[Rich]

What is a fair wage for the top painter in a company?

 

[Tonyg]

What is a fair wage for the top painter in a company?

How much money do you have?

Probably a better question is how much more, percentage wise, should your top painter get.

 

[Rich]

would a poll be better? I could give pay brackets

 

[ProWallGuy]

I think region might play a big difference in the answer.

 

[ProWallGuy]

I think that a top-level painter should be payed comparably to the rate of a local union journeyman. For example, if a journeyman painter in StL gets $30 per hour, so should a 'journeyman' level non-union painter. This is just MHO.

 

[painter jeff]

Everyone wants to make more money.Painters know they are worth more money, employers know painters are worth more money. But it depends on what the painter and employer agreed on prier employment.It depends on what the employer can pay at that moment of time and space.

3 months later can they get more in line,..maybe

 

[Chameleon]

$ 30 per hour....that's a bit excessive. If you only have 1 employee maybe, but still too high. How can you afford to stay competetive by paying your employees union scale ? I pay between $ 9.50-11.00 Prep men, $11.50-12.50 painters, and $13.00-15.00 spray men and supervision. With that, the supervisor gets a phone, and gas card.

 

[Rich]

I think that a top-level painter should be payed comparably to the rate of a local union journeyman. For example, if a journeyman painter in StL gets $30 per hour, so should a 'journeyman' level non-union painter. This is just MHO.

thanks PWG
in your opinion, if a similar level painter is working in a company, what kind of profit will the owner make if he's charging $40/hr. and paying this guy $30? is it so cut and dry? and have you ever met an employee in a painting company making $30?

 

[Rich]

$ 30 per hour....that's a bit excessive. If you only have 1 employee maybe, but still too high. How can you afford to stay competetive by paying your employees union scale ? I pay between $ 9.50-11.00 Prep men, $11.50-12.50 painters, and $13.00-15.00 spray men and supervision. With that, the supervisor gets a phone, and gas card.

so $15/hr. is your max for starting an experienced guy to run a crew? are you hiring amazing, drug free painters with those wages?

so you're saying a prep guy is getting $12.50 and his foreman with 10 years experience is getting $15.00?

 

[CApainter]

$ 30 per hour....that's a bit excessive. If you only have 1 employee maybe, but still too high. How can you afford to stay competetive by paying your employees union scale ? I pay between $ 9.50-11.00 Prep men, $11.50-12.50 painters, and $13.00-15.00 spray men and supervision. With that, the supervisor gets a phone, and gas card.

These are early 80's wages, for a non union shop! Unless your hiring undocumented workers or tweekers, wages should be around $20 to $28 per hr. for non union painters.

 

[PressurePros]

thanks PWG
in your opinion, if a similar level painter is working in a company, what kind of profit will the owner make if he's charging $40/hr. and paying this guy $30? is it so cut and dry? and have you ever met an employee in a painting company making $30?

If a guy is making $30 per hour, you are spending at least $45 per hour in matching taxes, workman's comp and training. Factor in your D&I expenses of operating, your company profit margin and what you need to make, and employee down time (where he is traveling, picking up supplies, organizing the truck etc) and you are now in the billing range of $75+ per manhour. I read what some guys bill per hour and I sadly foresee that they will never break free of being a working stiff.. even though the truck and business cards have their name on them, they own the job, not a business.

 

[timhag]

I think region might play a big difference in the answer.

Exactly:yes:

 

[plainpainter]

I think a top notch professional painter that is journeyman level is worth around $25/hr plus bene's - but with what residential homeowners pay me - I can't afford to pay that kind of salary. I agree fully with Ken - you need to charge roughly $75 man-hours. And even in upscale residences - I don't see that happening in the painting trades. So there are no more good painters to hire anymore - anybody who is good isn't happy with $15-$17/hr - but how can you pay more if the homeowner is being charged $45/hr? Presently I own my painting jobs. Homeowners have voted - I have been told how much people are paying for their exterior repaints - and I find the whole industry to be shameful. I had one customer with an old colonial farm house with a huge barn attached - I told him I couldnt' do any justice to it for less than 40k - he got some 21 yr. old starting out in the painting biz to do it all for 8k - 2 years later it is peeling off in sheets. But somehow homeowners never remember.

 

[NEPS.US]

If a guy is making $30 per hour, you are spending at least $45 per hour in matching taxes, workman's comp and training. Factor in your D&I expenses of operating, your company profit margin and what you need to make, and employee down time (where he is traveling, picking up supplies, organizing the truck etc) and you are now in the billing range of $75+ per manhour. I read what some guys bill per hour and I sadly foresee that they will never break free of being a working stiff.. even though the truck and business cards have their name on them, they own the job, not a business.

so true.... I am having a difficult time finding skilled labor for a decent wage. Everbody thinks that they are worth $35 an hour and I swear they have no Idea how to hold a brush. I could be booking work for 6 crews right now and I am at odds on what to do. My second year in business I had 28 employees...did not hire very good. I made some poor decisions in order not to turn work away. I made decent money that year but I am more profitable now (5 years later) with 7....when I hire I take on the responsibility to keep these guys busy at least 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year and to get paid every friday ...I dont hire from job to job. My top guy makes $25 ..my lowest $12 ....Boston Area

 

[Joewho]

Good thing vegas is dominated by the union. I worked on one of the crews paying 18.00/hr. tops, minimal insurance and no bennies. I was the only caucasion actually painting. BTW, that company, who's owner is on the Nevada State Contractors board, got busted for breaking the same rules he oversees on the board.

Location is definately a factor. So, what's fair? Well, if I'm the company owner, sure 18/hr. is fair. And if I can take down 100,000/yr. that's good to.

If I'm the employee, you can take that 18 and stick it where the sun don't shine. What they pay here, as quoted above doesn't get you a quality painter. It gets you a production immigrant, hard worker and skilled at a very narrow range of work. No knowledge, thievery, no loyalty etc. etc.

I will own my jobs. My customers like that I own my jobs and take direct responsibility, without all the overhead, workmans comp and everything else that ultimately gets dumped on them. I don't use employees. I simply take jobs I can handle, do personalized work and get paid more than anyone has to offer here. My work doesn't make much of a splash in the market, so no one is crying about me undercutting them.

I simply don't believe that everyone in business needs to be in business. If it's too hard, or not enough profit, then don't do it! Simple.

 

[Rich]

My top guy makes $25 ..my lowest $12 ....Boston Area

now I feel like that is a good spread

plenty of good painters, myself included would grab a job making $20-25/hr in a reputable paint company-last time I checked 42-50k was a good wage

And most guys just stepping into the trade or maybe with a year under their belt, usually wet behind the ears, sounds decent that they could make $12/hr and move up.

But I don't believe, like some have eluded to, that money is what keeps guys around. I believe it's money in part, but more appreciation and respect and then some more appreciation. I'm talking about that, "hard to say...drop the pride, I couldn't be doing this without you" appreciation. Not enough owners/bosses are saying things like this to their guys and it's hurting the trade . Cut throat gets old after a while. Honor, Integrity, and respect never does.

 

[NEPS.US]

now I feel like that is a good spread

plenty of good painters, myself included would grab a job making $20-25/hr in a reputable paint company-last time I checked 42-50k was a good wage

And most guys just stepping into the trade or maybe with a year under their belt, usually wet behind the ears, sounds decent that they could make $12/hr and move up.

But I don't believe, like some have eluded to, that money is what keeps guys around. I believe it's money in part, but more appreciation and respect and then some more appreciation. I'm talking about that, "hard to say...drop the pride, I couldn't be doing this without you" appreciation. Not enough owners/bosses are saying things like this to their guys and it's hurting the trade . Cut throat gets old after a while. Honor, Integrity, and respect never does.

......keep in mind that I'm not someone that shows up to the jobsite and points fingers or talk down to my men. I still get dirty every day because I really enjoy WORKING... I think it goes a long way with my guys when they see me pitching in every aspect of the job...Im not above sweeping up, dumping trash, sanding, painting baseboard or humping ladders. I also enjoy the people I work with and am careful in not describing them as employees but call them co-workers instead. In doing this I earn a mutual respect with out barking at them or talking down to them....I cant even tell you how many homeowners and contractors compliment me on my crews to tell me how hard they work when I am not around...Works for me..not for all.

 

[Alex PCI]

WOW!!! It amazes me how different the pay scale is across the US

Here in NC the average pay is 12 -17hr. and 17.00 an hour being a rarity. Ive only seen a very few worth that

I pay above average wages for my area. There are plenty of painters asking for 10.00/hr but I would say the average for a decent worker is 12-14


I couldn't imagine a salary of 25.00hr, im still trying to find out how to make that much myself

 

[Workaholic]

Here the pay scale is 12-18 dollars depending on skill, and responsibility level. That is for fair wages, for somebody with more drive then they would probably go out on their own.

 

[Rich]

Alex, it is amazing. I quit a job years ago working as a foreman who was under-appreciated and under-paid making $17/hr. If you are good here and able to perform journeyman tasks $20-$25 to start is common.

Where are you located? Nevermind....just saw the NC...that explains it