# Do you paint apartments or have you?



## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

It's spring time and the college kids are moving out of their apartments. Making it turn over season for apartment complexes. I usually call through the phone book asking apartment managers if they are accepting bids for their apartments. That's usually hit or miss. I was able to drop off 4 bids and recieved one job so far. I am wondering if any of you guys paint apartments and how much a sq. ft. do you typically charge. I understand we might not live in the same area and the market is different but its still helpfull. I went as low as $0.16 a sq. ft. and no more then $0.18 sq. ft. Do you charge the same or am I just  insane! My dad has been a painter for 30+ years and thinks that thats pretty low but the competition has grown through out the years and work is getting tougher to get.


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## BC_Painter (Feb 14, 2010)

Jonesie said:


> It's spring time and the college kids are moving out of their apartments. Making it turn over season for apartment complexes. I usually call through the phone book asking apartment managers if they are accepting bids for their apartments. That's usually hit or miss. I was able to drop off 4 bids and recieved one job so far. I am wondering if any of you guys paint apartments and how much a sq. ft. do you typically charge. I understand we might not live in the same area and the market is different but its still helpfull. I went as low as $0.16 a sq. ft. and no more then $0.18 sq. ft. Do you charge the same or am I just  insane! My dad has been a painter for 30+ years and thinks that thats pretty low but the competition has grown through out the years and work is getting tougher to get.


Floorspace or Wallspace?

so for a 10x10 room with 8 foot ceilings what do you charge?


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

I mean usually I look at their floor plans and its like 600-670sq. ft. just depending on the apartment complex. They can go as high as 1,400 sq. ft. and I do 1400 x 0.18 and usually get my price that way. Then if a ceiling needs painted I put that in extra $20-40 depending on size and doors $5.00 for each side.


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## AztecPainting (Jan 28, 2010)

Jonesie said:


> I mean usually I look at their floor plans and its like 600-670sq. ft. just depending on the apartment complex. They can go as high as 1,400 sq. ft. and I do 1400 x 0.18 and usually get my price that way. Then if a ceiling needs painted I put that in extra $20-40 depending on size and doors $5.00 for each side.


Are you being serious?  How long does it take you to do a job like this?


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

Again depending on the size of the apartment 30-60min. Thats if the trim doesnt need painted. Each apartment is different and different things you have to factor in. I'm not sure what to make of your post either im an idiot... or something haha


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## AztecPainting (Jan 28, 2010)

Jonesie said:


> Again depending on the size of the apartment 30-60min. Thats if the trim doesnt need painted. Each apartment is different and different things you have to factor in. I'm not sure what to make of your post either im an idiot... or something haha


Where are you located?


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

Lafayette, Indiana.


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

Something off beat. Aztec, we use the same business flyer from vistaprint or logo guy. It's pretty dang neat looking. Don't worry though i'm in the works of getting a custom logo.


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## AztecPainting (Jan 28, 2010)

Jonesie said:


> Lafayette, Indiana.


Cool, I lived in Oakhill in Indianapolis for 8 months when I was 15... BTW, do you patch anything and supply paint and your tools too?


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## AztecPainting (Jan 28, 2010)

Jonesie said:


> Something off beat. Aztec, we use the same business flyer from vistaprint or logo guy. It's pretty dang neat looking. Don't worry though i'm in the works of getting a custom logo.


It is a cool logo, too bad they have the right to keep it and I didn't read it when I uploaded, cool pic of a Mexican dude in everyones logo, lol... Thank me...


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

AztecPainting said:


> Cool, I lived in Oakhill in Indianapolis for 8 months when I was 15... BTW, do you patch anything and supply paint and your tools too?


Right on I have a family member who doesnt live far from there. I can patch some things up but that would probably come at an extra cost. We do not supply the paint the apartment complexes pay for it. We just provide the labor and the tools to complete the job. Usually a good ol 18'' roller a brush and some runners/drop clothes and we are good to go.


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

Jonesie said:


> Again depending on the size of the apartment 30-60min. Thats if the trim doesnt need painted. Each apartment is different and different things you have to factor in. I'm not sure what to make of your post either im an idiot... or something haha


You can roll that out in 30-60 minutes???????????????:notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:
I am not worthy to clean your brush.


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

haha. :wheelchair: and im in a wheelchair! 







lol, jk.


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## optimal (Feb 5, 2010)

We do apt repaints. They buy paint, we patch holes. Charge $210 dollars for a 2 bedroom around 800sqft. It takes our painters 6 hrs to cut and roll and 2 guys 4 hours. One bedrooms go for $180.


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## AztecPainting (Jan 28, 2010)

optimal said:


> We do apt repaints. They buy paint, we patch holes. Charge $210 dollars for a 2 bedroom around 800sqft. It takes our painters 6 hrs to cut and roll and 2 guys 4 hours. One bedrooms go for $180.


Awesome! I'm learning a lot :whistling2:


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

Just being around apt managers makes me ill.


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## Rcon (Nov 19, 2009)

optimal said:


> We do apt repaints. They buy paint, we patch holes. Charge $210 dollars for a 2 bedroom around 800sqft. It takes our painters 6 hrs to cut and roll and 2 guys 4 hours. One bedrooms go for $180.


Makes those $99/room guys look like high rollers eh?

:lol:

I'm at a loss for words, really.


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## Rcon (Nov 19, 2009)

Jonesie said:


> Then if a ceiling needs painted I put that in extra $20-40


$40 for 1400 sq. ft. of ceilings? :notworthy: How much does your tape cost? Or that roller sleeve you use? Or that plastic? Or the wear and tear on your drop sheets? Don't suppose you have to pay for the tip you use for spraying, or the maintenance on your machine?

Wow.


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

Yeah,but see your competing against their in-house people that make min wage.It's whole different world. I know its not uncommon to pay like 35.00 per room,they supply the paint.I don't think these guys are painting every square inch, its the same color/ same paint, so they just mostly touch up the place and call it a repaint.You have to know the manager and know the scoop on what they will accept as a repaint.You can make money but whenever they get a new manager it might be whole diff ballgame.


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

money sucks, time wasted at these places, get your marketing up and get out of there.


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## y.painting (Jul 19, 2009)

WTF is wrong with people?!


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

Rcon said:


> $40 for 1400 sq. ft. of ceilings? :notworthy: How much does your tape cost? Or that roller sleeve you use? Or that plastic? Or the wear and tear on your drop sheets? Don't suppose you have to pay for the tip you use for spraying, or the maintenance on your machine?
> 
> Wow.


Well this is to the everyones post apartments are NOT for everyone and there is money to be made if you know how to make it. You don't need a bunch of guys slacking around. You take your best guys and guys who actually can bust their ass and get as many done in a day as you possibly can. Then if you figure out the math you can walk away with $600-$1000/day. 

Rcon,

We lay down drop clothes and runners to ensure that no paint will get on the carpet/floors, not everyone is perfect and it happens so we have to take warm water and a rag and scrub but thats for guys who are on the low totem pole and can do that why you stay busy and get things done. I can usually buy a 18'' 1/2 nap - $7 @ SW. We typically don't spray out apartments the taping takes too much time and by the time your done taping we can be half way done. Some people have mastered spraying quick and getting in and out and still making decent money. I just stick to what I know and what I can do fast. I personally love apartments because around here 200 apartments get turned over and thats just at one complex and if you do the math you typically charge around $125-$150 if not double for an apartment. 150x200 =30,000. The turn over season last 3 months thats $10,000 a month.. so I can live off that.


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

optimal said:


> We do apt repaints. They buy paint, we patch holes. Charge $210 dollars for a 2 bedroom around 800sqft. It takes our painters 6 hrs to cut and roll and 2 guys 4 hours. One bedrooms go for $180.


 How are you doing anything other than breaking even like that? Maybe I read that wrong, but they would have to be minimum wage to not. I would have to really do my homework on this one. I could do apartments all the time if I went after them. I live in a college town and they are everywhere. Maybe if I could work in one complex for a week or two it would make sense to me but I admit I am having issues wrapping my head around it.


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## dubinpainting (Feb 16, 2010)

optimal said:


> We do apt repaints. They buy paint, we patch holes. Charge $210 dollars for a 2 bedroom around 800sqft. It takes our painters 6 hrs to cut and roll and 2 guys 4 hours. One bedrooms go for $180.


Wow that's cheap!! Now charge that rate and have fun dealing with all the bs that goes along with it.


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## AztecPainting (Jan 28, 2010)

*6 points I would like to share with you Jonesie!*



Jonesie said:


> You take your best guys and guys who actually can bust their ass and get as many done in a day as you possibly can. Then if you figure out the math you can walk away with $600-$1000/day.
> 
> We typically don't spray out apartments the taping takes too much time and by the time your done taping we can be half way done. Some people have mastered spraying quick and getting in and out and still making decent money. I just stick to what I know and what I can do fast. I personally love apartments because around here 200 apartments get turned over and thats just at one complex and if you do the math you typically charge around $125-$150 if not double for an apartment. 150x200 =30,000. The turn over season last 3 months thats $10,000 a month.. so I can live off that.


1.- We always use our best guys for big and quality jobs.
2.- You don't spray because you don't know how, period.
3.- You only get that kind of job because even the $199 guys are kings beside you.
4.- Why in hell should I get 200 jobs and work my a$$ off and make 30k when I can do only around 10 jobs in a shorter period of time and get equal or way more than 30k.
5.- You talk like people in this forum are useless and don't know what they are talking about.
6.- Wipe you mouth there's still a tiny bit of BS around your lips.


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## oldpaintdoc (Apr 11, 2010)

#6 :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## Capt-sheetrock (Feb 10, 2008)

Rcon said:


> Makes those $99/room guys look like high rollers eh?
> 
> :lol:
> 
> I'm at a loss for words, really.


 
See,,, and you guys thought i was a lowballer....LOL:lol::lol:


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

AztecPainting said:


> 1.- We always use our best guys for big and quality jobs.
> 2.- You don't spray because you don't know how, period.
> 3.- You only get that kind of job because even the $199 guys are kings beside you.
> 4.- Why in hell should I get 200 jobs and work my a$$ off and make 30k when I can do only around 10 jobs in a shorter period of time and get equal or way more than 30k.
> ...


 
Right on Luis!


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## capitalcity painting (Apr 28, 2008)

optimal said:


> We do apt repaints. They buy paint, we patch holes. Charge $210 dollars for a 2 bedroom around 800sqft. It takes our painters 6 hrs to cut and roll and 2 guys 4 hours. One bedrooms go for $180.


Am I reading this right it takes 1 guy 6 man hours, but 2 guys 8 man hours. What are your guys doing with the other 2 hours playing corn hole? What is wrong with these people? $180-$200 for an apartment? Hope you guys enjoy drinking natural light in a trailer cause your going to be there for a while


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

AztecPainting said:


> 1.- We always use our best guys for big and quality jobs.
> 2.- You don't spray because you don't know how, period.
> 3.- You only get that kind of job because even the $199 guys are kings beside you.
> 4.- Why in hell should I get 200 jobs and work my a$$ off and make 30k when I can do only around 10 jobs in a shorter period of time and get equal or way more than 30k.
> ...


Claro ques si, hermano! :thumbsup:


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## One Coat Coverage (Oct 4, 2009)

At one complex, I get $300 for one bed and $400 for two bed, they supply all material, they do all of the patching and caulking, and they even remove the wire shelving out of the closets, and ceilings are not included. At another complex, it is loft style apts. I supply materials, then add it on to the bill, I do all of the prep work, I charge them for my workers labor, and add $350 for me. Most apts take one day, a couple are huge and take two days, then I add $700 for me. Been this way for 8 years strong now.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

I painted apartments from 90-92. Student turnovers. Those were fun times. If my business comes full circle and I end up back there when I am 64, I will be pretty psyched. :yes:


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## y.painting (Jul 19, 2009)

vermontpainter said:


> I painted apartments from 90-92. Student turnovers. Those were fun times. If my business comes full circle and I end up back there when I am 64, I will be pretty psyched. :yes:


I'm guessing your 92 is Jonesie's 2010?


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

y.painting said:


> I'm guessing your 92 is Jonesie's 2010?


I was 23  One time, I put the eggshell on the trim and semi on the walls. They were both 5ers and the same color. And I used to skim with plaster of paris and paint right over without sanding. People thought I was good too.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

For the record, I dont count on my resume my self employment as a painter between '86-95.


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## tsunamicontract (May 3, 2008)

a two bedroom (including bath and living and kitchen) for that? $199 a room is a rip off!
$50 a room would be about right i suppose, new craigslist ad campaign. 
That sounds way to high stressed for me. If you can do it and make money and not destroy your body, mind and soul, kudos. Not for me. Ill stick with charging what I want to paint 3 colors in a 5x10 bathroom.


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

u all can bitch how i make money and how low I have to charge in my area to get work. I really don't care what I charge it has no affect on your prices where you live so why bitch about it. I asked a question and it turned into a bash fest lol. We all do things different you all should respect that and if you dont like my prices then be glad we live somewhere different


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Jonesie said:


> u all can bitch how i make money and how low I have to charge in my area to get work. I really don't care what I charge it has no affect on your prices where you live so why bitch about it. I asked a question and it turned into a bash fest lol. We all do things different you all should respect that and if you dont like my prices then be glad we live somewhere different


I think an intervention is in order. 6 hours of paid consultation with the tater and you will be charging by the minute like an attorney when potential customers call.


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## capitalcity painting (Apr 28, 2008)

Jonesie said:


> u all can bitch how i make money and how low I have to charge in my area to get work. I really don't care what I charge it has no affect on your prices where you live so why bitch about it. I asked a question and it turned into a bash fest lol. We all do things different you all should respect that and if you dont like my prices then be glad we live somewhere different


You should be happy were giving it to you straight. Maybe now you will start charging more and then you can come back and thank us in a couple years when your better off. Maybe you only got 1 of 4 of the places you submitted a bid because they thought you were to low. People do throw out the lowest bid you know, because they know that nobody in their right mind would do it for that.


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## optimal (Feb 5, 2010)

Jonesie, i would not let these guys get to you. They feel that apt painting is not the way to go and that is ok. If you can seal the deal on a complex and have an avg price of $200 that is good. Like you said a 150 apt @ $200 is an additional revenue of $30,000. Being able to add revenue to your company is and should be a priority. Add a few more complexes and you will be doing over $100,000 a year not bad. I look at the apt complex as a way to keep guys busy year around and happy. I wounder how many people out here have crews running around?


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

Absolutely nothing wrong with painting apartments.I worked for a guy when I was about 17.We did a crap load of em.That's where you learned the ropes. He had one guy who made pretty good money going from unit to unit shwing us newbies how it was done.Once you could do it without any supervision,bangin em out you'd get a nice little cash bonus at the end of the week. After that he would move you on to more skilled projects.It's all good!!!!!


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

I still would like you to reply to my post about your pricing. The math doesn't make sense to me. 



> We do apt repaints. They buy paint, we patch holes. Charge $210 dollars for a 2 bedroom around 800sqft. It takes our painters 6 hrs to cut and roll and 2 guys 4 hours. One bedrooms go for $180.


 2 painters @ four hours = eight hours. Eight hours x $14/hr = $112. Leaving you with $98 a day after paying labor. After the rest of your overhead I would put you profit at about $65 a day for those two guys? 

I guess if you have 20 guys doing this every day then that would be ok money if the volume was there. I would love to know if these numbers look right to you because this is something that I can reach out there and get real easy. I always turned it down and never thought twice about doing them. I am starting to think maybe I was wrong.


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

straight_lines said:


> I still would like you to reply to my post about your pricing. The math doesn't make sense to me.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What if it's him & a helper or by himself??


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

About $170 after wages for a 4 hr helper. $340 for 8 hour day/two apartments, by himself is pretty self explanatory.
So $340 with a helper or $420 without per 8 hr day before company overhead.


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## brushmonkey (Jan 4, 2010)

Painting apartments pays the same color cash as any other gig. Although to make any decent bank you have to get a good rhythm, some good help & just slam them biaches out fast as bills in the mail. Do a few in a row & soon enough you'll nail those puppies down with yer eyes closed. Hell.. I'd spray a coat on your frikin dog & the kids turtle for the right price. :thumbsup: Nothing like fast cash!

Not really...I love dogs-n-little critters...


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

brushmonkey said:


> Painting apartments pays the same color cash as any other gig. Although to make any decent bank you have to get a good rhythm, some good help & just slam them biaches out fast as bills in the mail. Do a few in a row & soon enough you'll nail those puppies down with yer eyes closed. Hell.. I'd spray a coat on your frikin dog & the kids turtle for the right price. :thumbsup: Nothing like fast cash!
> 
> Not really...I love dogs-n-little critters...


This is starting to remind me of those lead service threads.You either know how to work it or you don't!! Don't rain on someone elses parade just because you can't make it work.


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## ROOMINADAY (Mar 20, 2009)

I painted at our local university dorm rooms for 4 months last summer. Not too many ceilings but some. We would take a floor of rooms, mix up some 90 and fly through each room, checking behind door and dressers, fill, making notes where it needed a 2nd coat. Race through again, sand, prime, sweep, hit the primed patch with paint and start cutting and rolling the worst walls, sometimes the whole suite, some times 2 to 3 walls, depended if the students trashed the unit. Dragging a runner along the way, we would cut and roll 12 to 20 units a day each on average. After the all rooms were done, we hit the halls and bathrooms, and touched up trim if time permitted. After 10 days in a building, move all our gear Friday afternoon for the next 10 days. There were also some buildings with 4 bedroom apartment and kithens, same thing. We cut around all switch and plug plates, and there was no such thing as a "scuff" sand! - no time! The rooms did look good when we were done. I would love to have received $99 a room for this project! There were 4 of us and we hit around 2100 rooms from Apr 28 to Sept 4, plus long halls, stairwells, and bathrooms.

Crank on the MP3, get in a grove and try to beat your personal best each day!

It was a different experience and unique opportunity as I became an employee for 4 months, 8 to 4. We were a MASH unit of painters!


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## brushmonkey (Jan 4, 2010)

Wtf? So..you're saying that by me suggesting that working fast with good help & slamming out multiple units which btw = making more money by a having a higher production rate is considered (by you) to be raining on someones parade?? I guess Ive been doing it all wrong, for some reason I thought making a decent profit while quickly delivering a premium product is why we're all in this biz.


aaron61 said:


> This is starting to remind me of those lead service threads.You either know how to work it or you don't!! Don't rain on someone elses parade just because you can't make it work.


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## ROOMINADAY (Mar 20, 2009)

AztecPainting said:


> I thought that only mexicans were allowed to be slaves. I'll stick with my regular paint jobs and charging good prices, I don't need to get as tired, I still have a wife to please at home after work... lol.



I forgot to mention it was a high paying Union job - the 1st one I have ever been on, so I quite enjoyed the high rate of pay, paid lunch and breaks, working and learn from other pros, only really worked 5.5 - 6 hours in a day, paid for 8 and only cracked a sweat when the humidity was 100%. It was nice to get home all summer long to see my 2 year old, ride the 4 wheeler and motorcycle.

Now...booked until September, 10 - 14 hour days (not including quotes, invoices, accounting, networking, volunteer commitments), no Saturdays off, if I stop to eat I loose money, if I have to repaint a whole house of trim because some idiot can't get the concept that freshly painted trim is not a STOP for a roller, I lose money. I should also mention I woke up sick this morning and have a huge job I am starting on Monday - oh yeah no friggen sick days. Today, Saturday is addressing unnecessary "Punch List" items.

Who is the slave I ask?


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## WiseGuys Painting (Feb 22, 2010)

painting apaprtments can pay really good of you know how to do it. if you are brushing and rolling any thing but the kitchen and baths youi are screwing up already. spray spray spray. i can do at least 2, 800 sq ft apts by myself in a day. add in extras for ceilings patches and cabinets and you should be able to pull 600-700 a day easy. but the key is to get enough complexes that you can have 5-10 full time guys painting them and they get 40-50 percent leaving you with 300-400 per day per man you have working. then your job will be to walk the finished units and turn in the invoices and collect the checks. and believe me you will have no trouble finding people who will bust their butt for you for 300 a day. but you have to know the system and you have to teach your guys the system or you wont ever make money. all i use is about half a roll of paper and a roll of tape per apt to mask with . then its spray away.


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## 1donos (Sep 5, 2010)

The numbers you quoted seemed to be about what we did them for several years ago (indianapolis). I hate to say it but I think the prices have went down on getting the apartment repaints, a lot of crews moved into that market when the housing slowed down. I got out of apartments but sometimes miss the steady work and having a place to send a guy to everyday! 
So you may have to lower your sq ft price and try to make it up on a couple "extras" here and there.


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

who the hell moves INTO apartment painting??!!!!!!!!!!!!1 I just shot beer outta muh nose!!!!!!!! :laughing:


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## Capt-sheetrock (Feb 10, 2008)

nEighter said:


> who the hell moves INTO apartment painting??!!!!!!!!!!!!1 I just shot beer outta muh nose!!!!!!!! :laughing:


Seek help,, thats alcohol abuse for sure.


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## 1donos (Sep 5, 2010)

nEighter said:


> who the hell moves INTO apartment painting??!!!!!!!!!!!!1 I just shot beer outta muh nose!!!!!!!! :laughing:


 
New home construction is at a very low level here. A lot of the high volume builders went under or pulled out of our market leaving a lot of contractors looking for just about anything to do.


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