Friday, September 22, 2006

Well, just to be a smart-ass, here's MY last exterior paint job for the year. I wish I had taken before pictures. It was completely white, siding, trim, doors....everything. The front doors took 5 coats to get the finish looking good. Bright fire-engine red. We ended up having to go back and re-paint all the white trim because the local Benjamin Moore store mistinted (yes, mistinted) Cloud White. For those not familar with paint tinting....there are 4 drops of colourant in Cloud White. (2 yellow, 2 brown, not so difficult!). Not only that, but every paint company on the planet makes Cloud White. It's got to be the most common colour in the entire world. How do they mess it up???? Of course....I was the one who painted all the trim without checking! :-) But there isn't much difference between the two whites.












Wanna know a secret? I only painted half the front in the "new" white trim paint, the customer came home and LOVED how much nicer the new colour looked and commented on how much "cleaner" the new white was. After drying up my tears of laughter once she went inside, I told the crew that it was time to go home! I still can't believe it.
My little brother, the "cleanup artist". He likes to spend the end of the day (or project) organizing the garbage and equipment. I guess I can't complain, it's the last thing I would want to do!!!!

Here is a shot of the Morgan Place project "nearly" complete. I hate it when these projects drag on and on and on and on and on and....you get the picture. We completed three of the four sides in 2 weeks, then the WCB incident, and rain, and shortage of labour, three weeks later I am still trying to finish the inner courtyard..........End result is that it looks great, and we've gotten about 7 or 8 leads from it......

Monday, September 04, 2006



My latest project.....Morgan Place Retirement Home. We are currently about a week away from finishing. Job has been going well, sufficiently under budget (Mexico here I come!!!), except for a recent surprise visit from WCB (Worksafe BC). I officially hate them right now. Did you know that ANY work being performed on a ladder above 1o feet, you are required to have fall protection apparatus? Neither did I. Apparently neither does the ENTIRE PAINTING TRADE! To add acceptable fall protection (scaffolding, boom lifts, safety lines/harness's), you would have to add $1500-$2000 to every standard home we paint. I spent 4 days with the entire crew doing nothing but ground work. Anyone who does high volume/commercial work will understand how important correct sequencing & system painting is and how it effects efficency (ie. profitability.....MY MONEY!) Venting done......I feel better now. here's some before shots.....