It’s common for homeowners to attempt to DIY a residential painting project. In fact, since the changes to the New Zealand tenancy laws in February last year, more tenants are experimenting with a paintbrush at home too (with the permission of the owner).
But what about commercial painting projects? Is it just the same as residential painting or should you contact a professional painter that specialises in commercial buildings? Let’s compare the differences to reveal why a “one-size-fits-all” approach doesn’t apply when giving the interior or exterior a refresh.
Large commercial projects require more time and more hands on deck
This sounds obvious, but not only do commercial projects usually have more area to cover, but there are probably stricter deadlines in place. Residential projects tend to be smaller in scope, whether they involve painting one apartment or a development of new builds. They are generally less complex too.
A commercial painting project requires more skilled painters to work at once. This also demands additional planning, resources and a lot more paint to make sure the team is able to meet deadlines. The work also requires more in the way of plastering, working on multiple surface types with different properties, and addressing troublesome areas. Often the painting may be undertaken at heights which bring an additional set of health & safety controls, and in some cases accreditation / licensing, into place.
Materials & equipment
Most residential painting jobs can be completed with a standard set of materials and equipment – not dissimilar from the equipment you might use for a DIY painting project. Residential painting tends to focus on aesthetics and on hiding any imperfections on walls.
Commercial painting, on the other hand, brings up more complications. Commercial painters will usually be experienced in working with a range of materials – including wood, marble, metal and plastic – and they’ll need the equipment to handle this. That means they may bring items like pressure washers, sandblasters, paint sprayers and scaffolding into the mix. On top of that, they’ll be able to provide and work with commercial and industrial-grade paints, primers, etc. which differ from residential materials.
And, of course, while a residential project may get by with a few tins of paint, a commercial project often demands hundreds – even thousands – of litres to cover the area.
Considerations to keep in mind with commercial painting projects
When painting a commercial or industrial premise, there are additional obstacles to overcome. For example, when is the best time to paint in order to minimise downtime for the business? How many senior members of staff need to approve changes or movements in the project? If other people (such as employees) will be on-site while painting is underway, how will you keep them safe (and clean)?
Commercial painters know they might have to work at night in order to accommodate the client’s schedule. If a business can’t close while the painting’s underway, a night shift might be the only solution.
What might commercial painting services include?
This depends on the project, but commercial painters can usually apply their extended skillset to related jobs such as:
- Brick waterproofing
- High-durability coatings
- Line striping
- Masonry coating
- Roof coating
- Metal door painting
- Stenciling
- Waterproof coating
Get a quote for your painting project!
Got a residential or commercial painting project and need some experts? National Project Management (NPM) is based in Greater Auckland and our team offers 24/7 services when you need us. Don’t settle for a contractor that doesn’t come armed with the specific skills and experience your project calls for.