# Walmart



## buckyboy

Anybody ever do a re-paint on a Walmart? We do residential and small commercial but never have bid on a 120,000 sqft building. Actually have 2 sets of prints on my desk (within our travel distance) to bid on a new Walmart and a re-paint same co. Just wondering if I'm getting into something I might regret. We have a small crew (5 guys) but we're all animals when it comes to painting. We have the right equipment but would like some feed back on this size project..Thanks in advance


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## timhag

Hi Buckyboy, i don't know if i have seen you around.....welcome to the site. Like you, I do residential and commercial repaints and never bid on a job that size. If you guys are all animals and you have the proper equipment, I say go for it. You can get er done buddy.:thumbsup:


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## vermontpainter

That sounds like a fun project. Its a thrill to go big!


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## NEPS.US

Word on the street is to stay away from them ....unless you like waiting to get paid next to nothing.


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## timhag

NEPS.US said:


> Word on the street is to stay away from them ....slow pay.


Thanks NEPS, this will help him and others look at the positives and negitives of doing this type of work. I give you two thumbs up for this advice.....you're the best.:thumbup:


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## NEPS.US

I stay in touch with several PM's across the country that bid on commercial projects in my area and this company along with several other department/big box stores are very difficult to work with. Most likely you are looking at plans from a GC that is bidding the project. If you locate the bidder's list you can get more bang for your buck and submit bids with all perspective GC's. You have to be very careful with these bids. The guys that make money in these types of builds or remodels have it down to a science and do several stores a month. Hard to make it profitable to start. The last time I looked to bid one of these I would of had to sign a waiver in which I would not expect to recieve payment until 90 days after the GC had recieved their final payment. These big companies do so many builds and remodels they expect the GC to finance the job ...in turn, your financing your end.
Dont get me wrong....I'm sure guys here will tell you that it's a great opportunity. I just think there might be easier ways to make money with 5 guys. Good luck.


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## vermontpainter

I would take NEPS' advice very seriously on this one. He, more than anyone I know, looks at this type of bidding alot, and understands the nature of that game.


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## timhag

vermontpainter said:


> I would take NEPS' advice very seriously on this one. He, more than anyone I know, looks at this type of bidding alot, and understands the nature of that game.


:yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: Agree 100 million %


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## PaintProfessor

I know a painting company in town that just painted a Super Walmart this past fall and he was waiting on payment for a very long time.


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## vermontpainter

I wouldnt even want to cover the materials on one of those for a month...can you imagine how much that would be? Then with labor...yikers


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## buckyboy

I am new to this site and thank you for the welcome..the bid pkg. comes on a cd with the plans and additional plans are extra if you need them. I looked at the paint schedule and you have to do the work at night and into the a.m. so I guess your not in the way then. I believe your right about having to finance the paint end, sounds like you have to have quite a bank roll just by looking at all the different kinds of paint they require, and plus they have to be stored off site which means you probably need a container. The only reason I'm looking into this is because my partners are younger than me and a little more energenic. We are licensed and insured and they think by taking on a bigger job that there will be more money come end of year with bonuses. Me personally would rather stick to small commercial and res. but I told them I would pursue it. I think I'll let them read some of these responses and let them draw their own conclusions. We have a meeting this Sat. and I think it will require an extra six pack (tall boys). Thanks for the quick responses and appreciate all of your help guys.


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## Brian

Big projects carry big risks. And big risks also carry the potential for big rewards. I've never done a project that large, but I'd be pretty nervous. It would take a lot of planning and careful execution. The planning, as others indicated, should include the financial end. That's a lot of material and labor to pay for while waiting for your money.

Brian Phillips


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## NEPS.US

Brian said:


> Big projects carry big risks. And big risks also carry the potential for big rewards.
> 
> Brian Phillips


The "Big Rewards" part is what you need to forget when bidding it.


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## vermontpainter

Or build the rewards into the bid.


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## NEPS.US

vermontpainter said:


> Or build the rewards into the bid.


You better not count on winning this type of bid then. Why don't you think these jobs are sold to unions? They might...I said Might bring on union carpenters to apease the unions and prevent picketing, but the crunching begins after that.


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## vermontpainter

NEPS.US said:


> You better not count on winning this type of bid then.


Exactly. I would only want to "win" it if it could be done in a rewarding way. It would be suicide to bid something like that optimistically and hope that things go your way. I'd rather book 1000 small jobs than take 1 big potential loser.


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## NEPS.US

vermontpainter said:


> Exactly. I would only want to "win" it if it could be done in a rewarding way. It would be suicide to bid something like that optimistically and hope that things go your way. I'd rather book 1000 small jobs than take 1 big potential loser.


Exactly my point! :thumbsup:


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## vermontpainter

NEPS.US said:


> Exactly my point! :thumbsup:


I hope there arent too many painters out here bidding jobs like this and planning their business' future around that type of work. Or people bidding them feeling like they really "need" to get it...


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## NEPS.US

vermontpainter said:


> I hope there arent too many painters out here bidding jobs like this and planning their business' future around that type of work. Or people bidding them feeling like they really "need" to get it...


I always thought a job like this could "Put my company on the map!". More like wipe it OFF the map!


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## straight_lines

If this is an exterior repaint I her from a friend that the winning bids on them were really low. So low in fact I can't imagine even doing them. 

I guess if you really need the work then go for it.


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## Safety Guy

I have done them. I would not attempt one with a 5 man crew. We were able to handle most of the job with 4 guys then when crunch time came we were working two shifts of 6 and weekends. The G.C.'s that run these things do not give a darn about the subs they are there to make the owner happy. Add in the Walmart inspectors, OSHA, and the sometimes slow pay these are a tough job to do. That being said we made some TALL $$$ on the last one we did but I managed the chit out of it or we would have been screwed. 

I personally would not advise a "smaller" contractor to bite something like this off. I don't mean that in a derogatory way just that they are a very demanding customer.

BTW I just noticed this thread is almost four months old...I wonder if he took it??


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## gamblndano

*Wal Mart*

Bid the project with a number that is conservative. In other words make sure that you take into account all prep, equipment/lifts, materials and labor/overhead. Also, don't forget that if you are working in an occupied area, you may be building a containment each night and tearing it down each day. Lastly, don't forget to have your paint supplier make draw downs for you. You need to get the color approved by the G.C./Architect. I personally have had a situation on a Super Wal Mart where the blueprints called for white and the spec book called for dover white on the deck. We ordered our paint off of the blueprints as you do and of course it ended up being the wrong color. Don't let this happen to you. And if anyone knows of a similar situation where this happened on a Wal Mart, I would like to hear from you. Dan O'Toole 317.694.7520


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## wmore

*New here*



buckyboy said:


> I am new to this site and thank you for the welcome..the bid pkg. comes on a cd with the plans and additional plans are extra if you need them. I looked at the paint schedule and you have to do the work at night and into the a.m. so I guess your not in the way then. I believe your right about having to finance the paint end, sounds like you have to have quite a bank roll just by looking at all the different kinds of paint they require, and plus they have to be stored off site which means you probably need a container. The only reason I'm looking into this is because my partners are younger than me and a little more energenic. We are licensed and insured and they think by taking on a bigger job that there will be more money come end of year with bonuses. Me personally would rather stick to small commercial and res. but I told them I would pursue it. I think I'll let them read some of these responses and let them draw their own conclusions. We have a meeting this Sat. and I think it will require an extra six pack (tall boys). Thanks for the quick responses and appreciate all of your help guys.


I painted 4 W-Marts (foreman)just one field color inside. put one man just on the poles as he had to remove fire extinguisher, phones, decals (heat gun) and the carpet that is wrapped on the poles, and then we put everything back.Just two lifts. two of us painted just the exterior walls inside. Ceilings were NEVER painted on the ones I worked on. (they were vacuumed) Someone mentioned 2 shifts. W Mart only lets you work 9pm-7 am. 3 men, two lifts 6 days, one coat> Offices in back took about 5 gallons and 3 gallons for exterior doors (oil). VERY easy job. Exteriors done at night as well-4 days- 3men. Any questions, glad to help...


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## daArch

wmore said:


> Any questions, glad to help...


where were you two years ago when buckyboy OP'ed this thread. 

AND he ain't been around since.


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## richmondpainting

wmore said:


> I painted 4 W-Marts (foreman)just one field color inside. put one man just on the poles as he had to remove fire extinguisher, phones, decals (heat gun) and the carpet that is wrapped on the poles, and then we put everything back.Just two lifts. two of us painted just the exterior walls inside. Ceilings were NEVER painted on the ones I worked on. (they were vacuumed) Someone mentioned 2 shifts. W Mart only lets you work 9pm-7 am. 3 men, two lifts 6 days, one coat> Offices in back took about 5 gallons and 3 gallons for exterior doors (oil). VERY easy job. Exteriors done at night as well-4 days- 3men. Any questions, glad to help...


Painting commercial exteriors at night...sounds fricken awesome....run a crew during the day and paint in the dark too.......


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## richmondpainting

uuuhhhh oohhhh.... guess who just found the request for a Walmart repaint??

lol....


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## clermontpainting

my personal experience with this kind of progect is,very needy,very picky, and slow to pay. been doing this for thirty five years take it for what its worth.


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## richmondpainting

clermontpainting said:


> my personal experience with this kind of progect is,very needy,very picky, and slow to pay. been doing this for thirty five years take it for what its worth.


Yea...I decided to stay away...I don't have the bank account or experience....but I guess I'm concentrating on resturaunts, retail and tilt ups...offices...


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