- Thread starter lawsan
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Painting Contractor
painters
Typically, most work here is contracted to the lower class. Some of those are hard workers and dedicated, but generally, even the best lack any serious training or professional experience. Hence, most workers are relatively uneducated in the work they do. When was the last time you ever talked to a "mason" who has even so much as read a brochure let alone an entire book on the subject. Professional training or professional type experience-almost nonexistent. Hence, labor is considered to be quite cheap, although it is difficult to find anyone to do something "right." The vast majority of Dominicans are not accustomed to paying for and getting quality.
My opinion is that the cheap labor is not always so cheap. For instance, hire a "cheap" painter and not only will the job take much longer than anticipated, cost more than it should, and come out worse than desired, the paint will peel before it should(the metal bars on our house were painted without primer and is already starting to come off in places less than a year later), colors may come out funny, paint will be watered down by maybe a half, the trim will also be painted or splashed the main color(Oh, you didn't want me to get paint on the trim and floor- I can spend three weeks chipping dried paint off the floor and repaint the trim-in turn getting paint on the main color and floor starting a vicious process). Of course, you can always stand over them and resolve some of those problems, but then again, isn't that why you hired them-to do the work? Also, finding someone to trust in your home is a problem. As an American living in Santo Domingo, with a decent, but limited income, I usually resort to doing such work myself. At least that way, I know it is done the way I wanted it.
A need for your kind of work? yeah
A demand? dunno
If your idea were to work, my opinion is that you would have to cater to the upper middle class and upper class which although greatly outnumbered by the poorer, are alive and well in this country.
Typically, most work here is contracted to the lower class. Some of those are hard workers and dedicated, but generally, even the best lack any serious training or professional experience. Hence, most workers are relatively uneducated in the work they do. When was the last time you ever talked to a "mason" who has even so much as read a brochure let alone an entire book on the subject. Professional training or professional type experience-almost nonexistent. Hence, labor is considered to be quite cheap, although it is difficult to find anyone to do something "right." The vast majority of Dominicans are not accustomed to paying for and getting quality.
My opinion is that the cheap labor is not always so cheap. For instance, hire a "cheap" painter and not only will the job take much longer than anticipated, cost more than it should, and come out worse than desired, the paint will peel before it should(the metal bars on our house were painted without primer and is already starting to come off in places less than a year later), colors may come out funny, paint will be watered down by maybe a half, the trim will also be painted or splashed the main color(Oh, you didn't want me to get paint on the trim and floor- I can spend three weeks chipping dried paint off the floor and repaint the trim-in turn getting paint on the main color and floor starting a vicious process). Of course, you can always stand over them and resolve some of those problems, but then again, isn't that why you hired them-to do the work? Also, finding someone to trust in your home is a problem. As an American living in Santo Domingo, with a decent, but limited income, I usually resort to doing such work myself. At least that way, I know it is done the way I wanted it.
A need for your kind of work? yeah
A demand? dunno
If your idea were to work, my opinion is that you would have to cater to the upper middle class and upper class which although greatly outnumbered by the poorer, are alive and well in this country.
No, cheap labor is not always cheap; but if you do your homework, it can be. The painter who did our condo in Sosua did an excellent job, both with painting as well as cleaning up afterward, for a very reasonable price.
If lawsan is thinking of charging Florida prices, I don't think there will be much demand.
If lawsan is thinking of charging Florida prices, I don't think there will be much demand.
As ken said if you plan on charging Florida prices dont even bother,i know of a couple of french Canadians who had a pretty good painting and decorating business going in Sosua a few years back however it was a second income business,i dont think ther is enough business available at least not in Sosua to qualify as making a decent living
I t6hink that because the majority (99.99%) of the people that could afford high end painting, don't have a clue to what is entailed. Since they have never even lifted a brush or a roller and have no idea what kind of paint does what kind of job, they feel, as has been stated above, that the job is not worth what you would feel it is worth. Get very huffy, puffy about it. the same for electricians, carpenters, "masons" and other trades. Since the labor is supposed to be cheap, the job should be cheap...So goes the thinking. We had a cousin, trained in NY Institute of Technology, that set up an auto mechanic's shop, and he could not stay in business since his costs for doing a good job were equivelant to those in NYC and he could never charge those prices here.
HB
HB
Custom painting in DR?
There is a market for everything. But bringing in house painting Florida style could be a long vacation. People in DR pay little for this service and when not satisfied even with Dominican prices they just do it themselves.
Look, the building I lived in last we paid $1200 each to paint a 4 floor, 16 apartment building. That is about $20,000 pesos. Naturally, it wasn't a great job, but the weather is harsh on paint and perfect jobs wouldn't last any longer. In fact, many architects who use custom made-mixed paint later regret it because the sun and rain washes it away. You can find people in DR who would paint your apartment for less than $3000 pesos!
TW
There is a market for everything. But bringing in house painting Florida style could be a long vacation. People in DR pay little for this service and when not satisfied even with Dominican prices they just do it themselves.
Look, the building I lived in last we paid $1200 each to paint a 4 floor, 16 apartment building. That is about $20,000 pesos. Naturally, it wasn't a great job, but the weather is harsh on paint and perfect jobs wouldn't last any longer. In fact, many architects who use custom made-mixed paint later regret it because the sun and rain washes it away. You can find people in DR who would paint your apartment for less than $3000 pesos!
TW
I thank all of you for your input.
I would not even consider charging my FL rate in DR. I have a hard time getting here ;-)
Golo! architects are the enemy! they do infact spec items that do not last. If you use the proper product and apply it right a good paint job will last years if not decades longer thn a bad job.
I just finished painting a $5+million USD home that was less 1year old. It took over 1500 hrs times my rate(not cheap) to fix it.
That cheap paint job cost the homeowner over twice the amount I offered one year earlier.
I would not even consider charging my FL rate in DR. I have a hard time getting here ;-)
Golo! architects are the enemy! they do infact spec items that do not last. If you use the proper product and apply it right a good paint job will last years if not decades longer thn a bad job.
I just finished painting a $5+million USD home that was less 1year old. It took over 1500 hrs times my rate(not cheap) to fix it.
That cheap paint job cost the homeowner over twice the amount I offered one year earlier.