Whether you are painting a few offices or an entire building, there are considerations that are specific to office painting. If you are painting just to freshen-up your space, you care more about the speed and cost of the service. If the project is part of a larger corporate remodeling plan, expect the contractors will be around for a while. You want this process to be smooth and predictable without any serious interruption of work.
Plan to meet with pre-qualified contractors that specialize in commercial painting. The prequalifying process should involve documentation and references from previous work.
Ecopainting is an experienced commercial painter with clients throughout the Toronto area. We painted the offices of major corporations such as 3M, Canadian Tire, Volkswagen Canada, RSA Insurance and Kyocera Mita, among others. Earning the trust of institutions like Centennial College, Aga Khan Museum and Ryerson requires hard work and experience. Our clients include shelters, hospitals, diplomatic missions, even consulates.
What Makes our Office Painters Trustworthy?
We all spend a big part of our life at work, therefore the office becomes our home away from home. When we work in client’s offices we notice how personalized and personal their space is. Wall posters, desk pictures and other signs remind us that work is better when it feels like home.
Ecopainting works in high security areas, human resources and accounting offices. We paint washrooms, cafeterias, patient rooms and classrooms. The word “trust” takes a whole different meaning when discussing painting services. Companies earn their reputation, positive or negative. When meeting with your pre-qualified candidates ask for references and certifications. Sales calls and a proposals are promises and as such they need to be verified. After speaking with the contractor’s clients check the validity of the WSIB, Insurance and Safety certifications. And of course ask them if they have their own employees. Painters that use subcontractors may not have enough insurance and are asked to provide a “Hold Harmless” document. Ecopainting can address all your insurance needs including a “Hold Harmless” document.
“The Painters did an excellent job painting our office. They were very neat, professional, friendly and efficient. Everything was completed on time. I would definitely use Ecopainting again for other jobs and would highly recommend them to future customers”
Karen A. For CCH Canadian Ltd. Office Painting customer. December 23, 2010.
Can You Paint Offices After Business Hours?
Most people don’t like working at night and with good reason. Parking and logistics may be easier but shift-work is difficult on the body. Painters are not any different and prefer working during business hours. Unfortunately, this is not always possible for a busy office environment. When the daily business activities cannot be interrupted, painting should take place after hours. Scheduling painting crews at night is a little more difficult and needs to be coordinated well with the facility manager. A good compromise is to have the busy areas painted at night and everything else during the day.
What about the smell of paint?
Smell was a big issue years ago and it was the biggest deterrent to painting the office. Paints and coatings have improved and both customers and painters don’t have to put up with smelly paints. Newer buildings painted recently have been painted with Zero VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds). Ecopainting is an environmentally responsible contractor. Our choice of materials is governed by our policy of reducing our ecological footprint. Zero VOC paints are less harmful to the painters and the workers in the office. A word of caution: less harmful does not mean harmless. Manufacturers recommend using proper ventilation and disposal procedures as with all paints.
Is your building LEED certified? Certain construction materials are not recommended because of their negative effect on Indoor Air Quality. Ask your contractor about their environmental policy and their material specifications.
Who will move the furniture, filing cabinets and equipment?
Systems furniture and filing cabinets are heavy and desks and shelves are packed. Painters can spend hours just getting a room ready for paint. Considering the cost of office painting, you want painters to be painting, not moving furniture. That’s exactly what they should concentrate on doing. Asking office people to become movers may not be the best idea either, so what is the solution? We are dealing with this issue daily and the following are some suggestions:
- If the systems furniture is impossible to move, hire qualified movers. They have technicians that can disassemble and assemble systems furniture.
- Store personal and small items in a box and out of the way. Rubbermaid containers work well as they are stackable and have lids.
- Empty the book cases and clear the top of the furniture before the painters arrive.
- Remove any pictures from the wall and tell the painters if you are putting them back.
- Empty the top two or three drawers of filing cabinets. This is a safety recommendation, moving heavy filing cabinets can cause back injuries.
- When painting the boardroom, move the chairs only. The conference table doesn’t have to be moved, just covered in plastic.
The painters can move empty and off loaded furniture out of the way or cover it to protect it from dust and paint.
Can You Help us Pick Colour for the Office?
Branding aside, colour is a powerful tool for designing a productive work environment. The correct choices can maximize productivity, enhance employee creativity and even reduce stress and fatigue. There are actual physiological changes taking place in humans when exposed to certain colours. Whether you choose a monochromatic or more elaborate scheme, we can be of assistance. Our estimator has some basic colour knowledge and brings colour swatches when meeting with you. There are three different approaches to picking colour.
- Work with our estimator’s suggestions and field experience.
- Involve your staff and turn picking colour into a team building activity.
- Have us paint some sample colours to a few walls.
- Get some professional help by engaging the services of a certified colour consultant.
Whatever you decide to do with colour, Ecopainting will accommodate it. We love painting offices, we painted thousands of them and we would love to paint yours next!