Brad20K,

Would mind re-posting your method of hiring people to paint the inside of any house? As I remember (vaguely) , you had the entire interior house painting process broken down into its each component parts and you paid X-dollars for each component part. Take a typical room of 4 average size walls, one ceiling and then trim work which includes the doors. Also, are you using amateur painters, semi-professionals or the real pros? Are you paying by the hour, by the job or by 'each individual component'?

I am right now trying to put together a small paint crew to prime and paint the inside of my latest rehab. Some people want to be paid by the hour and others by the job. Which do you prefer? I would like to establish a 'one set price per room' which would be 4 walls, ceiling and trim work. A Kilz primer coat (new drywall) would be needed first, then the following day a final top coat.

Again, refresh my memory on how you hire this job out without getting ripped-off in the process. I do have one painter on my team now and he does produce a top notch paint job, however, he moves so slowly I would never pay this person by the hour.

Roy, not Brad20k, but we definitely prefer to pay by the job rather than the hour unless the guy is super-honest, super-motivated...because human nature would say to him, "If I go just a tad slower, I make more money!" when paid by the hour. PLUS: we want a budget to work with, not a nebulous figure.

We get our guy (found on Facebook!) to come look, he takes pictures, then he quotes the job. We buy the paint, he tells us how much of each. Any leftovers are of course ours that way. He provides the caulk and any other supplies (his own equipment.)

Kilz on the ceilings, prime and paint the woodwork and doors and window trim Bright White Semi Gloss, prime and paint the walls Universal Grey Semi Gloss.

I think we paid about $3k on a 3-bed 2-bath house that had an additional family room and separate dining room and strange closets too.

WMH,

Thanks for that info. My experience says all licensed/insured pros (of any trade) work by the job only. Everyone else, amateurs or semi-skilled jack of all trade types, tend to want to be paid by the hour because they still have that working class 'by the hour employee mindset'. For this reason, I need to know if Brad20K is hiring pros, semi-skilled types, or just bums off the street (don't laugh, I do this when I am desperate for help) to paint the inside of his Class C rental houses).

myob - really? Why don't you just move on to another post and ignore this one.

WMH & Ken also share good experiences freely.

I especially like to see how Ken evaluates a worker - good insight. Jump up vs finish their break.

I believe the point of putting someone's name in the subject line is so they do not accidentally skip over it & not reply - since they are know to have expertise in a certain area. Not that everyone else is forbidden to read & reply to it.

If I am wrong on that, Roy - please say so.

DJ VA REALLY? It's a forum for ALL. WHY would anyone just put one person or for example any one from NY or VA.

If you want insight from all stop being so one minded. Brad 20K or those who have experienced this.

For someone who's been at this SOOOOOO long its really strange he doesn't have this down. 1gal per room for walls- 5 gal of kilz for ceilings. 5 gal of glidden 97.00 kilz 3-- 100.00. Yea I pay painters by the hour??? but hey I can't post cause its for Brad20K. (sorry brad nothing personnel)

Maybe just maybe others would have posted??? just asking not attacking!

ATTACK --- myob!

Oh MYOB, don't get so wrought up. He was asking Brad because Brad has commented on such things before, but he's also not always on here these days so Roy wanted to be sure he saw this and answered. But I'm sure Roy doesn't mind having his post bumped up and getting more info about the way other do their biz.

Myob,

I directed this post to Brad20K because he has 'system' by which he had broken down an average interior paint job in separate parts and he also determined the average amount of time if would take an average painter to paint one room. He would then tell his painters, "I pay X-amount for each room you paint". Brad20K system gave painters an incentive to paint more, be more productive and spend less time on their cell phones and taking cig breaks.

Roy,

According to the website Bizstats dot com which is a pay for access site, contractors are broken into two categories. Specialist and generalist. Now why do I like to use this site? It compiled data from millions and creates reports on average ratios.

A specialist will price out the materials and charge a labor rate equal to 3.9 times the cost of materials for their time. Some examples they used were electrician, roofer and masons.

The generalist typically charge just a sliver over 3 times materials for labor.

Roy,

I am being more generous to attract ANY help!

My goal is to quickly create a complete work order and fair price.

I look for the retired guy who wants some extra spending money or the 2 young guys “starting their own company” but have some experience.

I also talk to the owner of the Mexican grocery to hire his relatives.

Cleaning ladies also make good painters with a little training. They understand neat, clean, and detail. I send them to Idaho Painter on YouTube - just watch several of his training videos. I’ll pay $10 for each of his videos they watch. Cheaper than my time teaching them and hopefully I get a better painter.

It takes 2-3 hours to paint a room. At $25 per hour that’s $50-75 per room plus parts. $10 to paint baseboard and window trim (not the window mullions), $5 each side of flush doors, $10 each side of 6 panel doors, $10 closet, $10 ceiling, $10 for drywall holes. Prices include asic wiping off dust, minor nail hole filling, and remove/install elec plates and doorknobs, door bumpers.

This usually comes with a few dollars of their quotes. If they want $50 more, fine, just get it done.

I don’t pay until the entire home is done. No partials.

Usually $80-90 per room.

I supply all consumable items - paint, tape, roller covers, plastic sheeting, roll pan covers, caulk, spackle…no tools, brushes, roller handles, caulk guns, ladders.

I save some money by not repainting everything every time, such not the ceiling, maybe the 2 dirty walls only, not the closet each time…when painting just a few walls it’s $20 per wall corner to corner. This give me much better results than touch up.

Flat ceiling white, satin Repose Gray walls, semigloss white trim/doors. Gets a WOW!

LLs need to step up their paint game. A good paint job makes a world of difference in attracting a good resident. Modern colors, white trim easily set our homes apart and above the “all one color- off white” LLs.

I made a basic chart with rooms down the side and house parts across the top.

It shows the painter what to paint in each room and lets me easily tally up the doors, closets, etc to calculate the total.

The bedroom will have a door listed and the HALL will have the other side of that same door.

BTW Roy and I have each other on speed dial.

Sharing ideas here helps everyone.

BRAD

Thank you Brad20K,...that was exactly the information I was hoping to get (again). You had posted this 'system' a couple of years ago and I needed a refresher course.