Investing in the success of your business goes beyond supporting the people that work there or spending on the infrastructure needed to produce or sell your products and services. You want all visible areas of your building to reflect the professionalism, quality, and care that form part of your business values. Ensuring your commercial building is not looking faded, chipped, or dull needs to part of your ongoing maintenance if you want to send the right message to customers.
Applying a fresh coat of paint to your building is also key if you rent out portions to other tenants. It’s not enough to prove that the structure of the building is in good shape. Well maintained buildings attract quality tenants and keep your premises full. Consider this: a professional paint job will cost you less than missing out on months of rent.
Maintaining Your Paint Work
How do you determine if your building needs a new paint job? An experienced commercial painting company will be able to help you make the call. They will inspect the building’s exterior paint every year, looking for signs of mould and mildew, or an accumulation of dirt. These leave a faded appearance on the paint’s surface. They may recommend you pressure wash the walls to remove these elements. This can be done annually, but ensure you work with pros – if the chemicals or pressure used are too hard it can damage the surface of the building and lead to cracks in the painted surface.
Here’s what they will be looking for to determine if you need to repaint:
- Caulking. This happens when the paint protection’s outer levels have faded, and the paint begins to deteriorate. You can test for this by running your hands over the surface. If pigment wipes off on your hands, you may need a repaint job.
- The UV rays of the sun take a toll on the exterior of industrial buildings. Uneven colouring is another sign you should consider repainting your commercial building.
- Dry rot. This occurs when fungus grows under building walls and floorboards. A professional commercial painting company will advise you on using primer substances that will prevent the fungus from growing back.
Typically you should budget to repaint the exterior of a commercial property every 3-5 years, with maintenance touch-ups once a year. So, what are the next steps before you hire a contractor?
1. Look at your painting needs
Do you have more than one building that needs repainting and how long do you estimate the project will take? This will help you decide when the right time to schedule the work will be. For example, painting during winter may cause less disruption to your business.
2. Investigate colours
Is one neutral shade the only option for your building? Spend time testing out a variety of shades to see if a new look could be the refresh your business image needs. If you have a heritage property, using a darker shade to highlight window or architectural details could be very attractive too. While trends may sway your decision, consider how the colour you choose will fit in with the neighbourhood you operate in and if it will appeal to your target tenant or customers.
3. Safety first
Working with a professional painting crew will mean you don’t have to worry that safety standards aren’t being adhered to. However, do have a discussion with them about the type of paint they use to ensure you select a product that causes minimal health risks to people present in the space. You could consider odourless paints too. Finally, before you make your hire make sure the contractors are licensed and carry insurance so you can be confident about the quality and safety of their services.
4. Look into additional services
A fresh paint job is going to lose its impact if other areas of the building need attention too. Consider hiring a company that specialises in all areas of building maintenance so you can get all the work done at once. This could include gutter restoration work, concrete repairs and window washing, for example.
Another aspect of paint care is vandalism. If your building is regularly hit with graffiti, discuss this with your contractor. They have a range of products they can use that prepare the walls for these situations. The substances they apply to the paint will make it easier to remove graffiti when it occurs. Vandalism is something that can happen to any business, and if the ‘work’ is offensive, you want to know that it can be removed very quickly to prevent offense to your customers or shed a poor light on your business. Discuss the option of applying a sealant to your exterior paintwork with your contractor.
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