34A Post-Methylene

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contents 42 Q&A

June 2019 vol. 96, no. 5 www.paintmag.com

34 PAINT STRIPPERS

F EATURES Vacation 30 Mission: Don’t fight it! Job descriptions are the path to happiness.

A Post-Methylene 34 Chloride World Learn from these contractors and manufacturers how to live without Methylene Chloride paint strippers. By Jerry Rabushka

in the Big Box 38 Pros The largest home retailers explain the pro-only services they now offer to painting contractors.

24 LIFESTYLE 10 JOBSITE

C OLUMNS 6

By Andrew Dwyer

8

Paintmag.com: Video contest, scam lessons, and what it’s like to work for you.

12

Are You Board? Meet APC’s new Editorial Advisory Board Members!

By Jerry Rabushka

40

Customer-Focused Bids If your quotes simply focus on price, you’re not speaking your customer’s language. By Ryan Shantz

Viewpoint: Instrument-Rated Contractors

D EPARTMENTS Jobsite of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Contractor’s Tool Bag . . . . . . . . . . .14 In My Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 The Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Advertiser Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

By Emily Howard

18

Speaking With PDCA Don’t miss these exciting events – across the country – to improve your business. By Heather Yocum

20

From the Field: Top Tools Under $20 Even shallow pockets can afford these puppies. By Scott Burt

24

4 June 2019 • APC

Lifestyles of the Prepped and Finished Ever wonder what it’s like to work for you? We talk with three enthusiastic painters about what makes a good employer and the lifestyle of a career painter.

On the Cover Photo courtesy of Hyde Tools.

SAVE MONEY EVERY DAY. ON EVERY JOB. Nobody Beats Our Prices. Guaranteed.* Save on top brands like BEHR and PPG. You won’t find better prices anywhere. And with our Price Match Guarantee, you won’t have to. ®

© 2019 Home Depot Product Authority, LLC. All rights reserved. *If you find a current lower price on an identical, in-stock item from any retailer, we will match the price. Excludes special orders, bid pricing, volume discounts, open-box merchandise, labor and installation, sales tax, rebate and free offers, and typographical errors.

viewpoint

June 2019 vol. 96, no. 5 www.paintmag.com

Are You Instrument Rated? t’s been 20 years since JFK Jr. died in a plane crash … when the small plane he was piloting crashed into the Atlantic. It was an enormous story in the summer of 1999. Society was wildly fond of the popular son of the popular former president. I’m not a pilot, but the details of his crash fascinated me. He was a licensed pilot, but JFK Jr. was not instrument rated – an intriguing distinction. Generally speaking, a non-instrument-rated pilot relies heavily on visual references to navigate; things like the horizon and the ground. As darkness fell on July 16, 1999, JFK Jr., piloting a small plane with his wife and sister-in-law on board, lost all visual cues. He could see neither horizon nor ground. He was flying north along the Atlantic Coast, from New Jersey to his cousin’s wedding on Martha’s Vineyard. A pilot in these conditions relies solely on his cockpit instruments to guide him. Tragically, JFK Jr. lacked that ability. He entered, purposefully or not, into a series of maneuvers. One theory suggests his plane eventually was flying upside down, unbeknownst to JFK Jr., and thus his attempt to “pull up” out of a perceived descent spiral, actually resulted in creating a descent spiral. It is a dramatic, tragic story. It also offers compelling, inspiring lessons for those of us who wish to be compelled and inspired. In the case of someone piloting a small business, such as a painting contractor, it can inspire us to save our business and improve our lives. It’s common for contractors to believe their businesses are running smoothly, especially in summer. You’re flush with work, revenue is steady, there’s money in the bank … things are good, right? In this case, unlike a pilot, those visual cues I just listed may be misleading. Like a pilot, contractors need to become instrument-rated. Can you read the gauges that indicate the true health of your company? Yes, this is another way of saying what you’ve often heard: “Know your numbers!” Don’t pilot your business based solely on “feel” and a few fragile indicators. Use the gauges that tell the true story: gross profit, net profit, cost of goods sold, days receivable, current ratio and debt ratio, to name a few. And no, you don’t need a finance degree. But yes, you need someone on staff or retainer who understands these financial instruments. And when you hold your weekly financial meeting with that person, you can’t simply enjoy the ride from the back seat. Jump in the co-pilot’s seat. Lean into what your finance person is telling you. Understand the numbers and know what they say about the health of your business. If you want further inspiration, listen to the podcast Emily and I did with Aaron Moore. And listen to any of the Mission: Vacation podcasts we’re doing with Brian Nolan of Nolan Consulting Group. Go to paintmag.com/paint-radio and listen! Let’s not repeat mistakes. Let’s learn. Let’s get better. Both stormy and blue skies await. Let’s prepare for both!

I

Publisher Andrew Dwyer Editorial Emily Howard, Editor-in-Chief 1560 Wilson Blvd., Suite 825, Arlington,VA 22209 [email protected] Megan Headley, Print Editor [email protected] (540) 735-5196 Scott Burt, Senior Editor/Columnist Editorial Advisory Board Jeff Winter, The Sherwin-Williams Co. Joe Dellafave, Benjamin Moore & Co. Todd Pudvar, Prep to Finish Gina Koert, Shamrock Painting Richard and Bridget Ingram, Richard Ingram Painting Michael Craine, Craine Painting Chad Lyons, Lyons Painting & Design Aaron Moore, Precision Painting Ryan Amato, Amato Painting Matt Palmisciano, FORJAK Industrial Advertising Sales Andrew Dwyer, Publisher (719) 471-7230 [email protected] Robert Scarola, Sales (813) 639-7062 [email protected] List Sales Michael Costantino InfoGroup, (402) 836-6266 [email protected] Production Office 1560 Wilson Blvd., Suite 825, Arlington,VA 22209

Andrew Dwyer Publisher [email protected] APC: AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR (ISSN 003-0325) is published monthly, except bimonthly in January/February, July/August and November/December, by Columbia Books Inc.; Corporate, Advertising, Production Offices: 1560 Wilson Blvd., Suite 825, Arlington, VA 22209; Tel: (202) 464-1662. For subscription information, call toll-free (800) 791-8699 or go to www.paintmag.com. Editorial Office: 1560 Wilson Blvd., Suite 825, Arlington, VA 22209. Annual Subscription Rates: United States $40.00; International $51.00. Two-Year Subscription Rates: United States $63.00; International $86.00. Single Copies: United States $6.00; International $9.00. November/December Buyer’s Guide: United States $36.00; International, Canada and Mexico $52.00. Periodical postage paid at Richmond, Virginia, and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2019 by Columbia Books Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval systems, without written consent from the publisher. The publisher does not warrant, either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracies of articles or descriptions herein, nor does the publisher warrant the accuracy of any views or opinions offered by the authors of said articles or descriptions. APC: AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR is a registered trademark of Columbia Books Inc. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to APC: AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR, 1560 Wilson Blvd., Suite 825, Arlington, VA 22209.

6 June 2019 • APC

Production & Graphic Designer Jennette Gormley www.paintmag.com For subscription inquiries or customer service, please call (888) 265-0600.

Cover printed on 10% PCW recycled paper. Text printed on 7% PCW recycled paper.

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June 2019 vol. 96, no. 5 www.paintmag.com

Master your craft – join our online community! Read. Watch. Listen. Subscribe. By Painters, for Painters. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Be the first to watch our latest videos and get great tips from the industry’s top contractors.

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Why Paint? Repeat

Contractor Video Contest Contractors have entered their favorite videos, and now it’s time for you to vote for your favorite!! How to’s, commercials, customer testimonials, job profiles, you name it ... these are the creations of your fellow contractors! Get ideas and vote for the best at www.paintmag.com/paint-tv.

Art Snarzyk discusses owning a business, building something from nothing, freedom and ... of course, money.  Lifestyles of the Prepped and Finished We’ve talked about why it’s great to own a painting business; now let’s hear from the painters. Three employees from Chad Lyons Painting talk about why they love what they do and the path that made this a career. Mission: Vacation — Job Descriptions

News for Painters. Sign up for your FREE subscription and read the full articles at Paintmag.com.

Survey Reveals Leading Strategy to Attract New Painting Customers Small painting contractors looking to win over new customers will find that video is one of the most powerful marketing tools available. If these stats don’t convince you, then you might want to consider taking out a phone book ad.  You Responded With Your Real-Life Scam Stories You like scam stories, do ya? You must because our inbox was blowing up last week with scam stories from the field. Here is a roundup of real scams from real contractors and some of the warning signs to watch for as you screen potential customers. 

Dustin continues on his path to vacation! This week the team discusses the creation of key job descriptions, including the job description of the owner.

Scammers Can’t Fool These Contractors The painting industry seems a ripe target for scammers. That’s why we’re offering new tips from painting contractors on catching these scams before disaster hits. 

Read. Watch. Listen. Subscribe. 8 June 2019 • APC

jobsite of the month Contractors share their view from the office

Springtime Thaw? It’s late in the season, but Maine is still getting a little winter weather. But don’t worry, Erick Gatcomb of Gatcomb Painting is making the most of it and focusing on the interior renovation before the weather lightens up and he does a full exterior. This is a shot from the newly renovated Gilded Music Room in this house on the APC beautiful lake. Not pictured: the giant harp in the corner.

Have you been working in a jaw-dropping area? Want to share a view or project that makes you glad you’re a painter? Visit www.paintmag.com/jobsite-of-the-week and share your jobsite photos today. 10 June 2019 • APC

APC Announces New 2019 Editorial Advisory Board By Emily Howard

PC is a magazine founded on the words “This Is Your Paper.” Back in the ’20s and throughout the 20th

Acentury, APC has printed stories, questions, challenges and solutions from contractors across the nation

and the world. We were a print community before social communities existed. This means that contractors not only read but also contributed. This is still the case today. Of all our contributors and collaborators, we are especially thankful to our editorial advisory board. This is a hand-selected group helps direct the future path of the magazine and aid in ensuring that we publish quality, safe information. We’ve had an excellent group helping us over the past four years. And now to introduce the new editorial advisory board.

Gina Koert, President of Shamrock Painting, Denver, CO Gina has two decades of experience working within the intricacies of people and project management. She’s the 2019-20 board chair of PDCA. A strong believer in the power of positive thinking in the workplace, Gina regularly develops internal work/life balance campaigns to assist employees with figuring out the true fundamentals of “working hard and playing hard.”

Michael Craine, Owner of Craine Painting, Lake Geneva, WI Michael is a native Wisconsinite and father of four. He has starred in one APC production on Paint TV, was a 2018 social media influencer and is a multiyear winner of TOP JOB. He enjoys reading, talking with painters all over the world and learning as much about this trade as possible. 

Richard and Bridget Ingram, Owners of Richard Ingram Painting, Pensacola, FL Richard and Bridget Ingram are the husband and wife team of Richard Ingram Painting, which they opened in 2006. From a two-person show, they have grown to nine employees and continue to grow today. Bridget has recently been named the director of membership for the PDCA Craftsmanship Forum. Together they have four children and a crazy dog and enjoy spending as much time as they can on the water with their family.

12 June 2019 • APC

Chad Lyons, Owner of Lyons Painting & Design, Poulsbo, WA There’s one in every group, right? Chad Lyons founded Lyons Painting & Design in 2001 as a one-man business. He’s experienced steady growth and currently employs 25 painters, an estimating/sales team and an operations management team. He and his wife, Jamye, make great efforts to pursue the things in life that matter most to them, including outdoor activities, travel and music. Chad writes and records music in hopes that live performance is on the horizon.

Aaron Moore, Precision Painting, Chicago, IL (resident of Bozeman, MT) Aaron Moore’s entrepreneurial career began shortly after his 2002 graduation from Eastern Illinois University and a short stint in corporate America. In 2004, he began Precision Painting & Decorating (PPD). It has grown to employ over 40 people and is also a three-time recipient of the prestigious Inc. 5000 Award for the Fastest Growing Private Companies in the country. He is passionate about entrepreneurship, values-driven leadership, family, community, the outdoors and golf ... not necessarily in that order.

Matt Palmisciano, CEO, FORJAK Industrial Columbus, OH Matt is the CEO of FORJAK Industrial. FORJAK focuses on commercial and industrial painting throughout the Midwest.His responsibilities include all non-operational facets of the business.

Ryan Amato, Amato Painting, Easton, PA Ryan Amato is a man driven by his values, first and foremost. His relationships with his team are as important as those with his clients. His motivation to provide professional service is driven by dependable workmanship, which secures their reputation of being the best at what they do. He lives in Easton, PA, with his wife, Michelle, her son Billy and his three children, Preston and Ryenn and Jaxson, and his dog, Duncan, who stars on the company logo!

AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR • June 2019 13

Contractor’s Tool Bag

New Products for You The Tipsaver If you’ve been looking for an efficient way to clean and organize your sprayer accessories, check out the Tipsaver from Alpha Products of Minnesota. This unique design creates efficiency and organization for you by housing your sprayer tips, housings and filters in a rack that you can then store inside of a one-gallon paint can. You can store the rack full of clean, dry items, or you can use the system to soak your accessories in the desired cleaning solution. For more information, visit www.thetipsaver.com.

Upgrade Your ZipWall System With the Span Kit Most painters have seen or used the ZipWall system at some point for the critically important function of dust and debris containment on jobs. Instead of draping and taping plastic over and under your poles to ceilings, walls and floors, your ZipWall can now be tightly sealed using the Span Kit. This is an innovative way to create tight barriers without risk of damage to surfaces. It even has adaptors to keep your space tight around protrusions like crown moldings and baseboard heat radiators. For more information, visit www.zipwall.com.

14 June 2019 • APC

FOR WHEN ENDURANCE MATTERS. 3M ™ PRO GRADE PRECISION ™ Dust Channeling Sanding Block Sponge           * It’s a dual-purpose tool           

 
      

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*Compared to 3M conventional sanding sponges. © 3M 2019. All rights reserved. 3M and PRO GRADE PRECISION are trademarks of 3M.

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Contractor’s Tool Bag

Tired of Cutting Corners? The Corner Roller from Starke LLC is an enclosed end 9" roller nap that allows you to roll right into corners and eliminate the need for cutting the corners with a brush. This production booster is available in either microfiber or polyester composition and nap thicknesses are 1/2" or 3/4". Made by a painter for painters, the Corner Roller can handle any type of material or surface for you. For more information, visit www.cornerroller.com.

New Interior Finishes by ZAR The UGL ZAR brand has two new offerings in interior finishes. Crystal Clear is a premium water-based polyurethane available in semigloss finish. It is a non-yellowing finish that is ideal for protecting furniture, woodwork or floors. Crystal Clear is also approved for compatibility with naturally oily exotic hardwoods like teak or Brazilian walnut. If you are looking for some new and uniquely rich stain color offerings, ZAR also now features an oil-based multisurface wiping stain. This stain line is available in 18 colors that can be mixed together to customize. It is a one-step application that stains and seals the surface, and can also be used over previously painted or finished surfaces for custom or faux finishing. APC For more information, visit www.zar.com.

16 June 2019 • APC

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Speaking With PDCA

Don’t Miss These Great Conferences! By: Heather Yocum

What: PDCA Residential Forum presents the 20th Annual Advanced Shop Talk (AST)

What: PDCA Commercial Forum Conference 2019

What: The 2019 Craftsmanship Forum Conference

When: Sept. 18-20, 2019

When: July 26-27, 2019 (Pre-conference Shop Hop July 25)

Where: Enchantment Resort—Sedona, AZ

When: Oct. 17-18, 2019 (Welcome reception Oct. 16) Where: Elgin, Illinois

Where: Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District – Philadelphia, PA Price: Member Pricing—Two-Day Conference • Full Price $445 • Additional Attendees – same company $325 Non-Member Pricing—Two-Day Conference • Full Price $495 • Additional Attendees – same company $325

Price: Member Pricing • Full Price $450 • Additional Attendees – $350 Non-Member Pricing • Full Price $550 (Additional $450) Spouse Attendee: $250 Conference Sponsor: $1,500 (Additional $350) Golf Outing: $100

Pre-AST Shop Hop – $40

Register: http://www.pdcacommercial forum.org/conference.html

Register: https://pdcaresidentialforum.org/ast/

Stay: Enchantment Resort Phone: (855) 421-1088

Stay: Wyndham Philadelphia Hotel Phone: (877) 999-3223

Mention the PDCA Commercial Conference to get the group booking rate

Request PDCA Annual AST Conference Rate—$179 To receive group rate call before July 1, 2019

Contact: Kaitlyn Van Houwelingen at [email protected]

Contact: Tony Kozak (716) 844-8174 or [email protected]

18 June 2019 • APC

Price: Member Pricing—Two-Day Conference • EARLY BIRD $325 (Early Bird Ends July 31, 2019) • Additional Attendees – same company $200 • Full Price $375 Non-Member Pricing—Two-Day Conference • EARLY BIRD $375 (Early Bird Ends July 31, 2019) • Additional Attendees – same company $200 • Full Price $425 Register: www.pdcacraftsmanshipforum.com/events Stay: Holiday Inn, 495 Airport Road Phone: (847) 488-9000 Request PDCA Craftsmanship Forum Group Rate—$109 To receive group rate, call before CUT-OFF DATE Oct. 1, 2019 Contact: Judi (954) 214-4447 or [email protected]

From the Field

Tool Essentials Under $20 The Every Day Carry By Scott Burt ’d bet that all of our toolboxes are loaded with disposable sundries and essential hand tools. The sundries include everything from sanding sponges to rags, tapes and caulk tubes. And the tools themselves are the first and most common daily essentials that we reach for in preparation for working our artistry. Often it is the bigger ticket power tools for painting that hold our attention as we ponder purchases, but the smaller hand tools are important to focus on as well. We all know those little everyday tools that we can’t live without. If one comes up missing and you have to go a day without it, you feel as if you are missing a finger. I thought it would be fun to share a few of my “desert island” tool necessities that fit the under $20 range. Here are a few of the small tools that I rely on daily.

I

20 June 2019 • APC

OLFA Bladed Tools OLFA not only makes the cut in the under $20 category but actually defines it for blades. Whether you are cutting cardboard boxes to recycle, cleaning blue tape residue or final trimming a grass cloth wallpaper installation, this is the blade to be running with. Not to mention the insane razor edge for scoring all that we need to score from day-to-day. The tool itself and the quality of the blades are above and beyond anything else I have carried over the years. In fact, the OLFA LAX has helped me appreciate the luxury of a seriously good and sharp knife, supplemented by a pocket clip beater with an intentionally “dull-ish” blade. The OLFA even has a paint can opener on the non-business end of it. So if I don’t have my elusive 5-in-1

The OLFA LA-X has helped me appreciate the luxury of a seriously good and sharp knife.

on me, I can still open a paint can without digging a coin out of my pocket. So, I am carrying two levels of blades with the OLFA and a more sacrificial Husky knife, which I can’t seem to lose, kill or live without. It has been with me daily for about 12 years.

From the Field And of course, the AmPro flat blade has to receive honorable mention in the category of blade tools under $20 that are every day carries for me. Sometimes you just need a flat blade, especially for detailing window or door glass. Putty Knives

screwdriver tool with several bits. Having multiple screwdrivers in your toolbox is a waste of space. Usually, all you can see is the handles of them, and it’s trial and error to get to the one you are looking for. If you can grab just one that has all the relevant tips, there is a gain. As long as you can keep the bits together with the tool, it al-

The key is to get a screwdriver in the toolbox that can do it all.

The putty knife is a special class because it can apply products for us, but also comes into play as a removal tool.

These aren’t all about spreading spackle. For me, they come into play in lots of situations, including laying and removing tape and all manner of cosmetic prep situations. As a result, I carry two types. One is a longer Purdy flexible knife and the other is a wooden handled and stiffer Warner knife. I have dulled the edges of the Purdy intentionally; I keep the more firm Warner sharp-edged. The Purdy is my primary filler applicator, while the Warner is more of a light duty chisel and gentle prier. The putty knife is a special class because it can apply products for us, but also comes into play as a removal tool. They can easily double as a detail or open road scraper if you choose them right. And it’s a plus if the handle is stout enough to pound a paint lid shut at the end of the day. If I have no other scraper in my pocket, these can assist in those tasks without tearing up surfaces. The Screwdriver You know you need one, but you don’t always have one. They come into play on everything from window/door hardware disassembly to the repetitive nuisance of outlet and switch plate removals. It is NOT something you want your painters running out to the truck or, God forbid, the hardware store to get. So, the key is to get one in the toolbox that can do it all. In the interest of keeping the toolbox efficient and organized, I go for one manual

AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR • June 2019 21

From the Field lows you to carry one screwdriver instead of several. Recently, I was fortunate to pick up a new Allway 2000V on sale at my paint store. It has four bits, three of which stow neatly in the handle. Instantly, my toolbox became more efficient and tidy again. Anywhere we can make a small gain in toolbox efficiency, pays off. Caulking Gun

As it turns out, plastic guns are easier to keep clean.

It seems that we can never have enough of these. They are like phantoms. They have a hard life and sometimes come up missing. Never thought I would go plastic here, but the bottom line is that I am looking for the most lightweight and long-lasting gun I can find. As it turns out, plastic guns are easier to keep clean. The plunger and moving parts are still steel, but the composite housing makes it more user-friendly from a maintenance standpoint, and the bottom line is that your caulking gun can’t be a bleeder. Also, it is important to be able to hang it securely from a ladder. My “go to” these days is an Ergo Tech ETS2000 from Dripless Inc. It is rated 12:1, which is the ratio of force applied on the piston tube with each trigger pull. The spring mechanism makes the trigger pull really easy and smooth, for controlled dispensing with no mess. These are all important because they are all smallish hand tools that we either wear out or lose — meaning someone borrowed it and “forgot” to return it. These often-neglected basics are essentials for all painters to have in their toolbox. If you have these items you are guaranteed productivity, even when held up by other issues on the job. There is always prep to do, and having the right hand tools in your box APC makes it easy. Scott Burt is a freelance writer and owner of Topcoat Finishes in Vermont. He enjoys communicating with paint contractors at topcoatreview.com.

22 June 2019 • APC

Lifestyles

More Than a Paycheck The rewards of a career in the painting industry. hat’s one of the 10 worst jobs in this country? According to USA Today, it’s being a painter! We’re not so sure about that, so we wanted to ask some career professionals why they believe painting is a good job and a great career. Meet three employees of Chad Lyons Painting & Design in Poulsbo, WA, outside of Seattle, founded by Lyons in 2001. We’ll check in on Jeff Gowenlock, production manager; Roberto Lopez, project manager; and Steve Martin, professional development and training manager. How will they debunk the “bottom 10” myth that USA Today has reported as fact?

W

APC: Tell us how you got into the painting industry. Jeff: Back in 1991, a buddy of mine asked me to help him paint a church. I started painting with him, and one thing led to another – I got hired on with a local guy and, boom! As I got more responsibility, I found I liked the status of it. Now here I am, 28 years down the road on the other end of painting, but I still enjoy the craft.

Roberto Lopez, who found first himself on the painting jobsite at the age of 14, has made a long, happy career that allows him time for his family and hobbies. 24 June 2019 • APC

Steve Martin, Professional Training and Development Manager, enjoying life in the great outdoors.

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Lifestyles

A painter's best friends!

Roberto: My dad has a company out of San Diego, and when I was a teenager, he would take me out on job sites. Later I joined the navy and when I got out, I ran into a Craigslist ad looking for apprentice painters. I met with company owner Chad Lyons. It was a very informal interview – a handshake, then, “I’ll see you tomorrow. Here’s the address.” Eventually I realized, “This is going to be my career.” As the company grew, I was fortunate enough to move into roles that allowed me to grow as well. Steve: I got started in high school. I had a terrific girlfriend whose father owned a very successful company, so I worked in the summer filling in. After a brief period in college and time in the Marine Corps, I went back to the same company. I’ve been in the industry ever since, in many different roles, for a little over 40 years. APC: What makes being a painter a good job versus a bad job? Jeff: It starts with who you’re painting for. If a contractor or a superintendent knows what they’re doing, that makes my life easy. Chad’s very business-minded. He’s putting us out there as a premier company that’s not just, as we call them, “trunk slammers,” painting out of their car, driving prices down and making us look bad. The bad part of painting isn’t really the painting. It’s how your company or your job is run. 26 June 2019 • APC

Home to many company events and the envy to all, Jeff Gowenlock's backyard pitch and putt golf course.

APC: Roberto, I noticed something in your bio that your dad told you that you still carry with you. Roberto: He taught that for us this is a job, but for the homeowner this is an investment, and you have to remember that when you’re doing the work. That quick little sentence has been in the back of my mind on every project I’ve performed. I’ve worked for Chad going on 13 years. One thing that makes it a good job is being able to improve upon yourself year after year. APC: When is it most difficult to be a painter? October through February? Jeff: Sustainability through the winters is one of the biggest obstacles here in the

tnorthwest. It goes back to who you’re painting for. In some companies you are disposable; you know, “call me in February, see you later.” The average career of a painter here is two to three years because they end up going on to something else. APC: Travel can be another downside – or upside, depending on how you look at it. Have you worked for a company that involved a lot of travel? Jeff: I did about five or six years of traveling. It was for the same company; we were chasing a big builder that did a lot of military housing. We’d go somewhere for three, four or five months. I got to go to some pretty cool places, but at that time

Lifestyles year-olds – that was very, very exciting. Plus, I enjoy my dogs and I raise chickens for eggs. Steve: I like to hike and fish, and I enjoy archery as well. We have a perfect environment up here to enjoy the outdoors.

From left to right: Roberto Lopez, project manager, Jeff Gowenlock, Production Manager and Steve Martin, Professional Training and Development Manager.

my kids were getting to be late elementary and early junior high, and I was missing a lot of things. You’ve got to find a balance between lifestyle and money. APC: None of you guys are on the wall anymore, right? Tell us about the career path you have been able to take through Lyons Painting. Steve: When I was younger, I was defined as being flighty. I would get bored and want to see or learn the next thing. At the time I guess that was a negative, but as I got older it became quite a positive because it gave me a lot of different experiences. I traveled to Europe and worked in Germany. I’ve been all around the country and in parts of Asia with the coatings industry. It helped me maintain my interest. There was always something more to learn. It was a lifelong pursuit, and it’s treated me well as a result. APC: What advice would you give a new painter to prove their value to the contractor? Steve: Solid work ethic first and foremost. Show up on time every day and have a devotion to trying to learn. And that you can work with people. A little bit of mechanical aptitude doesn’t hurt either. Jeff: It’s character. If you don’t have a 28 June 2019 • APC

work ethic, you’re not going to be successful. You have to be flexible and want to learn. But the company has to show that work breeds results and advancement. We’re talking to these new guys every week or so asking, “Hey, how’re you doing?” We want them to know that we’re invested and we don’t just stick them out in the field and forget about them until we hear something bad. I think, however, that the guys coming in have to look at it as a career, not something to get through the winter and the next couple of months. APC: Tell us a little bit about your families and hobbies. What do you do off the clock? Roberto: The industry is providing me the opportunity to have the upward mobility to purchase a house, buy a car, have vacation time with my family and all that good stuff. If you’re talking a weekend, since we’re in the northwest, we have fishing, hiking, kayaking … the gamut. Jeff: I love spending the time with my family, and this job has provided me that opportunity. I’m kind of a homebody; I’ve got five acres, and I’m always out there tweaking it. I’ve turned my yard into a little pitch-and-putt golf course/green. My fifth grandkid will be here in June, and I just went to my first T-ball game for four-

APC: You’ve mentioned the importance of opportunities for advancement. Where can a painter find those? Jeff: I attended the PDCA Expo in Savannah, and I liked the transparency of the other contractors; no one is trying to hide things. Most of us aren’t in the same market, so why not share what we’ve learned? Let’s get off that list in USA Today! It’s going to take companies like ours that invest in their people to do that. Roberto: We used to hire for the influx of summer work just to have bodies. We don’t need bodies. We need good people – individuals with integrity, quality, professionalism and community. We have a couple of jobs on our schedule that are charity work, so we tell our team, “Hey, if you’re involved in a church or a little baseball club and something needs painting, we can throw in some charity time.” We’re taking care of our own and our community at the same time. I know if I was still in the field and I joined a company with these values, I’d be pumped. The hardest part from my perspective is changing the negative perception people have of painters from when a trunk slammer left a bad taste in their mouth or a customer was ripped off by a guy who took a deposit and left. I think at Lyons, our prestige and reputation lets us define ourselves as the company that’s capable of installing some of the better finishes and bringing in presentable, professional looking painters. It’s an uphill battle, but we’re seeing progress. Jeff: The stigma is hard to get through, but what sets us apart is looking at painting as a profession rather than a paycheck. That’s what we need to change throughout APC the industry.

Listen to the full interview on Paint Radio

www.paintmag.com/paint-radio

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MISSION: VACATION B ECAUS E VACATIO N S H OU L D N OT BE IMP OSSI BLE

Building Job Descriptions In one of the most challenging tasks yet, we follow along as Dustin builds the ideal job descriptions for the key roles in the company.

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elcome back to Mission: Vacation, where we follow as Nolan Consulting Group works with Dustin Zupancic of Dreamscape Painting to build systems into his company that allow him to spend less time in the office and more time with his family. For those of you just tuning in, last month Dustin was announced as our winner of Mission: Vacation and has three months of consulting with Nolan Consulting Group. If he completes his mission, he’ll get $3,000 to go on a vacation. So far, he’s written a three-year mission plan, rearranged his ledger of accounts and identified KPIs that he’s tracking on a regular basis. Now it’s time to create job descriptions for all roles in his company, including himself. Andrew Dwyer, publisher of APC, reviewed the progress and lessons learned in a recent podcast. To hear this podcast and get access to the full series of Mission: Vacation – including editorial, podcast and video – go to paintmag.com/missionvacation.

APC: So Dustin, I know you’ve been working very hard on job descriptions, both for yourself and your bookkeeper, Amy, and your new operations manager. So let’s start with you writing your job description. It’s not just about what it is you do, it has to be about what you should be doing. In that sense, it’s aspirational. Dustin Zupancic: Absolutely. I think it’s the most challenging one I’ve had to build so far, and we’re still in the throes of that.

See the first meeting of Dustin and Brian in our first Mission: Vacation video on paintmag.com

Part of the challenge is figuring out what I should be doing because right now I do sales, marketing, business development stuff, overseeing the big picture, the financial systems, and all that is technically multiple roles. So one of my big challenges is trying to capture what my job roles should be, and even if it is multiple job roles, I want to be able to split them into their own individual job roles. Because in the future, those may be things I’m handing off to somebody else. So for instance, a sales job description. That might be what I’m doing now, but in the future, it may not be. One of the things that Brian has me doing to help with that is just keeping a journal every day for a couple of weeks and

Partner:

30 June 2019 • APC

writing down every single task that I’m doing so we can start to identify the best use of my time. What are the things I am doing that I shouldn’t be doing? What are things that I can hand off, and how do we build a description for each of those things? But definitely my job description has been the most challenging because as an owner, you just do whatever needs to be done, and you don’t always think about if someone else should be doing those things. Brian Nolan: As a small business, the owner works in the business and they work on the business, right? That’s a common term/ phrase that we use. You can’t help but work in the business. You’ve just got to find out where you want to work in the business –

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MISSION: VACATION B E CAU S E VACATI ON S H OU L D N OT B E I M POSS I B LE

what you’re best at and where you can hire other people that are better at something than you. And I think part of this is he’s going to find out that he plays a lot of roles in that company. Just because somebody likes something, doesn’t mean they are good at it. So we’re going to look at the “as is” job description and then the “future state” and decide how to delegate those responsibilities. And I say responsibilities, not just tasks. I really think you want a responsibilitydriven company, where someone doesn’t have to be told everyday they have to do the task. They know it’s their responsibility.

APC: Brian, you talk a lot about team. You got involved with the team, and certainly one thing I’ve learned/experienced in my own work life is it’s one thing to have people on your team who do what they’re told. Obviously, that’s nice, that’s important. But you need people on the team who understand the bigger goal, who don’t have a narrow focus. They understand the

greater good. They understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. They understand their place in the machine. And certainly, I’m guessing that when you sit down with your bookkeeper, with your new operations manager, Dustin, you’ve got people there who aren’t just going to do what they’re told. They’re going to contribute to the process, and they’re going to understand what you’re asking of them. And I hope that these individuals are contributing ideas about what these job descriptions should entail. Is that true? DZ: Yeah, absolutely. I think for me it’s been a discovery process. It’s a journey, right? I’ve been constantly revising some of them for clarity and scope. I had about half of our job descriptions I worked on before I worked with Brian, but what I’ve realized is they’re way too complex. There are a lot of tasks on there, and it could be simplified … more responsibilities. And I think that connects with people a lot more – simplicity of responsibility just empowers them to

do their job the way that they perform best. BN: I like to start with what I call a “position vision.” I haven’t gotten into this a whole lot, but you know every business is going to or has a vision of how they want someone to act or behave in that world, in that role. And so, write down the vision profile: what I see this role doing, how this role would make my life easier or help the business. For example, the bookkeeper role: to keep the numbers up to date for reports weekly, to make me aware of any variances, those type things. And that comes from needing this person to be responsible for a function, not just for a task. I need them to become thinkers inside of the scope of responsibility.

APC: So Dustin, it’s my understanding that you have a new operations manager, and that has freed you up to focus on some of these tasks, these rocks that Brian is asking you to pick up and move. Was the hiring of the operations manager a function

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MISSION: VACATION BE CAUS E VACATIO N S H OU L D N OT BE I MP OSSIBLE

of your discussions with Brian or was that part of your process and plan before this? DZ: He came on board several months ago, so that was kind of already a goal that was set. I actually worked with Art Snarzyk to develop a profile that fit with some of the main functions I wanted him to do and to ensure that we would work well together. It’s been really great. But I really want to simplify the job description because it’s pages long. You know, you get lost in it. APC: Do everything that I can’t get to. DZ: Yeah, exactly right. But it’s definitely been very freeing and given me a lot more time than I even thought that I would gain from it, which is great. I just have to be careful. It’s really easy to just let go and not look back. But he’s still pretty new, so I have to stay a little bit involved and make sure that I keep up on training and checking in.

APC: So Brian, is that a core component? Is that a key step in the restructuring of your business? Is it to hire, whether it’s a right-hand man or a first mate, a co-pilot and operations manager. Talk to us a little bit about how you describe that role. BN: Yeah. I describe organizational structure in three components. There’s the production slash operations component, there’s the finance and admin, and then there’s a sales and marketing. I think it’s nice to be able to have a person in each of those roles and the operations person is really the first person you bring in, freeing your mind of the daily logistics, daily job staging. And so, if you can find a person who is really good at those details, then your job is to just keep up with them, meet with them, coach them, set goals for them, keep him/her aware of what your goals are. APC: Well, if you’ve listened to previous podcasts, you know that one of my favorite “Brian” sayings is “desired future state.” One of the things that you’ve talked about Dustin is you want the jobs at Dreamscape to be a career. That you want to offer a career pathway to your co-workers, to your employees. As you’re working on these job

32 June 2019 • APC

As Dustin continues to embark on Mission: Vacation, each team member gets a job description.

descriptions, are you feeling comfortable that you’re accomplishing that? DZ: Yeah, I think so. I think what I like about it is it makes me very comfortable to release things to people when all the expectations are clearly laid out. It’s not a lot of stress. BN: The important thing is after you do this job description is to sit down with the person in that role and really understand what level they feel they’re at for each of those tasks under the whole responsibility. Because then you know how much you need to coach them, lead them versus get out of their way. I mean there are some things that they need a lot of help with and some things they need you to just get out of their way. And often as leaders, we have one style. Either we micromanage everything, or we don’t and we just let them go. And then there’s this concept by Ken Blanchard called situational leadership – that it’s vital to understand how to develop someone inside of that role.

APC: I love when you reference other leadership gurus and business management books. That’s always a wonderful tidbit. So as we look forward, what are the goals for the next couple of weeks with you and Dustin? BN: We’re going to finalize his job description based on looking at everything that he is doing and then we’re going to

different people. So we’re going to finalize the key jobs’ descriptions and then we’re going to spend the remaining time together on his training plan. He’s already got a good start into a training plan and pathway for how people advance to different levels. And I’ll tell you what, Dustin is a next-level contractor. We’ve been very impressed with how he grabs things. He’s got the gift of the ability to learn and stay focused. And staying focused is what matters most. Remember discipline, where you want to be, and what you’re gonna have to do to get to that desired future state.

APC: You gotta be coachable. You gotta be disciplined. You’ve got to lean in, pain with a purpose. All of these buzz phrases. I love it. Absolutely love it. Mission: Vacation. Don’t just do well when things are great. We’re coming up on summer. Don’t be fooled by the grandeur of summer painting that you think that all your problems are solved. Lean in, learn more. Go to paintmag.com/missionvacation. We’re all in this together. APC

Follow the series at www.paintmag.com/ missionvacation

A Strip off the Old Block Contractors prep for life without methylene chloride strippers By Jerry Rabushka

he most recent Ides of March, 3/15/19,

Twhile it didn’t assassinate methylene chloride, it certainly stuck a knife into its position as Emperor of Paint Strippers, as the EPA chose that date to announce it would ban sale of the chemical for consumer application. “In the final rule,” the agency reported, “EPA found risks to consumers to be unreasonable. Acute (shortterm) exposures to methylene chloride fumes can rapidly cause dizziness, loss of consciousness, and death due to nervous system depression. People have died after being incapacitated during paint and coating removal with methylene chloride. A variety of effective, less harmful substitutes are readily available for paint removal.” Many merchants have anticipated this by taking MC-based strippers off their shelves even before this rule goes into effect, which is 180 days after the famous ides. Many other chemicals, once hailed as a heroic alternative, have been found to be harmful as well and may be the next to fall. How are some pro painters handling this, and what are manufacturers doing to take paint off the walls after they take MC off the shelves?

Teaching Substitutes The problem with many paint-stripping substitutes, as you’ve most likely seen for yourself, is there’s nothing quite like MC in getting a coating off a substrate. Still, it’s 34 June 2019 • APC

always been risky. For Chad Lyons, owner of Lyons Painting & Design in the Seattle, WA, area, this is one time where doing it the fastest way possible doesn’t win the day, even if it does save time and money. “We’ve always tried staying out of methods that put us in danger from chemical exposure,” he said. “They say some chemicals are safe until two years later… then they’re horrible!” Chad’s company does a lot of lead renovation, repair, and painting (RRP) work, and if they can’t encapsulate, they’ll use the safest possible removal product even if it takes longer. “I want to protect my staff,” said Lyons. “Who knows, over the course of 30 or 40 years, what damage our exposure to chemicals has on us? If I can minimize that, I’m happy with it.” There are times this means he doesn’t get the job; if a potential client wants it faster and cheaper (and not necessarily safer), Chad will yield the floor – and the walls – to what might just be a less conscientious contractor. Nick Slavik, the New Prague, MN, proprietor of Nick Slavik Painting and Restoration, also tries to avoid caustic chemicals. “I’m a no-lacquer company, so I really don’t deal with a lot of caustic materials. MC strippers are the most powerful, but I only use a few gallons per year,” he said. He’ll sing along with Chad on putting safety first, even if it takes longer to finish the job. “All of the ‘safe’ or ‘green’ strippers work,

but not as well as the MC,” he said. “They take a really long time to work, cost more, and may take multiple applications. I’m hopeful that science will progress and the market will demand a really effective water based stripper.”

Science Progresses At Texas-based Startex Chemical (a subsidiary of Univar Solutions), Jason Sanchez, division director and himself a chemist by trade, tells us they’re as close as anyone to that very thing, but it’s still hard to beat MC at its own game. “Unfortunately, there are only so many molecules you can use to strip paint, and MC is one of the best,” he reminds us. “The two next in line are Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) and n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), and both of those have their own human toxicity issues.” Sanchez predicts they’ll follow MC onto the banned shelf at some point in the future. After a lot of mixing and testing, Startex has launched its new Liquid & Semi-Paste MC-Free Paint Strippers, a formula that actually eschews all three of these molecules. Sanchez reports that versus taking hours longer than a methylene chloride solution, Startex MC-Free Paint Strippers take only minutes longer to bubble up a coating. This should make the safety versus speed issue a lot easier for a painter who is contemplating a switch to a safer

AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR • June 2019 35

technology. “The Startex stripper works within minutes, time wise, of the MC products,” Jason assured us. “It works much better than the products contractors are used to using that don’t contain MC.” Whatever you use, he reminds us, be safe! Any stripper still demands precautions. “Regardless of the chemical, always have the proper safety procedures in place. We have toluene in our product; it’s hard to get away from that. Use PPE [personal protective equipment] and proper ventilation

– that’s true of any chemical or paint, even waterborne architectural paint,” he noted. Sanchez suggests trying out this product – and other manufacturers’ newer formulas – so if your old faithful does go the way of the dodo, your production won’t be stymied due to being unfamiliar with the new alternatives. “There’s been a lot of work put in by Startex and other companies knowing that MC, NMP and other chemicals will be banned, and rightfully so,” said Sanchez. “We’ve put a lot of research into

coming up with a formulation that will work for the contractor’s timeline and effectiveness, so I believe we and those other companies are putting forth some good options. It’s time to give those options a try.”

A Light-Hearted Approach One contracting company is proffering a non-chemical alternative to paint stripping: Restoration Works Inc. of Bradley, IL, about an hour’s drive south of the Chicago area, is a “green” window and door restoration company that has been removing paint with what they call the Light Wave Stripper, a method that operates using advanced infrared technology, they report. The company started researching alternatives to chemical strippers five years ago and incorporated a separate company, Light Wave Stripping Inc., to develop their new procedure. “By simply placing a Light Wave Stripper over a section of wood for 60 seconds, multiple layers of paint are loosened and lifted, and the paint can be scraped off as if it were butter,” the company reports.  “Eliminating chemicals used in paint stripping can have a positive, dramatic impact on our health and our environment, and it can encourage more reuse and recycling of quality materials such as original, old-growth forest wood,” said a company spokesman. “Professional painting contractors, lead abatement contractors, restoration companies and others who strip high volumes of paint-laden objects can now do so quickly and without the use of any chemicals.” What’s next for the industry in the face of the EPA’s final rule? We’ll keep you posted on any new products and developments to help you get the job done. APC 36 June 2019 • APC

Insurance Assurance: Can Using Safer Products Lower Your Premium? Is insurance a necessary evil? Not if it truly protects you! Jack West, national account executive at Federated Insurance, answered questions about how you can best utilize this important business tool, and how your choice of products and practices regarding paint strippers can affect your premium. Just like you want your customers to come to you with paint questions (vs. the know-it-all at Bridge Club), make sure, he encourages, to have a knowledgeable insurance professional answer your questions on this important topic. APC: Can you save money on insurance by avoiding the more toxic stripping products? West: Insurance pricing correlates with the overall risk of a business’s operations. The use of products that have the potential to cause bodily injury or property damage may result in additional insurance pre-

mium at the discretion of the policy underwriter. But if comments from a risk management assessment indicate the client is implementing measures to help keep employees safe, that can go a long way to help the underwriter utilize discretionary credits appropriately. APC: What should a contractor know about possible insurance liability regarding the use of toxic stripper chemicals by his crew or around homeowners? Do some policies prohibit the use of these products? West: An important factor pertaining to liability coverage for this topic is whether or not the stripper chemicals used by an insured are considered a pollutant. That definition varies by state. Look to your insurance policy, with the help of an insurance professional,  to determine what coverage is provided by your policy regarding pollution liability. If the business is participating in the stripping of lead paint, there may be exclusionary wording in the policy for lead. Always review all exclusionary language with your agent to truly understand if your policy provides

coverage for the use of any paint-stripping products and operations. APC: What is your advice to painters regarding liability insurance and toxic strippers? West: Look into the proper use and product warnings regarding the use of the stripper chemicals being used and consider the risk involved. Is the product you’re choosing the best decision to keep your employees, customers, customers’ property and the environment safe? Consider all options in your attempt to manage risk. From a risk management perspective, using a safer alternative can reduce risk. If this is not possible, then ensuring that adequate ventilation and appropriate personal protective equipment (per manufacturer’s instructions for use and applicable law or regulation) are used is the next best alternative. Adequate, well-documented PPE programs are critical. Ensuring employees are properly trained on the hazards of the chemicals they are working with, along with proper PPE use, is also APC paramount and required by law.

AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR • June 2019 37

Thinking Inside the Box Pro Programs From the Big Chains

By Jerry Rabushka

ou’ve probably driven by that new retail complex somewhere in your city where there’s a Lowe’s on one side of the street, a Home Depot on the other, and down the block is Menards. Your friendly independent is standing its ground where it’s been since 1922, and there’s a hardware or building supply store around the corner. With so many choices, how do you know which is best for you? Everyone says they’ve got the contractor in mind, but which contractor, and which mind? We asked some of the larger merchants to talk a little about the programs they have put into place especially for painting pros. Here’s what they said:

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38 June 2019 • APC

Bringing It Home

According to Home Depot, PRO Paint Merchant Tony Drew, one of the biggest impediments to you getting a project started is that it takes, on average, about 100 days for your customer to pick a color. That means if someone decides to paint on April Fools’ Day, they’re likely still dithering about color at the July 4th parade. To help, Home Depot’s Project Color app is designed to alleviate color-choice anxiety so pros can get to work faster. “Project Color helps customers find the perfect paint color for their interior and exterior paint project,” said Drew. “The app brings

realistic visuals to them through exclusive patented technology. It ensures they feel confident about the color they’re choosing by allowing them to see that color in their space before purchasing paint. Whether inspired by a room, a picture or a pin, Project Color gives homeowners the confidence they are color matching and picking the perfect color.” This success trickles up to the contractor, he adds, because when customers are confident in their color selection, you can be confident that when you order a batch of custom-tinted paint that they won’t change their mind and send it all back – but you still might want them to see a wall before you coat up the whole house. “You can learn more about Project Color by downloading the app or by speaking with a Home Depot Pro desk associate,” said Drew. Of course, color’s just the beginning; Home Depot has more programs and resources to help contractors save that dynamic duo of time and money.

• PRO Xtra: This loyalty program lets members save up to 20 % on paints, stains and primers, including brands such as Behr. • Superior Service: Take advantage of bulk pricing, commercial credit, expanded assortment, tool rental, and express delivery. • Color Matching:  Home Depot keeps track of your color matches, so if you need to pick up paint from multiple locations, they’ll have your formulas at the ready. • Delivery Services: The company has invested in a five-year expansion of its delivery services so you can get product when and where you need it. This includes express same-day and next-day local delivery for more than 20,000 of its most popular items to 35 major metros across the U.S.

The Highs of Lowe’s

inventory in heavily pro-purchased products like applicators, 5-gallon pails, primers, and contractor packs of tape and caulk,” they told us. “We’re also testing new assortments across the department, including pro-grade paint sprayers and painter’s whites.” It’s also helpful to be able to access a paint professional who knows what they’re talking about, and Lowe’s is working on that as well. “We are training and scheduling associates in a way that’s tailored to the needs of the pro, such as early morning shifts; we’re also implementing color/data capture for faster ordering. Our stores have knowledgeable associates in both the paint department and the pro department who can provide you with the information you need for projects and purchases every day. We also have Project Specialist Exterior (PSE) consultants available to help with outdoor projects. Lowe’s will continue making additional investments in growing its paint business in 2019 and 2020,” they concluded.

Called to (Contractor) Account

Speaking of customers who take forever to pick color, one thing you don’t want to do is stand in line behind three of them when you need to get to the job site. Lowe’s has made a strong effort to make sure you can get taken care of quickly while saving time and money. “Our stores now have dedicated pro loaders and management-level supervisors responsible solely for pro sales and service in every U.S. store,” the company reports. “To get in and out faster, you can take advantage of designated parking spots located near the pro desk at many of our stores.” That saves you the time, now about the money: “When using a Lowe’s Business Account, pros can save 5% every day and receive $20 truck delivery.” Lowe’s has also stepped up efforts to have the pro products you need when you need them. “Lowe’s is continuing to invest in job lot quantities to ensure that we have the inventory depth at our stores to meet pro customer needs. We’ve added more

Menards has a lot of ways a pro painter can get the job started – and finished. “When you need it now, come to Menards and count on our team for fast and dependable service all day long. Menards has a wide variety of national paint brands including Pittsburgh Paints, Dutch Boy, Rust-Oleum, Conco and more,” said the company, who put a small team of experts together to answer our questions.  “Menards has everything a pro painter will need to complete the job including paint, stain, removers, brushes, applicators, sealants, ladders and more.” Menards has more than 300 stores throughout the Midwest, from Ohio to Wyoming, Missouri to Minnesota. Conco Paint, available exclusively at Menards, offers the following benefits in its Professional Paint Program: • Complete line of primers, topcoats and a variety of specialty products.

• Competitive pricing from the first gallon purchase, with no set purchase amounts necessary to receive value pricing. • Support from an experienced Conco factory field rep who will come directly to a job site, estimate the work, recommend products, provide specs and do whatever it takes to make your work easier. • Delivery directly to a job site seven days a week. • Custom color matching at Menards. • File management at Menards that records the paint color and quantity for a specific job and keeps it on file for future reference. Conco is a 90-year-old brand that offers a complete range of products for the professional. “Whether you’re looking for hide and touch-up on apartments, scrubbability on custom homes, or durability in extreme weather conditions, Conco has a product designed especially for you,” says the coating company’s website. Along with the increased depth of in store inventory, there is even more product available online. “You can visit menards.com to set up a business account and learn more about services and products,” the company encourages. “When ordering online using the Menards app, products can be ready for pickup at the store when you arrive, getting you back to work faster.” Menards makes it easy to buy, and just as important, easy to save. “We have several financing options available, including the Big Card, the Contractor Card and a Commercial Account, all designed for professionals and businesses. Menards also offers great savings on your purchases, including a 2% quarterly rebate for your company by setting up a Menards Contractor Account. It’s fast and easy,” they tell us, “just log in to the website, click on credit center/programs at the top of the screen and fill out the application.” Before you buy for that job, of course, you need to get the job to begin with, and Menards can help you get the word out. “Contractors can promote their business free of charge in our Installer Centers,” they said. Do you love or hate the big boxes? Have experiences with any of these services? Write in to [email protected] with APC your stories.

AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR • June 2019 39

Quote

One Thing That Can Improve Your Quotes

MAR 04, 2019

Spoiler Alert: It’s about the customer We can help you with Painting & Staining Interior & Exterior

By Ryan Shantz

[email protected] 403-561-6565 Project #235544

hat is the purpose of a quote? To give somebody a price for their job, right? To let them know the type of paint being applied and the warranty being provided? While those things can be included in a quote, I would suggest that the purpose of a quote is to gain the trust and engagement of your potential client while showing them how you differ from other contractors. Ultimately, if you can connect with your client via trust, education and engagement, you will leap miles ahead of the competition. For example, Apple creates devices that many people love because they are intuitive to use and offer a depth of features. They solve a problem and make it easy for people to work with them. If intuitive features and engaging design are at one end of the spectrum, 90% of painting quotes would be at the exact opposite end of that spectrum; difficult to understand, with no thought given to engaging homeowners. Rather than clarifying a problem and introducing a solution, painting quotes typically introduce a whole new set of problems laced with confusion. Quotes end up being loaded with industry jargon, difficult to understand terms and a price that feels pulled out of thin air. Standard paint quotes really aren’t much to boast about. Having run a large residential contractor sales team for more years than I would like to admit, we wrestled continuously with how to gain an upper hand in the sales game. Finally, we completely changed the quotes that we shared with homeowners

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40 June 2019 • APC

and were blown away by the results. Rather than our quotes being all about us, the products we use, our warranty details, the price we were offering, etc., our quotes focused entirely on our clients. How? We developed quotes that demonstrated our ability to: • Understand their home • Identify with their challenges • Provide solutions • Establish our competence and ability to help them Practically, we did this by inserting a photo of the client’s home on the cover page, writing about specific details of the project to educate them and going a step further by including photos to show issues we would need to correct. To put the icing on the cake, we got clients excited about the project by showing how incredible their chosen product looked in other homes, and most importantly, we hired a professional graphic designer and communications expert to make the quote sharp and give the entire presentation intuitive, easy-to-understand messages. Donald Miller explains in Building a StoryBrand, “Customers don’t generally care about your story; the care about their own. Your customer should be the hero of the story, not your brand.” Miller unpacks it further. “Customers aren’t looking for a hero, they are looking for a guide.” In other words, we aren’t Luke Skywalker in this story, swooping in to be the hero, we are Yoda. When Luke was overwhelmed, inexperienced and didn’t know

JOE HOMEOWNER

123 Sample Ave NW Jericho, VT

Impress the client with a title page (Who does that!?!) with a photo of their home on the cover (Amazing!)

how to win the battle, he turned to Yoda, a guide who could lead the hero to success. One of my sales people shared this story with me the other day. He sat down with a potential client who said, “Your quote is a bit more expensive, but I’d like to move forward with your company. After seeing how detailed your quote is, I know you’ll do a great job!” Now here’s the ironic part: A competitor’s quote was visible on the table, and it actually went into FAR more detail than ours. It described all sorts of industry details that we hadn’t bothered to mention. The difference? The quote focused on details that a contractor cared about but no homeowner would ever understand. The competitor’s quote was obviously built in Word/Excel or some generic CRM. It was a logo with a huge amount of text and a price. In contrast, our presentation was designed and built in such a way that it was intuitive and easy to understand. Our quote focused on the client, while our competitors focused on themselves. So, what can you do to change? Start thinking about the sale from a client’s perspective; engage them, make the process about them and ensure that every message in your quote is shared to make life easier for them.

INTRODUCTION

Hello Joe, Thank you for selecting our company to quote on your up coming painting project.

QUOTE DETA

I understand that you are looking to have the exterior of your home painted, including all window trims and fascia board. I have quoted your project to include a high quality matte finish paint.

ILS

The following estimate is for: 1. Pressure wash entire home to remove loose old paint 2. Hand scrape areas where necessary to ensure flat finish 3. Clean up of entire work area 4. Clean all gutters 5. Your own dedicated Production Scheduling team 6. All employees are WCB and COR certified 7. Audit of all work completed by Quality Control Officer 8. Lifetime Workmanship Warranty on complete projects We don’t want you to be personally liable should a worker happen to get injured therefore, we are COR Safety Certified and maintain current WCB for all employees and crews.We carry ten million liability insurance. As well, we have a full-time safety officer on staff to ensure safe practices always.Once the job is complete, one of our Quality Control Officers from our Audit Division inspects your project to make sure we did everything correct and up to our strict standards and site is spotless.

Descript

ion

Quote Details – A nicely detailed breakdown of cost.

House (Ex

terior)

Pressure Primer -

wash exi

1 coat

Matte fini

sh paint

Window Wood fas

and door

Qty

sting pai

nt 2,785

- 2 coats

2,785

trims

2,785

cia

Setup

15

Safety

210 1 1

If you have any questions, please give me a call. We always want to provide the best value to our clients. If we are outside your budget, please let me know and we will do our best to work within that.

Unit price

$0.75

$675.00

$4.50

$945.00

AUTHORIZATION $475.00

$475.00 $350.00

GST Total

$696.25 $9,329.75

$45.00

total

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at any time.

$2,088.75

$0.25 $3.35

Quote sub

I have also included some optional upgrades for you, should you wish to have a premium paint or finish completed on your home. These are available on the Authorization page for you to review.

Line total

$350.0 Quote subtotal 0 Tax (GST) Total

$14,559.75 $727.99 $15,287.74

Project: Name: Address:

235544 Joe Homeowner 123 Sample Ave NW, Jericho, VT

$14,559.75 $72from 7.99date of estimate / A 10% deposit is required before any project beginss. Estimates valid for 60 days $15,287.74

Upgrades FinRecommended ancing ava ilable OA C.

Kind regards, Ryan Shantz I Sales Manager [email protected] Cell: 403-561-6565

Qty

Unit price

Line total

Premium exterior paint

Description

2,785

$0.85

$2,367.25

3rd coat for dark colour

2,785

$1.05

$2,924.25

1

$3,875.00

$3,875.00

Paint detached garage

Customer Comments / Notes

My Prooduct Selections Wall color Trim colorr

Introduction – Share details of the job and how much better their life will be as they work with you.

Fascia color

Dated:

Customer Signature:

By signing this form I agree to and confirm the following: I certify that I am the registered owner of the above project pproperty, or have the legal permission to authorize the work as stated. I agree to pay the total project price and understand that this work will be completed in accordance with Building Code standards.

Authorization – List some upgrades and increase those margins. Let them e-sign and blow their mind!

TERMS & CO

Custom Pages – Layer in custom marketing pages to nail the sales presentation and give them all the info they want.

Terms & Conditions – Because legally you should probably have some.

NDITIONS

You may can need a reas cel this contract from on to cancel. the day you contract with If you do enter into the contract unti extended canin one year of the connot receive the goo l contract, the cellation. For more tract date. You loseds or services within 10 days after you rece To cancel, seller has 15 days information, you may that right if you acce30 days of the date stative a copy of the con to you tract. You do pt delivery contact you refu ed in the con mus nd you t give allow you to afte prove that notice of cancellatior money and any trad r provincial/ territorial r the 30 days. The tract, you may can not you gave noti cel e-in re are othe n con r grounds for this ce, includinat the address in this , or the cash value of sumer affairs office. contract. You g registered the trade-in If mail, fax or . You must you cancel this must give noti then by persona CONTRACT ce return the goo of cancellatio l delivery. FOR THE SAL ds. n by a method Alberta Pro E BY PREPAI that will vincial PrePaid Contrac D CONTRACTORS tor License No: 326840 I understand / GST #87275 and bill me that if roof rot is disc -6002 up ove to red $20 duri 0 replacemen t will exceedin addition to the esti ng tear-off EPIC ROO mated cost $200. below with FING & EXTERIORS LTD out notifyin g me in adv . (Epic) reserves the ance. Epic will call meright to replace sheathi for authoriz ng I understand ation if woo d loading/inst that I must remove items from allation of shingles on the to my roof interior walls of my (if hom applicable) I understand , or installa e that may be damage improperly that minor stucco dam tion of sidi d or fall due ng. Epic is applied. Epic not liable for to vibrations from is not liableage may result when the the such damage for repairing roof s. I understand said damage is torn off areas whe . re stucco mee otherwise, that any warranty for ts my roof’s surface, esp Roofing worEpic provides a Lifetimematerial used during ecially whe kmanship war the Wor installed. Full re ranties will kmanship Warrant project is provided by warranty deta y on be ils availabl reduced to five years portions of the proj the material manufac e by request. ture ect when home I understand owners hav in which Epic fully replr. Unless agreed upo n e requested ace should be inspthat, unless agreed that full synt d any existing prod upon. This ected on a ucts. hetic underla doe regular bas yment not be is, and am s not apply to products not respons I certify that ible for mat, some of which may dete stated and I am the registered erial shortag agree to pay own e and have riorate more rapidly the total projer of the above proj no claim to (ie. ect property material surp sealants) and ect price. , or have the luse I understand s. legal permissi that any insu subject to insu on to authoriz rance claims rance compan e Epic to perf are y approval. subject to the spe orm the wor cific terms k as I understand and conditio ns outlined subject to a that payment in full by my insu is 2% per mon rance compan th interest due upon completion y, and are charge. of work as stated in con I understand tract. All invo report(s), tradthat approval of my ices not paid estimate is e references, in full after subject to 15 days will and other cred be it informationcustomer credit app I understand rova prior to gran ting credit l by Epic. I agree that collection agethat I am responsible approval. Epic may acce past due ove ncies fees, court cos for all costs incurred ss my cred r 30 days. it bureau ts, and lega by l fees. Epic Epic related to the coll may place a builder’s ection of late paymen lien(s) on my t including but property and /or work sitenot limited to if the account is

Ryan Shantz is an owner of Epic Roofing & Exteriors in Calgary, Canada. He is also the Founder of SumoQuote. AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR • June 2019 41

in my Have a question? Curious how other contractors solve application problems? APC can help. In each issue we’ll aim to answer a handful of your technical questions by getting from-the-field stories from experienced contractors. Let’s all learn together how to improve the quality of our painting and manage the ever-evolving range of products coming into the marketplace. Send your questions to [email protected], subject: In My Experience.

Q: How do you attract clients who appreciate higher-end finishes like Fine Paints of Europe? A: Adam Fox of Fox Design and Paint in Texas responds: The first step in attracting customers to higher-end products and processes is to work with the products in the shop and gain some proficiency before attempting to sell it. All products, especially non-domestics, tend to have nuances that can be challenging to perfect. Fine Paints of Europe is no exception that way, so learning the product and developing a sample portfolio are important aspects as a precursor to getting into the target market. Nothing will stop you in your tracks faster than tumbling out of the gates with your first few clients. Take copious amounts of photos and document each step of the process that it takes to build a great finish with the product. This is important as you build a social media platform that will attract clients from the higher-end market. As you build a social platform with processes and products, it’s important to reach out to and follow designers in your area that operate in the target market. I will actively message specific designers with current projects to showcase my talents and the products that I’m using. I do all of my marketing through social media platforms, as I find it to be the most cost effective way to showcase what my company can provide. The quality paint and process that I provide is not for everyone, so standard marketing techniques, like mailers, will not produce any consistency in the affluent community. Fine Paints of Europe does offer a training/certification program for pros. The most important benefit that comes from the training is being listed as a certified painter. There is a great amount of camaraderie with painters from across the country, and it’s a great time. It’s not so much a hands-on training with product, but a full introduction to the line if you haven’t already used all their products. Being an invitation-only event makes it exclusive, and I think a vital part of prequalifying you in the eyes of APC potential clients. 42 June 2019 • APC

Navy blue color in Hollandlac Brilliant for a bathroom in Tarrytown, Austin TX

Renovation of dining Room in Old West Austin. Color is Oriental Blue finished in Fine Paints of Europe Hollandlac Brilliant

Custom color matched in Fine Paints Brilliant finish for a Kitchen in Uptown Dallas.

the wall

Welcome to The Wall. Here you can find cool stuff, including marketing tips, funny customer blunders and projects from APC readers. Got some cool stuff of your own? Just email [email protected]. Don’t forget to check our Facebook page for even more updates on The Wall.

Cartoon Caption Contest APC is 95! And in those 95 years, we’ve had some interesting contributions, including our own series of painting cartoons. Each month APC publishes one cartoon per month, and we want you to caption it. In addition, Warner Tools has agreed to sweeten the pot with some awesome tool giveaways. Since 1927, Warner Tools has manufactured superior-quality tools for pros right here in the USA.

We now have a new cartoon for you!

Winners of the May Cartoon Contest: Peter Balafas, Paint Logic He’s really getting into the swing of this painting work. Austin Siegel, Quality Coating Enterprises I told ya Walter, he’s the best in the biz, he’ll do whatever it takes! I think he could even be our best insurance broker! Mary-Jason Taylor, Perspectives Inc. Proven once again why men die before woman contractors.

The winner of this caption contest will receive a Professional ProGrip Knives! Now get those creative juices flowing and caption this cartoon! Enter at www.paintmag.com/paint_contest

AD INDEX 3M www.3m.com See our ads on pages 7, 15. Adrian Steel www.adriansteel.com See our ad on page 31. Alpha Products www.thetipsaver.com See our ad on page 37. Armstrong-Clark www.armclark.com See our ad on page 22. Benjamin Moore & Co. www.benjaminmoore.com See our ad on page 9.

Corona Brushes (800) 458-3483 www.coronabrushes.com [email protected] See our ad on page 27. Frog Tape (877) FROGTAPE www.frogtape.com See our ad on page 21. Home Depot www.homedepot.com See our ad on page 5. IPG www.itape.com See our ad on page 19.

Norton Saint Gobain www.nortonconsumer.com See our ad on page 25.

ShurTech www.shurtech.com See our ad on page 36.

PDCA (800) 332-7322 www.pdca.org See our ad on page 29.

Startex www.startexchemicals.com See our ad on page 2.

Pratt & Lambert www.prattandlambert.com See our ad on page 17. Rodda www.roddapaint.com See our ad on page 20. Sherwin-Williams www.sherwin-williams.com See our ad on page 33.

Titan Tools www.titantool.com See our ad on page 3. Trimaco www.trimaco.com See our ads on pages 11, 23. Worksafe www.worksafecompany.com See our ad on back cover.

AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR • June 2019 43