Repainting is one of the largest discretionary items a body corporate will approve, and it is one of the hardest to compare. Three quotes for the same building can differ by tens of thousands of dollars and still fit on a single page each. This article sets out what makes those quotes comparable, and what a committee can ask for before price becomes the deciding factor.

Why Three Quotes Are Rarely Comparable

A painting quote is a price attached to a description. When the description is short, the price is the only thing left to compare, and the cheapest description is usually the shortest one.

Two quotes for the same building can differ on the number of coats, the preparation undertaken, the products used, whether primer is included, how existing coatings are treated, and what happens to areas that fail once work begins. None of those differences is visible on the finished wall for several years. All of them affect the price.

This is not an argument for the dearest quote. It is an argument for knowing what each price actually covers before comparing them.

What A Specification Does

A detailed specification reassures committees that the products and process are clearly defined, fostering confidence in the comparison process.

Paint manufacturers will prepare one. On a body corporate job, it is reasonable to ask a contractor to arrange a manufacturer representative to inspect the building and write a specification before quoting. If the committee or manager has a preferred manufacturer, use that one.

A specification does three things for a committee:

1. It fixes the scope. Every contractor quoting prices the same products and follows the same process, so quotes are comparable on price and service rather than interpretation.
2. It records the reasoning. The specification states why a system was selected for that substrate, exposure, and condition, which is useful when the committee reports back to owners.
3. It supports any later warranty conversation. If a coating does not perform, a manufacturer-written document describes what was specified and why.

A specification costs the committee nothing. The manufacturer prepares it at the contractor’s request.

Questions That Make Quotes Comparable

Whether or not a specification is obtained, these questions narrow the gap between quotes:

• How many coats are included, and is primer or a sealer included?
• What surface preparation is included, and what is excluded?
• Which products, by name and system, not by category?
• What happens if additional repairs are found once preparation begins, and how is that priced?
• What is the warranty, who issues it, contractor or manufacturer, and what conditions apply?
• Who will be on site, and are they employed by the contractor?

Ask every contractor the same questions in writing. Differences in the answers are usually more informative than differences in the price.

Repairs Come Before Coatings

Coatings do not fix building defects. Render cracking, failed sealant, rusted balustrade fixings, and water ingress all need remedial attention before painting, or the new coating will record the same faults within a season.

Ask whether remedial repairs are included, excluded, or to be quoted separately. A quote that is silent on repairs is not necessarily cheaper, it is incomplete.

The Part That Is Not on the Quote

For an occupied building, the disruption is as significant as the finish.

A repaint means contractors on site for weeks, moving around balconies, walkways and common property while people live and work there. The practical matters are rarely written into a quote, and they determine how the works are experienced:

• Access. Who needs to be notified, how far in advance, and who holds keys or fobs for common areas.
• Drying and security. Doors and windows sometimes need to stay open for coatings to cure. In an occupied building, you must manage this, so the building is not left insecure.
• Residents and guests. Short-term guests, shift workers, and residents who work from home all have different tolerances. Expectations set before the start cause fewer complaints than explanations offered afterwards.
• Site conduct. Where vehicles park, how loud the site is, how contractors speak to each other across a courtyard. These sound minor. They generate most of the complaints a committee receives during works.

Ask a prospective contractor how they have handled occupied buildings previously. The detail in the answer is a reasonable indicator of experience.

Standing Behind the Warranty

A warranty is a promise, and its value depends on who makes it and how long that entity is likely to be around.

Understanding who issues the warranty and how long it lasts helps committees feel more secure about the work’s long-term performance and support.

None of this requires a committee to prefer any particular contractor. It requires the committee to understand which type of warranty promise they are receiving and its implications for long-term value.

In Short

Price is easy to compare and tells you the least. A specification, a consistent set of questions, and careful consideration of discrepancies will give a much clearer picture of value.

Article Contributed by David Baird, CEO at Prestige Home Transformations. 

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