It’s important to portray a good front for your business. First impressions mean a lot to customers and visitors. If people approach your business and notice chipped or peeling paint, that impression will not be good. It’s also important to stay on top of building maintenance so that your property remains solid and sound.
Painting is one of the most economical ways to update the look of your commercial building. It will go a long way in impressing your customers and properly maintaining your property.
Benefits of a Fresh Commercial Paint Job
A fresh paint job can revive your business’s appearance and make people take notice. There are several benefits of repainting that justify the expense.
1. Rebranding
Has your business reorganized, been acquired by another entity, or otherwise modified its image? Part of rebranding usually involves changing colors in your logo and signage. Many businesses paint their buildings in their brand colors, so repainting to incorporate the new color scheme is a must.
Even if the colors don’t change in your business, fresh paint can signify a new beginning. It can make your building stand out and draw visitors to your business. Try an accent wall painted in a vibrant color or design to make the interior pop.
2. Increase Traffic
Put yourself in the customer’s place. Would you be more attracted to a building that is bright and clean than another that looks drab and dingy? When a building looks maintained and well-kept, customers’ impressions will be more favorable and they’d be more apt to do business with that company..
The first thing visitors see is the exterior of the building. Keeping it clean and tidy, with well-maintained landscaping, properly focused lighting, and a fresh exterior paint job will draw more customers. When they enter the building, the interior should be appealing, clean, and updated. Visitors are apt to stay longer inside a building that is attractive and visually appealing.
Even if your business isn’t one that receives a lot of visitors, passers-by will notice the exterior and make judgments about your business based on the aesthetics. If your business relies on a local presence and reputation, you don’t want a shoddy exterior to ruin your business.
3. Improve Employee Morale
Full-time employees spend at least ⅓ of their weekdays at their place of business. Working in a building that is ill-kempt and dreary can be depressing. Who wants to stare at dingy walls with flaky paint? Keeping the interior painted can improve the comfort of the environment and make a positive impact on employee satisfaction. Choosing paint colors that brighten up the area can also be a plus.
4. Attract the Right Customers and Tenants
You may not realize that certain colors are better than others when it comes to getting the attention of your target customers. If you’re a retail establishment, brighter, vibrant colors are better at encouraging sales. On the contrary, more muted and simple colors would work better for professional businesses like law firms and accountants.
If you own a multi-family structure, your color choices are usually pretty basic, with white and neutral colors being the most popular. However, if your tenants lean toward the artistic side, you might want to choose bolder colors, especially in the common areas of the building.
Do you own a vacation property that you rent out? Depending on the location, you’ll want to stick with the surrounding environment and choose a color scheme that complements it. Are you in a beach town? Then blues, greens, and pastels would be a good choice. Is your home in a desert area? A Southwestern motif with browns, greens, and turquoise would work.
5. Repair Paint and Wall Damage
The painted areas in your commercial building can take a beating. Carts bumping into walls can cause dents and paint chips. Lots of hands touching the walls will leave prints and dirt. Excess moisture can cause paint to peel.
The frequency for repainting the interior will depend on the type of activity. If the walls take a lot of abuse, drywall will need to be repaired before repainting. You’ll need to decide how often you need the interior repainted based on the appearance of the walls.
Exterior siding is painted with paint that is tougher and more weather-resistant than interior paint. But, depending on the climate and humidity levels, you might find your exterior paint bubbling or flaking more quickly.
6. Protect Your Investment
Keeping your building painted does more than improve the aesthetics. Exterior paint also serves as an additional sealant that protects the building from the weather. It keeps bugs and critters from invading the building and keeps water out. If water or moisture can get through, the chance for mold and mildew to begin growing is greatly increased. Mold can eat away at your building’s structure, causing extensive damage if not treated.
Keeping your commercial building maintained and looking good can also affect your property value. It will increase its resale value when it comes time to sell. Buyers and investors are more interested in properties that don’t need a lot of work done up front.
7. Keep the Environment Safe
There are requirements that commercial buildings must meet to keep the environment safe. The safety and health of workers and customers is your responsibility and violations can be steep and costly. A building that isn’t properly maintained can put everyone at risk.
OSHA has set forth standards for warehouses that areas must be properly marked with paint. If lead paint was ever used in your building, California has rigid requirements for its removal. If mold is present, it should be remediated and completely removed before repainting.
Even if there aren’t regulations mandating these actions, it’s important for you to remedy these situations to keep your staff and visitors safe and healthy.
8. Keep Up with the Competition
If you are out shopping and have the choice of two different retailers selling similar products, would you be more likely to enter the store with a bright, clean, and cheery facade or the one with chipped and peeling paint? The merchandise inside the stores may be equal in quality and price, but if the exterior doesn’t attract customers, they likely won’t even go in.
If you want to get a leg up on the competition, try getting a high-quality paint job in strategically chosen colors and designs. Remember, first impressions matter!
How Often Should You Repaint Your Commercial Building?
There is no concrete answer to this question. The recommended frequency for painting commercial buildings depends on several factors:
1) Quality of paint and application. If the painting was done by a reputable professional who understands the importance of of preparation and uses top-of-the-line paint and tools, the paint will last longer.
2) Local climate and weather conditions. A building that is in direct sunlight will fade more quickly than one in a shaded area. Damp and moist conditions will cause the paint to peel faster. Excessive heat can cause bubbling. Heavy winds and storms can beat at the painted surface, deteriorating the finish.
3) Type of business activity. An industrial facility has a lot of ongoing activity that can be more damaging to painted surfaces than a typical office. Plus, warehouses must meet OSHA standards for striping and marking floors and walls. They cannot be faded and still meet the regulations, so more frequent painting is warranted.
4) Paint colors. Bright and bold colors tend to fade more quickly, so repainting more frequently is warranted. If you want to extend the life of the paint job, choose lighter colors.
Trust the Professionals at The Painting Pros
When you think it’s time to repaint your commercial property, don’t make the mistake of doing it yourself or hiring an amateur. You’ll get less-than-ideal results and may spend more in the long run getting issues fixed.
Instead, hire the commercial painting contractor who has over 40 years of experience, all in the Silicon Valley area. The Painting Pros, Inc. specializes in commercial painting, both exterior and interior. We also repair drywall, remove and hang wallpaper, and apply industrial coatings. We paint all types of commercial buildings, from multi-family to healthcare to high-rise office buildings.
The Painting Pros uses only premium paint and professional tools to ensure every project passes our high standards. We follow all safety precautions to prevent accidents and injuries. We are fully licenses, bonded, and insured so you can feel comfortable knowing that you are not liable for any damages caused by us during the project.
Contact us today for a free consultation on your next commercial painting project.