Rob and I were talking about our business, RC Painting this weekend. The economy has presented many challenges to small businesses in the past year.
Many contractors kept busy during the building boom of the past and with the number of building permits down, many companies have gone out of business. We are so fortunate to have a loyal customer base, and a few quality General Contractors like Shem Mackert of SMJ Homes to keep us busy.
Rob and I love working with Homeowners, Property Managers and General Contractors to provide a stress free home improvement, renovation or new build.
We would not be able to provide the excellent service that keeps our repeat customers coming back if were not for the members of our team. So I'd like to thank Rob, Bill and Robert for all they do! We love what we do!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Interior Painting
Well, summer is drawing to a close! Are you ready for a long winter indoors staring at the walls? Before the snow hits, let RC Painting of Cedar City, Utah give your interior a new look! Call Chris now at 435-439-5690 to schedule your free estimate!
Friday, July 23, 2010
The Erecta Rack
After using the Hinge Mags to paint the doors while they are hanging we move the doors to keep them safe from overspray and damage from other trades. We used to move them all out to the garage, moving 27 eight foot doors thru the house was a tough job, but Robert from RC Painting was able to do it using a lot of time, sweat and energy. Once out in the garage, they were still prone to damage from wind and trade traffic.
We recently had the opportunity to try the Erecta Rack System. This allowed us to stack the doors in one central area in a space no larger than one door. That meant Robert did not have to carry them all through the house! He was very glad to only move them a short distance and stack them. This also made it much easier for him to roll a coat of primer and paint on the bottom edge of the door. This is a step often skipped by many painters. He could then cover them with plastic and continue on with other details.
The Erecta Rack is not designed for spraying on, but as a stacker to allow doors and trim to dry.
It is well designed and sturdy, perfect for doing cabinet doors. I think this is something we will get a lot of use out of! Thanks Erecta Rack for a great product.
We recently had the opportunity to try the Erecta Rack System. This allowed us to stack the doors in one central area in a space no larger than one door. That meant Robert did not have to carry them all through the house! He was very glad to only move them a short distance and stack them. This also made it much easier for him to roll a coat of primer and paint on the bottom edge of the door. This is a step often skipped by many painters. He could then cover them with plastic and continue on with other details.
The Erecta Rack is not designed for spraying on, but as a stacker to allow doors and trim to dry.
It is well designed and sturdy, perfect for doing cabinet doors. I think this is something we will get a lot of use out of! Thanks Erecta Rack for a great product.
Hinge Magnets
Another product RC Painting likes to use is hinge magnets. These flexible magnets cover the hinge on a door and allow us to spray the door and the trim in place. Many painters use braces or stands to spray the doors all in one room and that can work as well, but we prefer not remove the hinges from the door. Often times a screw will get stripped or the door will just not hang the same.
Spraying the door hanging allows the sprayer full access to all edges except the bottom, which is dealt with later. Check out our video to see how well they work. You might have to turn your monitor;)
Spraying the door hanging allows the sprayer full access to all edges except the bottom, which is dealt with later. Check out our video to see how well they work. You might have to turn your monitor;)
Using the right equipment.
In my previous post, I talked about using certain products to help increase efficiency and quality while painting New Construction homes in Southern Utah. One of the favorite products of RC Painting's is Tub Sealer. This is a product we spray on the bathtub as soon as it is installed in the home, this is usually done in the framing stage. The home is still exposed to the elements, and subject to damage accidentally by the plumbers, electricians, insulators, drywallers and others. This product is a thick rubbery substance that protects the bathtub until the home is completed. Currently, RC Painting is the only Painting Contractor in Cedar City, Utah to use this product. Shem Mackert of SMJ Homes is very happy to have not had to replace or repair a bathtub since he started using it.
Contact us if you would like to learn more!
Contact us if you would like to learn more!
Scheduling in New Construction Painting
RC Painting specializes in painting new construction homes for General Contractors and Owner Builders. Painting New Construction in Cedar City is a great experience, we are lucky to have a core group of subcontractors that we encounter in each home. Often times, many of the trades are in the house at the same time trying to get their portion done. When it is ready to paint, all other activity must stop so that the painting can be completed. This means that we must complete our work as quick as possible, while still providing a quality finish.
Rob Haught of RC Painting and his crew have a procedure and system they have spent years refining. This enables them to complete an average home (1700 sq. ft) in three to five days, depending on finish requirements. They have also kept up with new products in the industry to provide the best service and finish. Look for upcoming blogs to see what products we like!
Here is a video of our process.
Rob Haught of RC Painting and his crew have a procedure and system they have spent years refining. This enables them to complete an average home (1700 sq. ft) in three to five days, depending on finish requirements. They have also kept up with new products in the industry to provide the best service and finish. Look for upcoming blogs to see what products we like!
Here is a video of our process.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
New Lead RRP Rule
This is a copy of a letter I recently sent to local newspapers.
Good afternoon, my name is Chris Haught, and I own and operate RC Painting in Cedar City, Utah. We primarily focus on residential and light commercial painting.
Part of my success in the painting business has come from not only sharing my knowledge with others but also learning from other contractors via the internet who share my passion of doing things "right". One of the most pressing issues that legitimate contractors are just starting to learn about is the EPA's new Renovate, Repair, and Painting (RRP) regulation that takes effect April 22nd.
A recently completed survey has shown that 9 out of 10 affected contractors (remodelers, plumbers, electricians, painters, etc...) do not know about this new regulation. The other scary part is that most of those contractors, could find themselves in trouble for not complying with part of the regulation that is already in place – namely the notification aspect effective December of 2008. The fines are well in excess of $30,000 for non- compliance.
I will be taking the required certification class and have applied for Firm Certification as required by the EPA. It is a complex regulation that will affect every single homeowner, nationwide with a home built prior to 1978. This will hit them right in their pocketbooks and they will have no choice as to whether they comply or not. Currently, there is an "opt-out" clause in the regulation. Due to a court settlement with the Sierra Club and others, it is most likely going to be removed prior to the regulation's start date on April 22, 2010.
We, as contractors and even homeowners working on their own rental properties, face major fines if we do not follow the regulations exactly. The process we must follow is rather complex even for simple "in and out" projects like a simple vinyl window replacement. This will add significantly to our costs, which we will then pass on to our customers.
Many of us are questioning not only the procedures that are sometimes contradictory, but even if they will even benefit the homeowner. There are also a few interesting issues still outstanding; namely will the local inspection departments request proof of certification in order to pull a permit for older houses. How will the insurance companies handle claims on older homes? How many contractors are going to be surprised, when they find out that their policies exclude issues dealing with lead? How many contractors will have to stop working on an existing remodeling project or postpone one because they have not gotten their Firm Certification back in time? Should a homeowner unknowingly hire an unqualified contractor and a fine is levied, what are the chances that the contractor will complete any unfinished work?
Here are a few news clippings of other newspaper, and additional links that you may find of use
Kansas Article
NY Times Article
Webinar
I feel it is imperative that the public be made aware of this immediately since there are many homeowners who are currently planning projects that will be affected by this rule. Please note that contractors who have not yet applied to the EPA can expect to wait 90 days for their certification to become valid, and we are less than 80 days away from the rule taking effect. Unfortunately many of these homeowners may have already signed
contracts.
Although cases of reported Lead Poisoning in children are rare in Utah, there is still a risk when improper procedures are used during renovation, whether it is a homeowner or a professional.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Email me!
Good afternoon, my name is Chris Haught, and I own and operate RC Painting in Cedar City, Utah. We primarily focus on residential and light commercial painting.
Part of my success in the painting business has come from not only sharing my knowledge with others but also learning from other contractors via the internet who share my passion of doing things "right". One of the most pressing issues that legitimate contractors are just starting to learn about is the EPA's new Renovate, Repair, and Painting (RRP) regulation that takes effect April 22nd.
A recently completed survey has shown that 9 out of 10 affected contractors (remodelers, plumbers, electricians, painters, etc...) do not know about this new regulation. The other scary part is that most of those contractors, could find themselves in trouble for not complying with part of the regulation that is already in place – namely the notification aspect effective December of 2008. The fines are well in excess of $30,000 for non- compliance.
I will be taking the required certification class and have applied for Firm Certification as required by the EPA. It is a complex regulation that will affect every single homeowner, nationwide with a home built prior to 1978. This will hit them right in their pocketbooks and they will have no choice as to whether they comply or not. Currently, there is an "opt-out" clause in the regulation. Due to a court settlement with the Sierra Club and others, it is most likely going to be removed prior to the regulation's start date on April 22, 2010.
We, as contractors and even homeowners working on their own rental properties, face major fines if we do not follow the regulations exactly. The process we must follow is rather complex even for simple "in and out" projects like a simple vinyl window replacement. This will add significantly to our costs, which we will then pass on to our customers.
Many of us are questioning not only the procedures that are sometimes contradictory, but even if they will even benefit the homeowner. There are also a few interesting issues still outstanding; namely will the local inspection departments request proof of certification in order to pull a permit for older houses. How will the insurance companies handle claims on older homes? How many contractors are going to be surprised, when they find out that their policies exclude issues dealing with lead? How many contractors will have to stop working on an existing remodeling project or postpone one because they have not gotten their Firm Certification back in time? Should a homeowner unknowingly hire an unqualified contractor and a fine is levied, what are the chances that the contractor will complete any unfinished work?
Here are a few news clippings of other newspaper, and additional links that you may find of use
Kansas Article
NY Times Article
Webinar
I feel it is imperative that the public be made aware of this immediately since there are many homeowners who are currently planning projects that will be affected by this rule. Please note that contractors who have not yet applied to the EPA can expect to wait 90 days for their certification to become valid, and we are less than 80 days away from the rule taking effect. Unfortunately many of these homeowners may have already signed
contracts.
Although cases of reported Lead Poisoning in children are rare in Utah, there is still a risk when improper procedures are used during renovation, whether it is a homeowner or a professional.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Email me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)