Skip to: site menu | section menu | main content
Before You Start Painting Houses...
Questions you should ask yourself/Decisions you have to make before getting started:
Before you even begin to launch your business as a painter, you should consider these questions:
Do you know how to paint?
If you’re confident enough, you don’t even need to know how to paint. It’s relatively easy and with this guide, you can learn as you go. However, 99% of the population are not 100% confident in their abilities. In this scenario, it might be beneficial to find a partner who knows how to paint or to paint for someone for a week or two (that’s all that is required to learn how to paint).
Do you have any work?
Do you have any jobs to start out with? Is your great-aunt looking to have her deck painted? Do you know of someone who is looking for painters? Ask around your friends and family to see if there are any jobs you can start with. It’s important that you have 1 or 2 jobs to begin with that you are comfortable with so you can deal with tougher painting clients at a later date.
Do you want to focus on outdoor painting or indoor painting or both? Outdoor painting can be very rewarding and it feels great to work outside. However, if you live in an area that has an off season (rainy/cold season), your work can be very limited. In this situation it is better to take on both.
However, it is my experience that outdoor painting is more profitable and gives you a greater piece of mind. While you still need to be considerate and neat, outdoor painting has a greater margin of error. An unnoticed paint drip or two here and there in shrubs isn’t nearly as damaging as a paint drip on carpet.
Should I start alone or with a partner?
It has been my experience that it is always better to work with a partner. They share the work (which is especially beneficial when you’re tired at the end of the day), they share the costs, and they keep you company (which is important). That being said, do not go into business with someone who you do not trust 100% or feel you may not get along with.