Color your world!

Do you like to play it safe and pick neutral colors when choosing colors for your new home? Are you afraid of trying something new? Do you get overwhelmed by all the color choices?
You are not alone! Many people feel the same way, and several experts have offered their expertise to help you. You can check out Toronto Colour Consultants to see how to use color on your ceilings! Look at Sherwin Williams Lifestyle Collection to see the latest in color trends. Launch the Sherwin Williams Color Visualizer for even more color ideas!
Are you ready for color now! Let RC Painting help you bring warmth and life to your home with color! Check out the colors some of our customers have chosen!

Colors

Have you ever thought of how colors can affect you? Last summer some children experimented with color and created this video! Check it out!

Festival of Homes

I love when Cedar City, Utah has the annual Festival of Homes! The public gets to see the finest our lovely area has to offer in quality homebuilding. These homes are built by some of the finest craftsmen and decorated beautifully! If you have the chance, take the tour! If not you can see one of last years homes in this video. This home was built by Shem Mackert of SMJ Homes in Cedar City. His home this year, the Chateau D' Terre is in the Old Farm area on a quiet cul de sac. There are many other plans available from SMJ Homes.

Gel Staining a Fiberglass Door

Here in the Southwest Desert of Utah, wooden doors take a lot of abuse. It is vital to apply protection to them every year to prevent fading, splitting and warping. Many people choose Fiberglass Doors, but still desire the look of wood. RC Painting can make can make your Fiberglass Door look like wood! Our painters have the skills to transform any door into art! Look at this video and see!

Social Media Part 1

I have been a member of forums for years, mostly Painttalk and Contractortalk and recently a new one, Remodel Crazy. The sharing of information on these forums is incredible. The range of experience in years and types of businesses is vast!

Where else can you post a question about a difficult procedure or new product at any hour and have several responses and opinions from seasoned professionals across the country almost instantly?

These professionals also give their advice freely to young business owners, helping them to navigate the sometimes confusing maze of Licensing, Insurance, Bookkeeping and Marketing/Advertising.

At Remodel Crazy, homeowners are encouraged to join and ask for help! These forums are like a community and members often end up meeting or doing business together!

Over the past few years I have seen a huge change in the way we do business. It used to be a word of mouth and handshake sealed the deal and a tradesman carried his tools in a satchel. Now he also carries a laptop and Websites, SEO, Keywords, Directory Listings, Targeted Mailers and Branding are part of his daily vocabulary.

The “face of our business” has now become digital!

In addition to hammering nails or wielding paintbrushes, callused fingers are now tapping keyboards!

Social Media Part 2

Recently I created Facebook , YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts.

Part of it was to learn what the hype was about. I am now hooked!

When I first started, it took a while to figure out what I was doing. Then I started making friends and connections, I now spend about 20 minutes a day and “make the rounds”. I set up logins and sharing tools that make it simple to add info at any time.

I am constantly finding new information from all my new online friends.

I can talk to like-minded people about business issues, new products, marketing ideas and more. Because I have a “history” with many of the members, they know enough about me and my business practices to be able to offer sound advice and share ideas.

The online forums I am a member of require more of a time commitment, the other social media I use in different ways are in the next post.

Social Media Part 3

What I am using!

LinkedIn

This is for professionals in many industries and trades. Great place to network, you have to request to connect and they need to know you from somewhere else. This lets you control your network. There are many groups you can join and post questions, articles, jobs, etc Great place for a subcontractor to connect with GC’s.

Facebook

I have a private profile that I use to keep in touch with family and friends. I have also connected with people “I know of”, you can request to be a fan or a friend, and I connected with locals and post painting info occasionally. There are a lot of applications in Facebook; you can play Mafia Wars, send a drink or a rose, a million others. If you are not into that (like me) you can hide them.

I also have a Business Page that is public. I use this to showcase recent jobs and hope to have customers “write on my wall” eventually. It is very easy to add pictures, comments, and videos, think of it as a mini web page!

YouTube

Creating a YouTube video was much easier than I thought! I just used the software on my computer and some still pictures, created an account and uploaded a video!

I have made a video on New Construction Procedures to give to customers as part of our Proposal Packet. I also made one to show a new product to protect bathtubs during construction and was able to use it to sell the service to a contractor.

Twitter

Some may think of Twitter as a bunch of teenagers texting about the latest music craze. Not so, I have used Twitter to make connections in my area and share info.

You can choose who you wish to follow, yes, there is twitter spam! The posts in Twitter have to be less than 140 characters, so you get “little bites” or links all day.

With Twitter, I looked for local “Tweeters” and follow them. When you follow someone, they will generally follow you.

I also add the links to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to my signature line in my email, forum signatures and my website. I continue to learn something every day!

I have made some online friends as well, feel free to contact me to network!

By now you are probably asking, “How many leads/customers have you received?”

Well, none that I can directly attribute to these efforts, YET! I hope that by slowly building a presence, along with my website, clean and lettered vehicles, mailers and yard signs will help to brand by company by keeping it visible in the public eye.

This video has some interesting numbers!

Protecting your Investment

At RC Painting we work with many homeowners building their dream homes. Building your own home as often been said to be one of the most difficult experiences most will go through, right behind a divorce!

As a husband and wife team, Rob and Chris of RC Painting know the stress that many are subject to during this process. One of our goals is to help customers make this process run smoother. We can help you with the finish schedules and proper timing of trades to be more efficient and save you money.

One of the services we offer is a Tub Protection. The tubs are often installed during the framing process and subject to damage throughout the construction process. By applying a thick, rubbery coating, they will be protected. Contact RCPainting to learn more!

Click here to see the process!

Three Days to Build a House?!

Earlier I talked about getting involved in a Homes for Our Troops House here in Cedar City, Utah. A few weeks ago over 100 volunteers showed up to turn a slab into a shell of a home. It was an incredible experience! As a Painting Contractor, we don't often see this process. Watching a large group of men and women swinging hammers together, putting up walls and a roof was like watching a symphony! The homeowners, Travis and Stephanie Wood, their daughter Maddie and many other family members were there as well. They, and other volunteers, helped provide food and water to the hardworking crew. I met some of the neatest people! The build is still going on! If you or someone you know can help, let me know. See more on our Facebook Page!

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Accent Walls

Color can do more than add warmth to a home! Using the right colors can add personality and zing to any room! Bright Red Accent Walls can make a room appear rich and vibrant. Soft Blue Accent Walls can make a room seem cool and tranquil. Bright Green Accent Walls can make a statement to a theme room. These colors are best used on the main wall of a room or on a feature you want to highlight. The other wall colors can be tinted to compliment the Accent color. Contact RC Painting Inc today to see how we can add color to your home!

Adding Warmth

Many new homes and apartments are painted a basic white. This can make a home feel cold and impersonal. A good way to add warmth and personality is to add color. In this picture we painted all white walls a Sherwin William Townhouse Tan Eggshell. Accent walls can also add color and personality to your home! Check back to see how! Contact RC Painting for more information on transforming your home!

Honor our Servicemen

Last year I learned of Homes for our Troops, a nationwide non profit group that helps adapt older or build new homes for our servicemen injured in the line of duty. I thought it would be a great way to show our support and signed our company up. A local resident, Travis Woods is having a home built in our area so I was contacted. Next week, June 22-26 is the "Build Brigade"! Volunteers from the area will frame the walls and put the trusses and roof on in 3 days! That is going to an incredible task! I will be helping in the registration tent and will try and get some pictures. Check back for updates! If you are in the Cedar City, Utah area and would like to donate food for the volunteers next week, please contact me!

In my last (and first) blog I talked about choosing a painting contractor, rereading it I realize I had omitted some things that might help a homeowner. How do you even find someone to call?

You can look in the yellow pages, close your eyes and pick at random.

You can wait until you see a flyer, lettered vehicle or mailer.

Plenty of good painting contractors use these methods. Some work mostly by word of mouth and these painters can be harder to find. If you are looking for a painter (or a plumber, electrician or roofer, etc.) there are several options.

Call the local Homebuilders Association for your town, in Cedar City, see the BIA.

Call your local paint supply store, not the big box stores, but a store that sells nothing but quality paint, like Sherwin Williams or Jones Paint and Glass, your town may have others. Ask the manager at the paint store who he can recommend.

Friends and neighbors can know a good painter, ask around.

The internet can help you too! Google "painters in my city" and look at their websites.

When you do search, you will find many companies like Service Magic or Reliable Remodeler. These are "Lead Service Generator Services". There is a lot of controversy concerning these companies. They work by charging contractors a set price for each lead. You are the lead! When you submit your name and project, they send your information to the contractors who have paid. Sometimes they sell your name to many contractors! They have no control over quality of contractor. Look for a local painter that has local references!

So you want to hire a contractor?

So you want to hire a contractor?

• Talk with several contractors and get quotes from each. Ask about
insurance and licensing.

• Determine what will be done for each type area (any wood trim,
stucco, aluminum siding, walls of each room, etc.) for:

- surface preparation

- priming; what primer (type and brand) will be used

- finish coat: type and brand, where the brand fits into the
manufacturer's line (premium, first, second, economy, contractor's,
etc.) how many coats

• For exterior work, what will be done to protect plantings; for interior work, what will be
done in regards to moving furniture, protecting furniture

• When will the work be started? And finished? How many painters will be working on the
job? What will the remedy be if the job is not completed on time?

• What is the warranty on the work? Length of time, what type failures are covered, what
is the remedy if there is a paint failure?

• Get names of previous customers from each contractor as references, and contact
them to get their recommendation.

• Note whether the contractor was courteous and businesslike, punctual with appointments
or in returning phone calls, quality-oriented, experienced ,and generally interested in doing
business with you.

Then, take into account the information on each contractor and the asking price, to make an informed decision on which one to choose for your job.