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Painting business and trade-craft guides: pricing, profit margins, licensing, bidding, and the skills that grow a professional painting company.
Quick answer: Exterior paint lasts 5-10 years on most U.S. homes in 2026, with significant variation: 10-15 years on properly prepped fiber-cement (Hardie) and quality…
Quick answer: Starting a painting business in 2026 takes 4-8 weeks and $2,500-$8,000 in setup costs. The five required steps: (1) register an LLC and…
Quick answer: Hiring painters comes in three phases: classify them legally (W-2 employee vs 1099 subcontractor - the IRS test matters more than your paperwork),…
Quick answer: A healthy painting business runs at 15-25% net profit margin on revenue. Gross margin (revenue minus direct costs of paint and labor) should…
Quick answer: Most U.S. states require painting contractors to hold a state-issued license once their jobs exceed a dollar threshold - typically $500-$2,500 depending on…
Quick answer: The fastest sources of new painting clients in 2026 are (1) Google My Business for local search, (2) referrals from past customers (highest…
Quick answer: Most latex (water-based) wall paint is dry to the touch in 1-2 hours and recoatable in 4-6 hours at standard conditions (70°F, 50%…
Quick answer: A painting subcontractor agreement is the contract between a painting business owner and an individual painter (or smaller painting outfit) hired to do…
