# Apartment Q.



## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

What do you pay you're guys an hour to paint apartments? Or do you pay them by the apartment? What way would work best do you think? just curious, thanks!


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

My guys are employees, so I pay them there hourly wage.


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

Schmidt & Co. said:


> My guys are employees, so I pay them there hourly wage.


Ic, what do you pay them an hour if you don't mind me asking?


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

My guys make between $18.00 & $29.00 per hour. Needless to say I don't do many apartments, as my labor is just to high.


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

apartment employee pay is between 10 an 13 hour, employers get prob bout 20-50 per apartment after material and labor. I don't paint apartments as that wouldn't even put gas in my truck.


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

at that rate you would need to be painting, 20 apartments a day to make it worth it. although your labor hours would be less per apartment at that volume, if one thing goes wrong, your sh!t under water.


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

ewingpainting.net said:


> apartment employee pay is between 10 an 13 hour, employers get prob bout 20-50 per apartment after material and labor. I don't paint apartments as that wouldn't even put gas in my truck.


I find apartments to be great money if you have a system down. Although its not made for every painting contractor. It's hard work depending on how many you do a day. You should be able to bring in $100+ easily on each apartment you paint. If you have your best painter with you, you should be able to bust out a 1x1 standard apartment within a hour. A standard turn over season (1 month) you can bring in 60K+... That's enough to fill my gas tank up. Then again, that number can range depending on how big the complex is and what they pay.


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## scottjr (Jan 14, 2012)

Jonesie said:


> I find apartments to be great money if you have a system down. Although its not made for every painting contractor. It's hard work depending on how many you do a day. You should be able to bring in $100+ easily on each apartment you paint. If you have your best painter with you, you should be able to bust out a 1x1 standard apartment within a hour. A standard turn over season (1 month) you can bring in 60K+... That's enough to fill my gas tank up. Then again, that number can range depending on how big the complex is and what they pay.


Did I read that right? You bring in roughly 60k a month?


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

scottjr said:


> Did I read that right? You bring in roughly 60k a month?


Yeah and that's chump change compared to other painting contractors around here who can make 300K at some apartment complexes. average apartment is $200.00 - minus labor x 1500 units. If you have a couple complexes during turn over season (august) you'd be set.


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## ColorQuest (Mar 19, 2012)

300k per month? Holy spackle, I'm changing my business name to ApartmentQuest.


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

ColorQuest said:


> 300k per month? Holy spackle, I'm changing my business name to ApartmentQuest.


Which is better?

300k per month at a 1% profit margin or

30k per month at a 10%?


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## ColorQuest (Mar 19, 2012)

Right on Neps, that is the mentality I have created my business around. I feel like a make great consistent pay for my lifestyle. I operate solo and my average job is probably in the $2000.00-$2500.00 range. Small and medium jobs move faster, and the check moves into my hand faster.


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## ColorQuest (Mar 19, 2012)

My hat really goes off to some of the guys on this forum that manage huge amounts of work.


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## ColorQuest (Mar 19, 2012)

I have felt like a hostage a couple of times on bigger jobs. It can make it harder to entertain new clients. If your someone who operates through referrals that can ripple in the web.


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## the paintman (Feb 3, 2012)

NEPS.US said:


> Which is better?
> 
> 300k per month at a 1% profit margin or
> 
> 30k per month at a 10%?


50k at 20%


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

its no different than tact house painting or those blow and go repaint outfits, its a penny business and numbers game. you look all bad azz until......

I'm not judging you if this blow and go is anyone's operation here, I've been there, done that. The ride up is awesome, the ride down is pure hell. liabilities do not measure up to the profits. Oddly I was going to start another thread today on this same subject.


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## StripandCaulk (Dec 30, 2011)

Jonesie said:


> Yeah and that's chump change compared to other painting contractors around here who can make 300K at some apartment complexes. average apartment is $200.00 - minus labor x 1500 units. If you have a couple complexes during turn over season (august) you'd be set.


Sorry i really do not believe that..300k profit a month is rediculous. Gross sales? 

Theres a big difference between wht you MAKE and what you CHARGE


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

StripandCaulk said:


> Sorry i really do not believe that..300k profit a month is rediculous. Gross sales?
> 
> Theres a big difference between wht you MAKE and what you CHARGE


 
Maybe they have 5,000 workers @ $ 8.50 an hour.:blink:


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

You can paint an apartment in 1 hour????????????????????????
RRRIIIIGGGGHHHHHHTTTTTT!!!!!!!!


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## wills fresh coat (Nov 17, 2011)

aaron61 said:


> You can paint an apartment in 1 hour????????????????????????
> RRRIIIIGGGGHHHHHHTTTTTT!!!!!!!!


He has got to, to make that kind of $......and he probably does 10 a day.....by himself,,,,:no:


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## StripandCaulk (Dec 30, 2011)

chrisn said:


> Maybe they have 5,000 workers @ $ 8.50 an hour.:blink:


chris i think the martians got you too:thumbup:


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

StripandCaulk said:


> Sorry i really do not believe that..300k profit a month is rediculous. Gross sales?
> 
> Theres a big difference between wht you MAKE and what you CHARGE


I never said 300K is pure profit..


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## StripandCaulk (Dec 30, 2011)

Jonesie said:


> I never said 300K is pure profit..


Sorry, make 300k.. would tend to make most believe that is profit

If i had 1500 units at $200 a pop. You could make some serious coin if you hired some illegals dirt cheap to blow and go


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

aaron61 said:


> You can paint an apartment in 1 hour????????????????????????
> RRRIIIIGGGGHHHHHHTTTTTT!!!!!!!!


hahaha, we don't paint from a :wheelchair: we manage to do it all the time. For instants the kitchen & bathroom goes semi gloss as well as the face of the door casings. The walls go flat, along with the base trim. A basic 460-750sq. ft. apartment can be painted in an hour. 2 guys in a 1x1 should be able to handle that.


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

StripandCaulk said:


> Sorry, make 300k.. would tend to make most believe that is profit
> 
> If i had 1500 units at $200 a pop. You could make some serious coin if you hired some illegals dirt cheap to blow and go


why do you need to hire illegals? there is plenty of white folk willing to work, thing is you have to train em' to work as hard as an illegal! thats the key.


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## StripandCaulk (Dec 30, 2011)

Jonesie said:


> why do you need to hire illegals? there is plenty of white folk willing to work, thing is you have to train em' to work as hard as an illegal! thats the key.


Im personally really into using illegal labor, its cheaper and i can evade having the cost of payroll taxes. Its the hot setup

Sometimes i put them out on 3 weeks pay then just call immigration


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

StripandCaulk said:


> Im personally really into using illegal labor, its cheaper and i can evade having the cost of payroll taxes. Its the hot setup
> 
> Sometimes i put them out on 3 weeks pay then just call immigration


shame on you lol... i'll never hire any of em' we tend to have problems communicating, did you use rosetta stone?


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## StripandCaulk (Dec 30, 2011)

Jonesie said:


> shame on you lol... i'll never hire any of em' we tend to have problems communicating, did you use rosetta stone?


No i used to gangbang with some rough mofo's back in the day. Learned to speak espanol in the streets


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

Jonesie said:


> hahaha, we don't paint from a :wheelchair: we manage to do it all the time. For instants the kitchen & bathroom goes semi gloss as well as the face of the door casings. The walls go flat, along with the base trim. A basic 460-750sq. ft. apartment can be painted in an hour. 2 guys in a 1x1 should be able to handle that.


 
wow:blink:


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## scottjr (Jan 14, 2012)

Jonesie said:


> hahaha, we don't paint from a :wheelchair: we manage to do it all the time.
> 
> I paint in a wheelchair.


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## StripandCaulk (Dec 30, 2011)

chrisn said:


> wow:blink:


 
thats nice right chris:whistling2:


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

StripandCaulk said:


> thats nice right chris:whistling2:


yup:blink:


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## epretot (Dec 17, 2011)

Jonesie said:


> hahaha, we don't paint from a :wheelchair: we manage to do it all the time. For instants the kitchen & bathroom goes semi gloss as well as the face of the door casings. The walls go flat, along with the base trim. A basic 460-750sq. ft. apartment can be painted in an hour. 2 guys in a 1x1 should be able to handle that.


What do the edges of the door casing get?


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## wills fresh coat (Nov 17, 2011)

epretot said:


> What do the edges of the door casing get?


Flat


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## Jonesie (Apr 29, 2010)

epretot said:


> What do the edges of the door casing get?


They go flat, that's not our call it's how the management want's it done.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

the paintman said:


> 50k at 20%


lawl


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## CDP (Sep 27, 2012)

How do I get my foot in the door at one of these apt's? I do plenty of sub work for apt's, but I need my own property?


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

CDP said:


> How do I get my foot in the door at one of these apt's? I do plenty of sub work for apt's, but I need my own property?


 Kick through it!:whistling2:


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## jonnythecutter (Mar 10, 2009)

CDP said:


> How do I get my foot in the door at one of these apt's? I do plenty of sub work for apt's, but I need my own property?


Drop an Email to property management companies. Smaller is better IMO. Sometimes you luck into higher end property.

That's what happened to me. I was doing a coffee run for the guys one day, wearing my painter's whites. Making small talk with familiar faces, I was asked for a card. A lady who I saw randomly on occasion, turned out to manage four complexes. 

Long story short, three years later, I'm their paint guy. They call me for all their paint related work. I sub out the work on occasion, because i can't do it all. 

Everyone needs a good painter in a pinch. They're always in a pinch. They just need to know how to find you.

Send a piece of your marketing, a couple of references with phone numbers, and let them know how to reach you when they need a good painter. 

Your phone will ring.


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## oz_painter (Aug 18, 2012)

i do maintenance work at a retirement home with similar size apartments and can do 3 in a 10 hr day (full repaints) brush and roll no spraying, 1500 a day it works out to minus paint and thats all by myself as well. last month me and the old man turned over 20k in 4 days, with the line marking and painting business i usually have no drama turning out 10k a week working 8hr days and no weekends if i get the urge lol. when we were into commercial work we turned over a bit over 3mil in a yr with 27 guys (we are smaller now only 3 employees)

we pay our guys $19 an hr plus benefits, i give them bonus's i found it gives them more incentive to actually do something.


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