Residential or Commercial Painter – Is there a Difference?

Some professional paint companies specialize in only one type of painting. They may tailor their services and expertise to home painting – both indoors and out – or they may cater to the ‘business crowd’. Now, this could include any type of commercial property that is not limited only to companies but other areas such as government buildings or establishments. Hotels, hospitals, theaters and other forms of public structures may all fall under the heading of commercial painting.

But, is there a difference between residential and commercial painting and painters? There are a few and it helps to understand them before hiring a paint company!

• Residential painters generally focus on smaller structures. That may be the indoors or outdoors of a single-family home or buildings on the grounds – such as a garage or a shed. These painters are usually well-versed in the amount of paint that will be needed to complete the covering of a single room or the entire surface of the indoors of a home. They will be equally knowledgeable about what is needed to cover the home’s exterior.

Residential painters should also have an expertise in paint-prepping the interior and/or exterior surfaces of the house as well. For example, residential painters will suggest the best times to paint, the types of coverings required to ensure the paint does not damage any of the interior parts of the home such as the floors or furniture – and the exterior – such as shrubs or driveway.

• Commercial paint companies also understand scale – but to a much greater degree. Commercial paint jobs fall under the category of ‘projects’ or ‘project management’ and the commercial painter may be working in collaboration or coordination with other building professionals such as plumbers, electricians or architects.

So, before making a decision about the type of painter you require for your particular job – look at the job and ask yourself what type of painter you think you would need knowing the expertise of each?

You should understand that commercial painters may very well be willing to work on a residential job. If this is the road you decide to travel in painting your home, you should be confident they understand ‘scalability’ is the key to its completion. You do not want to hire a company that is used to thinking in such large quantities they are not able to tailor it to a small scale…and vice versa!

Ultimately, you want the best paint company for the job so do your homework! Interview, review and then hire! For more information on residential and commercial painting contact the experts at University Painters, Inc.