[PressurePros]

Its been running across the top this morning. Its says "Hire Student House Painters". Do these companies actually take business from any of you? Where in someone's brain does it register that a college kid that has been painting for 30 days is going to have the remote possibility of doing a good job? Is this more of a marketing ploy than anything (ie experienced painters with some kid helper) or is it exactly like it sounds?

 

[johnthepainter]

(ie experienced painters with some kid helper)>>>>>>this has worked out really good for me

when these fellas roll into town, they are marketing machines,,,,,,,,,,door to door, proximity marketing, flyers, signs,

then they proceed to screw up a bunch of houses

 

[MAK-Deco]

Hey Ken,

I compete with these yoyos in every neighbor I do cedar exteriors and were talking 600k - 1m homes. There price is not cheap either as the big wigs on top take most of the money and not much left for the kids. I know we have posted about these guys before so I won't ramble on.

The do have a great marketing machine. And I do believe some HO's think there helping the "kids"

 

[slickshift]

...Where in someone's brain does it register that a college kid that has been painting for 30 days is going to have the remote possibility of doing a good job?

Those that use price to hire and consider Painting something any Labor Monkey with a Brush can do

 

[vermontpainter]

Funny this came up today.

I was driving through a high visibility intersection in our area this morning, bright sunny day. There is a very old house that is known to have peeling lead paint right on the corner.

One of the Collegiate outfits was conducting a training day on this house. There were about 30 kids out there with their t-shirts on learning how to scrape and prime lead paint. Hopefully OSHA will come along and teach them about tyvek suits, respiration, gloves and abatement.

 

[Dave Mac]

Its been running across the top this morning. Its says "Hire Student House Painters". Do these companies actually take business from any of you? Where in someone's brain does it register that a college kid that has been painting for 30 days is going to have the remote possibility of doing a good job? Is this more of a marketing ploy than anything (ie experienced painters with some kid helper) or is it exactly like it sounds?

I think a lot of HO think painting takes about as much talent as mowing a lawn . It goes to show you how important marketing is though. :thumbsup: , to bad they can't follow threw with good results. I find working for these jaded customers is a good thing, most of the time.

 

[EricTheHandyman]

I think a lot of HO think painting takes about as much talent as mowing a lawn .

No doubt about it--Almost every paint job I bid on I end up spending a lot of time educating the customer that painting is a skilled trade, just like plumbing or electrical. Cutting a straight line, making that softball sized hole disappear, and keeping the paint on the wall (not the floor, ceiling and baseboard) are what separates us from the hacks, but it takes a lot of educating of the consumer to make them realize it.

 

[plainpainter]

Ken - I have been within hundreds of dollars on my estimates with these college outfits. My first thoughts were holy crap - I gotta really raise my price - my jobs are worth double what those kids do. And the homeowners thoughts have been, why are you $200 more on an $8500 estimate? My jaw literally dropped to the ground - homeowners have no idea how hard it is estimating in painting - to be within $200 on an $8500 estimate is literally pennies. And to boot - they seriously had no consideration for my reputation or quality - the 'other' guy was $200 cheaper. Painting trades - gotta love it.

 

[NEPS.US]

I think they are great. It's easy to soar like a Eagle when surrounded by Turkeys.

Plus I run over their signs every chance I get. Fun.

 

[daArch]

Lot of great quotes here.

Those that use price to hire and consider Painting something any Labor Monkey with a Brush can do

And that's the crux. "It don't take no skill to paint a house, why shouldn I help put little Biff through college?"

Plus I run over their signs every chance I get. Fun.

You oughta run over THEM !!!

One of the Collegiate outfits was conducting a training day on this house. There were about 30 kids out there with their t-shirts on learning how to scrape and prime lead paint. Hopefully OSHA will come along and teach them about tyvek suits, respiration, gloves and abatement.

I hope you made the call. I already have twice this season.

My first thoughts were holy crap - I gotta really raise my price - my jobs are worth double what those kids do. And the homeowners thoughts have been, why are you $200 more on an $8500 estimate? My jaw literally dropped to the ground

Hell, my late Father-in-law hired College Hacks because "I liked the cut of his jib" six months later he was ripping the ******* a new a-hole. I had to bring my ladder over one day and a case of caulk just to fill some of the obvious gaping holes.

REAL painters gotta sell QUALITY and KNOWLEDGE. We are talking about protecting the average person's largest investment. Now I don't believe in damning the competition, but these College Hacks ain't the competition, they are a blight, pariahs, scum sucking bottom feeders, best salesmen for vinyl siding.

Perhaps we oughta fund an ad campaign to educate the public about flushing their money down the toilet.

Yah, I have zero tolerance for College Hack Painters

 

[Wing 54]

Don't forget to put the school teachers that paint for the summer. And guess what the IRS never knows about?

Had 1 guy here get stuck though a few years back because the estate he did work for reported and IRS cross checked.

 

[DWS DIABLO]

I like this thread , but I dont get college works banner (sponser on this site!!) or student house painters or a couple other ones i noticed. we have CERTA PRO Painting up here in new england a franchise you buy into , what a bunch of crap, I tell my customers when u go out to dinner do u go to Mcdonalds or a fine restraunt, Its amazing what people belive because they heard it on the radio or television.

 

[tsunamicontract]

what is the deal with all these nation wide painting companies popping up all over the place? There is College pro, certa pro, best house painters, new image, ext. Are these just some get rich scheme or do we actually have to worry about competing against these guys?

 

[JTP]

Not Exactly, But Close Enough to Being On Topic

Repeat from a different Thread:

We are the step children of the trades. The public perception is anyone can paint. Even the bigger clients with the bigger homes seem to think the same thing. My points below apply equally as well to the door buster-quick paint franchise outfits. When the things go south in a year or under, the quicksters are gone leaving the home owner scratching his proverbial nuts and wondering what happened to the paint that WAS there, but has disappeared like his neighbors black top job which ran down into the nearest culvert with the last thunderstorm.

JTP--All Over Again!

I can Do It Myself--Thanks Anyway
Here is the set up:

I did a job over the winter for these folks. They are having 3 small ceiling sheetrocked. When completed by the rockers, I get to paint the ceilings. I quote the ceilings at $550.00. Keep in mind these folks spent $5100.00 with me this winter. Responses should be fun to read.

What follows is my partial e-mail response to the customer on this issue.
================================================== ======

You have given me a perfect forum to respond a bit more to the pricing question. If I were a plumber, would you tell me "heck John I can sweat the 1/4" lines together if you can't meet my pricing expectations?" If your electrician appeared to be over priced, would you say: "heck John I'll just do the wiring myself?"

I run into pricing issues all the time with folks who seem to think professional painters should be treated differently than other service providers. If you truly believe you will be satisfied with the painting work you do by yourself, than it's a moot point.

I try to provide excellent service, honesty, integrity, and a job well done to every customer. You are not simply purchasing paint on a ceiling or two. Reliability, accessibility, and credibility are purchased at a price.

I am positive you can perform an adequate job relative to your ceilings. I appreciate the fact you are offering $400.00 for the job. I cannot, however, make the accommodation. You have the ability to stay in your home and paint your ceilings whenever appropriate. I do not have that luxury.

I also know my stance is probably risking the possibility you will find another painter for your exterior work. That is the price I pay for standing firmly. This is not arbitrary, egotistical, or stubborn. I have a very full calendar, and never enough time to accommodate everyone.

I am always happy to be of assistance in any way possible. I try not to let business differences interfere with an amiable disposition.

Chris--I appreciated the work this winter. I would love to paint for you and Becca again. Please feel free to contact me at anytime to assess your needs.

With warm regards,

JTP

 

[Alex PCI]

Franchises are business models that have systems in place so they can be duplicated across the country. The people that buy these are entrepreneur's that follow the systems of business rather than painting. These guys land lots of jobs because of there advertising and sales training, the actual painting part is far down the list. I used to despise franchises, but now I try to learn from them. It took me wanting to be the best businessman and not the best painter to realize that though

 

[premierpainter]

Repeat from a different Thread:
!

I can Do It Myself--Thanks Anyway
Here is the set up:

I quote the ceilings at $550.00. What follows is my partial e-mail response to the customer on this issue.
================================================== ======


I appreciate the fact you are offering $400.00 for the job. I cannot, however, make the accommodation.
I also know my stance is probably risking the possibility you will find another painter for your exterior work. JTP

Your willing to lose an exterior paint job over a $150 difference? That does not make sense to me.

 

[Ethan]

There is College pro, certa pro, best house painters, new image, ext. Are these just some get rich scheme or do we actually have to worry about competing against these guys?

It is my understanding that college pro and certa pro are owned by a company called firstservice corporation. They also own franchises such as california closets, pillar to post inspection, Paul Davis Systems, etc.

College pro is the largest of the college painting outfits with College Works 2nd. Tuition painters and University painters are similiar but I believe smaller.

I believe Certa Pro generates some where in the $300-$400M/year in revenues. I think College Pro is somewhere around $100 million a year. College Works does somewhere in the $25 million a year range. I cannot speak to New Image, but I know a similiar company that is growing very rapidly there too.

I think there is a trend to bigger, systematic contracting companies such as the companies and franchises listed above. but I also think, at the end of the day, that if you add them all up and divide it by total market share, they may only have a few % points...

As technology evolves, i believe you will continue to see a consolidation of our industry. There is still a need for a neighborhood niche store, but the walmarts and targets of the world get the most. For better or worse, you will see more and more companies like this evolve.

 

[Tonyg]

I don't care if the comp is a franchise or not as long as they keep the prices up. I did a house last fall that was done by Tuition "painters" . I could peel off the paint in sheets and the coat was so thin I could read through it. My problem though is not with the quality as much as they did it for nothing.

Certa Pro has a strong presence but has been way high on the last two jobs that I bid against them. I can sell against the college kids and the franchises on the quality of my work but when they do it for nothing it just brings the market down.

 

[JTP]

JTP Responds Premier

Your willing to lose an exterior paint job over a $150 difference? That does not make sense to me.

Without knowing individual factors, I would say you made an excellent observation Premier. I can actually afford to risk the loss of the exterior job to stand up and be counted among those not willing to play the would ja, would ja game--as in: "Wouldja just throw the garage in for the same price?"

This specific customer and I have a cordial relationship. He also had the ceilings rocked AFTER we completed the finish paint job. I went back to say hello to this customer last week. A good portion of the finish work needs to be done again due to the sheet rock job. I told my customer, prior to painting, the job progression was wrong. He still decided to have the rooms painted first, and then rocked--go figure.

Chris can now do the ceilings and the rooms he paid me to do all over again if he wants. Or, he can re-hire me to do it again. I am not playing the wouldja-wouldja game with him or anyone else. I don't have to beg for work. I have plenty.

And, this may seem somewhat arrogant and self serving, but the truth is I really do have all the work I personally need or want right now and probably until I decide to hang up the brushes, pans, buckets, sprayers, ladders, and all the other stuff we need to make a living.

JTP