

The Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA) is a national trade association dedicated to the success of painting and decorating contractors through ethics, education and excellence. Today, PDCA is recognized and supported by many industry manufacturers and suppliers as the premier organization committed to helping professional painting and decorating contractors improve their business.

“Want to learn what makes a successful painting contractor? Go to PDCA EXPO!” Dave Ryker, Midwest Decorating Indianapolis, IN.

The Painting and Decorating EXPO will be a four-day event filled with educational lectures, trainings as well as a trade show to wrap up the event. The EXPO will provide contractors with the proper tools necessary in order to excel in the industry. The Painting and Decorating EXPO is a great opportunity to network within the event. The EXPO will also feature a tradeshow highlighting the latest products and services in the industry. The Painting and Decorating EXPO as well as the trade show will give you the opportunity to network with peers from all over the country. For further information feel free to visit us online at www.paintinganddecoratingexpo.com or give us call at (800) 332-7322.

WHO: The Painting and Decorating EXPO is presented by the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA), a national trade association dedicated to the success of painting and decorating contractors through ethics, education and excellence.

WHAT: Painting and Decorating EXPO will be a four- day event in New Orleans, LA. This event will feature education, training, and advocacy from the industries best, while providing members with the best practices necessary to succeed in the business. The EXPO will also feature a tradeshow highlighting the latest products and services in the industry. The Painting and Decorating EXPO as well as the trade show will give you the opportunity to network with peers from all over the country.

WHERE: Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel Two Poydras Street New Orleans, LA, 70130 WHEN: March 9, 2016 to March 12, 2016

WHY: The Painting and Decorating EXPO will provide contractors with the tools, experience, and connections you need to excel in the industry. Our Mission is to provide adequate courses and training, as well as showcase the latest products to motivate you to take your business to the next level!

ADDITIONAL INFO: Visit our page www.paintinganddecoratingexpo.com

Or Call us at (800) 332-7322

Author information

Blogging Painters

The Blogging Painter is always out on the web looking for the best information to share with readers.

The post PDCA EXPO 2016-New Orleans appeared first on The Blogging Painters.

Interior Design Software

Interior design students will use interior design software that the professionals use in their everyday designing work. A popular program is SmartDraw. With the program you get thousands of ready-made graphics for fixtures for the kitchen, bathroom and for furniture. Other graphics include lighting fixtures, cabinets, landscape elements and office furniture.

The interior design software will also include textures for tiled floors, custom cabinetry and granite countertops. Smartdraw is easy to use software that will help you create fantastic design plans in minutes. It is quite fast and easy.

You will be able to design anything with SmartDraw interior design software such as house and garage plans, offices, kitchen and bathroom plans and even closet plans. The software is a real time saver for the interior design student and professional. This software is downloadable and ready to use right away.

SmartDraw interior design software offers free tech support and examples from professional interior design plans.

Another interior design software is Microspot Interiors. This software is designed for the Mac and allows the user to visualize their plans in 3D. This software is simple to use for both professionals and do it yourself home designers.

Microspot Interiors is a interior design software that is very popular among Mac users because of it's simplicity and the price tag which is just a fraction of the cost of most professional design software. The power of this software allows the user to come up with unlimited design possibilities. The advanced drawing tools of the software do most of the work. You can design the shape of the room and add virtually anything you want. You can also design the rooms in any particular size you want. Lighting tools are used to add sunlight to a room as well.

Microspot Interiors includes hundreds of furniture items and accessories, many of which were requested by users in the Microspot users' forum.

Interior design software is used extensively in the interior design profession. It allows the designer to virtually look at what their design plan will look like before implementing it.

Several interior design schools will offer online learning as part of their curriculum. The online method is designed so that the student can set their own pace and style of learning according to what really works best for them.

Interior design software is very helpful and useful but it requires a computer with a monitor that has the capacity for a high resolution that works with complex graphics. You will also need a lot of space on your hard drive to save files and to run the program. It would be a good idea to save your files to a re-writeable CD or DVD as well for backup.

There are many interior design software programs available on the market. If you can get a trial copy then that will give you a chance to test the product before buying.

Good luck with your search for interior design software. You will be very satisfied when you find the right software for your needs.

The post Interior Design Software Find more on: http://www.wimbledonpainters.co.uk

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/interior-design-software.html

How to make House Painting Painless

Tips for Choosing the Right Colours for Your Home

Tired of your boring white walls? You’re not the only one. To this day, it seems almost as if the brightly coloured kitchens and living rooms of the 1950s and ‘60s are solely mainstays of the past, though people prefer to live their lives in colour. House painting, like fashion, can be an easy and effective way to express yourself, so don’t be afraid to leave those dreary whitewashed walls in the past! All it takes is a fresh coat of paint.

Step 1: Choose a Colour You Love

It’s a good idea to pick a colour you already enjoy. It can serve to help define your character, if that’s what you’re going for. It will also guarantee a longer lifespan since it will take your longer to tire of it.

Never fear! Keep in mind that nothing is permanent. Though some interior decorators will tell you shades of green and grey are the hardest colours to paint over, even those colours can be replaced if you grow tired of them.

Step 2: It’s Best to Be Balanced

There’s a rule in interior design called “60/30/10” and it’s good to keep it in mind when choosing your house painting colour scheme. 60% of the space should be taken up by a dominant colour, 30% of it with a secondary colour, and the last 10% reserved for accenting. If you’ve chosen a primary colour, but can’t think of anything to pair it with, an Ottawa painting specialist would be happy to help narrow down the options to you create your perfect environment.

Step 3: Beware of Clashing Atmospheres

Most people don’t consider themselves “artists,” and can be a little intimidated by colour-related jargon like “warm vs. cool colours” and “bright vs. gaudy,” etc. The simple solution is: don’t overthink it. Warm colours are the colours you associate with fire (reds, oranges, yellows, browns); cool colours, with ice & nature (blues, purples, greens, greys). When colour pairing, colours in the same groups, and shades therein, tend to work nicely together.

Many Ottawa painting specialists and decorators will advise you against excessively using colours that are too bright, meaning solid blocks of complementary colours that pop against the colour scheme in the background and anything that would be unique – or visually jarring – in and of itself, like metallics and neons. That being said, this is your space, and making it say something about you is most important. When all is said and done, the colours you choose are entirely up to you, even if a professional decorator wouldn’t make the same calls.

In the end, you’re bound to feel more at home in a new room with character than you ever did inside a cold, clinical whitewashed room, and that’s all that matters.

The post How to make House Painting Painless appeared first on AXCELL PAINTING.

Interior Design Styles

Although a house has been up "For Sale" on the real estate market for some time, there are still many reasons why homeowners should choose to improve the interior design features of the home. Some homeowners believe that a few improvements to various places in the home will help to get it sold.

There are some real estate agents that would agree with these views absolutely, because they have brought numerous clients to the property but they were turned off by the outdated appearance of some of the spaces in the home. Prospective home buyers have the opportunity to review lots of houses before they buy and they can spot the homes that are deficient in many areas.

The best reasons to improve the interior design of homes that are listed on the real estate market are to present a better value for the asking price that is placed on the property and to give new home buyers the perception that the home is ready to be lived in without further repairs or home improvements necessary. Many home buyers need a hassle free home buying experience and immediate home improvements are a deciding factor in many homes being sold.

Other reasons to improve the interior design features on the home that is listed on the real estate market are to give the home more storage space. With the addition of a custom set of cabinets in the kitchen, and some inexpensive window treatments, it is possible to create the impression that the home is worth the asking price that is placed on the property. Home buyers love to have enough storage space and the new cabinets could be a good selling point.

The reasons to improve the interior design features for any home might include the outdated appliances in the kitchen. When some homeowners are considering relocating they will generally replace the old appliances with some that are shiny and new. The updated design features might make some homeowners happier with the home that they are living in and they may decide not to place their home for sale on the real estate market.

Energy efficiency ratings are other reasons to improve the interior design features of a home. The windows in many homes that are more than 30 years old will not have the energy efficient panes and thermal ratings as some homes on the real estate market. Many home buyers believe that older homes are built better than the newer homes being offered on the market. The interior design plan for home improvements should always include appliances and windows that have a high energy efficiency rating because every homeowner wants to save money on the energy bills in their home.

The following article Interior Design Styles was originally seen on wimbledonpainters.co.uk

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/interior-design-styles.html

Painting Company Names

In the commercial and industrial painting world, the basic working unit is the painting crew. Knowing how to put together a tightly knit, highly efficient work crew is the defining activity for a painting company. If the company can field great painting crews, then financial success is a lot more likely.

A professional painting company considers the painting crews as the front line of their business. Sure, the clients' project managers and facilities directors talk with the home office, but the crews at the job site see clients face to face every working day. Add in the contact time between the crew and the employees of industrial and commercial clients, and there is a lot of potential for a painting company's people to make a great impression when and where it really counts.

Leadership Qualities for a Professional Painting Company Crew

To put together an outstanding painting crew, start by looking for a leader, someone who can understand the larger picture of a project and is able to communicate that knowledge as needed to the other workers on the crew. Other leadership qualities that are highly desirable include the ability to interpret directions from a project manager, solid professional painting experience, diplomatic skills and sound judgment.

Front Line Workers for a Professional Painting Company Crew

Some employees are natural craftsmen, and prefer to work on the fine details of a project. Other employees are workhorses, able to get a lot of work done in a short amount of time. A professional painting company encourages crew leaders to match the natural strengths of the workers to the tasks presented by a project.

Morale for a Professional Painting Company Crew

Morale is a very important part of a successful work crew. Fighting, rivalries and personal complaints will interfere with the work at hand. In order to produce quality results every time, a work crew must be able to do more than just get along. The personalities have to click, and if they don't click, the crew leader needs to be perceptive enough to notice the problem and skilled enough to deal with the issue before it affects a project.

Ultimately, putting together the ideal painting crew is about recognizing the value of people, and putting that recognition to work for the company. A well-tuned painting crew does more than accomplish work. The right people can actually drive business for a painting company.

The blog post Painting Company Names is republished from Wimbledon Painters Exterior Decorating Service

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2015/12/painting-company-names.html

Do you need a website?

I recently noticed Devyn giving advice to members at a popular paint forum I visit and was impressed with his responses. He has created a website generator that can create a professional looking website for a minimal monthly cost and optimize it, a challenge for many paint contractors. I was curious, and I asked him a few more questions after he generated a site for me here. If you want to create a site like this for your business, you can generate your painting website here.

Devyn recently posted an article on his site, “Why does your business need a professional website” and I asked him a few questions about his services.

Q.Who are you and what do you do?

A.DE Web Designs is a web design and search engine optimization company that is focused on creating new customers through first page search engine results. We get our clients’ website on the first page of search results. When a potential customer searches online for a service you offer, they’ll find your website and contact you instead of your competitors.

Q.Will I have content that is unique to my area/company?

A.While the content is already created as you can see from the generator, we are more than happy to make changes or additions to it. The content will be specific to the area you primarily focus on

Q.Can I use my own photos?

A. Absolutely! Send us the highest qualities photos and we will switch them out, add them to the site and even format a gallery if you have enough. The higher the quality, the better they will look.

Q. Can I use my logo and logo colors throughout the website?

A. Of course. The logo on the generated website is there for illustration purposes. Although, if you do like it, we can modify the colors or leave it as is if you don’t have a logo.

Q. Will my site be mobile-friendly?

A.Yes. All of the professional websites we create are mobile-friendly. It’s a standard to us, and it’s an important ranking factor in Google’s eyes.

Q.What if I don’t have any social media accounts? (G+, FB, Twitter)

A. That doesn’t matter. If you have them, we can link your social media on the website so new visitors can follow you. If not, and you choose a package with social media management, we will create them for you and you will never have to worry about it.

Q. What happens when the contract ends?

A. After the contract term is up, you can cancel the contract or let it renew for the same term length. If renewed, you will continue to receive the monthly services for the same price. Once the contract is cancelled, all monthly work stops and all changes or additions will be based on an hourly fee.

Q.What if don’t have a domain name?

A. No worries. We will find the right domain for you. It costs an additional $10 to register for a year and $15 each year to renew. We do not have control of these prices.

Q. Do you do the hosting?

A. Hosting is included while the contract is active. After the contract is cancelled, hosting is $10/month and is due annually.

Q. What happens if the site goes down?

A. In the very unlikely event that your website goes down, we will do everything we can to get it right back up. The hosting company we use guarantees 99.9% uptime.

Q. Do I have to do backups or updates?

A. No you do not. We manage everything for you so you can focus on your business.

Q. Once the contract is up, do we get to keep content?

A. After the contract is paid for, the website, domain, content, images, etc. are yours.

Q. What’s the process if I want a change made on my website?

A. It’s much quicker for both parties to just send us an email with what you want changed and we’ll take care of it within 24 hours normally. Most changes are included in the monthly fee while under contract.

Q. Do you provide the support?

A.We provide everything you need help with. From setting up your emails onto your cell phone, email applications on your computers or laptops, to website changes or additions, we are here to help.

This sounds like a very good approach for those not ready to invest in a custom site (expensive), or realize that their time is better spent in their business, not in their website or keeping up with the ever-changing world of SEO (time-consuming).

 

Author information

Chris Haught

Editor at Blogging Painters at Partners in Sites

Chris Haught is the editor of Blogging Painters, the leading resource for paint contractors. Chris also works with contractors to improve their website and social media presence. When not blogging about the painting industry, she works in the educational sector as a media and technology mentor.

TwitterFacebookGoogle+LinkedIn

The post Do you need a website? appeared first on The Blogging Painters.