How to go about getting a painting job

[ApplePie]

Hi there, my dh used to work as a painter in a previous life and would dearly love to get back into the area again! He is currently in a management job that he loves but which has terrible hours and even worse pay. His prospects for improvemet in his current job are non existant and similar jobs are simply not out there. He's been looking since Christmas and hasn't even found a job to apply for, never mind get!

So, painting it is.... he'll have daytime hours, weekends off, unless he chooses not to and will be able to earn so much more money.

But how to get the work?? He doesn't want to 'go out on his own'. Wants the security of a paypacket each week.

Should he contact all the painting contractors or should he look at builders directly? We're in the west.

Thanks in advance,
ApplePie

 

[Kerak]

In this climate , an Irish painter isa thing of the past. Irish painters, are getting the work and using Polish and other non-nationals to do the work.They pay them quiet well, they work hard, and usually do a good job, but the charge to clients is very high and the irish contractor is making very good profits.

It not just the painting trade either.

The painting trade has usually split along " housepainters", domestic, light commerical work, need skill and ability to work in areas where care is needed, and "site painters", who slap it on quick and move on.

Its rare to find a painter who can do both styles.

My advice would be to take on small domesctic clients , single rooms, h/s/l, small outsides. Keep the overheads down, only do what one can handle, do a good job , charge a fair price and within a few weeks , word of mouth will ensure plenty of work.

Still alot of suspecion about letting cheap and unkown contractors into your house!

old adage, " u get what u pay for",and "pay peanuts get monkeys"

Good time to try it o ut, summer approching, get a yng lad/lassie to assist for the summer.

Other approch would be to try and be come a chargehand/foreman for a painting contractor witha large crew of non-national painter, site operators/clients like to deal in english!

best of luck anyway.



best of