Types of commercial painting
Commercial painting covers a wide range of buildings, from a small shop on Mamaroneck Avenue or the Boston Post Road to an office suite or an apartment building. The work often includes interior walls and ceilings, hallways and stairwells, doors and frames, exterior trim and facades, and storefront signage areas.
- Retail storefronts and restaurants
- Office suites and medical offices
- Apartment hallways, lobbies and stairwells
- Exterior facades and trim on mixed-use buildings
Working around your business
Most businesses cannot close for a week of painting. Commercial painters often work nights, weekends or in phases so that you can stay open. Low-odor paints help in occupied spaces. Tell the contractor your hours, access rules and any areas that must stay open when you request an estimate.
What to ask for
Ask for a written scope that lists every area, the surface prep, the products and finishes, the schedule, how the crew will protect floors and fixtures, and cleanup. For multi-family buildings, ask how tenants will be notified. Ask for proof of liability insurance and workers' compensation, and check the contractor's Westchester County home improvement license where the work requires it. Your building manager or landlord may also have insurance requirements for contractors.
Older buildings
Many commercial and mixed-use buildings in Mamaroneck, Port Chester, New Rochelle and White Plains are decades old. If the building was built before 1978 and the work disturbs old paint in housing or in areas used by young children, the EPA lead-safe rules apply and the contractor must be Lead-Safe Certified. Ask about this before work starts.
Pricing
Commercial jobs vary too much for a simple price table. Square footage, ceiling height, access, after-hours work and the condition of the surfaces all change the price. The fairest way to compare is to give each bidder the same written scope and ask for itemized estimates. Ask whether the price includes patching, primer, the number of coats, trim and doors, and cleanup, since those items often account for the gap between bids. Some contractors price by the square foot and others by the job, so convert the bids to the same basis before you compare them.
Questions homeowners ask
Can painters work after business hours?
Many commercial painters offer evening, overnight or weekend work. It can affect the price, so mention it when you request the estimate.
Do you take requests for apartment buildings?
Yes. We pass along requests for hallways, lobbies, stairwells, units and exteriors of multi-family buildings to independent local contractors.
How is commercial painting priced?
Usually by the job or by the square foot, based on a site visit and a written scope. Access, height, after-hours work and prep all affect the number.
Other services
House painting
Full interior or exterior repaints for houses of every age.
Exterior painting
Siding, trim, porches and doors, with the prep older homes need.
Interior painting
Walls, ceilings, trim and doors, one room or the whole house.
Cabinet painting and refinishing
A new look for kitchen and bath cabinets without replacing them.
Deck and fence staining
Cleaning, sealing and staining for wood decks and fences.
Power washing and surface prep
Cleaning and prep for siding, decks and walks before paint or stain.