Painting apartment building
With single dwelling houses, the owner is the decision-maker about what his/her house looks like and what colour scheme it’s painted. When it comes to strata buildings, multiple owners, means the decision to paint an exterior or interior and what colour scheme to paint it, is a group decision usually made at a general meeting of an owners corporation. If your building is due for a repaint or needs repairs to the substrate, read the below guide on how to get things started.
Obtaining quotations
Work with your strata or building manager to make a list of all the areas you need painted and remedial work done. For example; ceilings, gutters, capping, fascia boards, eaves, doors and frames, walls, balcony slabs, balcony soffits, garage walls, bin room walls, columns etc. Make sure you choose painters who are members of Master Painters Association and check their license and insurance details. Make sure their license covers the type of work included in the contract. Check out their online reviews and their website for the quality of their previous works and what their clients have said about them.
How many quotes to get
Check with your strata manager on the process for your building as they differ depending on size and restrictions on spending placed on the strata committee. For example, there is a requirement for large strata plans (over 100 lots) to obtain at least two quotes for works over $30,000. Large strata complexes are also not permitted to spend more than 10% of the budgeted amount of works except if excepted by an ordinary resolution passed at a general meeting of an owners corporation.
Arranging an inspection
The more areas the painter has access to on the first inspection, the more specific the quotation can be. Talk to your strata manager about arranging access to parts of the building that have poor visibility from the street so the painter can inspect the condition of the substrate and provide more accurate pricing.
Coastal buildings require more upkeep due to salt air. We painted this apartment building with Dulux White Beach Quarter
Comparing quotations
This can be tricky as each painter has their own quotation method and comparing apples with apples can be time-consuming. Ask your painter to clearly list what is included and what is excluded from the quotation. Read through the quotation paying attention to the inclusions and exclusions, to ensure that the scope of works accurately covers, what you want done. Check to see if they have provided a set contract price, or have stated the contract price may vary (this could happen if the painter was unable to access large amounts of the building on the first inspection). If the contract price may be varied, is there an explanation about how it may be varied? Is the deposit requested within the legal limit of 10 per cent?
Download our 3 Colours Quote Comparison guide
Choosing a new colour scheme
Thinking about changing the building’s colour scheme? As this is an alteration to common property, before going ahead with a colour change, the proposed colour scheme needs to be agreed upon by the owners corporation in a general meeting to obtain approval.
This apartment went from a dark blue to Dulux Flooded Gum and Dulux Snowy Mountains, paired with Dulux Monument on the trims. The result modernised this dated apartment building.
Home Building Compensation Insurance
If the quotation is more than $20,000, your painter will need to take out Home Building Compensation Insurance and provide you with a Home Building Compensation Fund Certificate and a contract for the job. If between $5000 – $20,000, it will be covered by a small jobs contract. Home Building Compensation (formerly known as Home Warranty Insurance) is an insurance that protects the consumer if contractors go insolvent or are unable to complete the works or fix defects. The insurance premium is paid by the consumer.
NSW Consumer Building Guide
If the job exceeds $5,000, make sure you are provided with a NSW Consumer Building Guide from the Department of Fair Trading.
Home Building Contract
For works over $5000 up to the value of $20,000 a NSW Fair Trading Home Building Contract for work over $5,000 and up to $20,000 should be used. For work exceeding $20,000, a NSW Fair Trading Home building contract for work over $20,000 should be used.
Scheduling works
Once the owners corporation or strata committee approval has been finalised. The next step is to call to arrange a suitable time for the works to commence. Owners and residents need to be informed at least two weeks in advance, of when the works will take place and access requirements. Generally speaking, residents will need to be informed of when the building will be washed so they can close windows and doors and refrain from hanging out washing, and remove small personal items that are close to walls or ceilings that are to be painted.
Uncovering building issues
Sometimes after the painting works have commenced the painter will come across other works that need attention such as a rotten piece of timber, a broken pane of glass, a deteriorated expansion joint, even a failed waterproof membrane. Most remedial work required should be picked up on the first inspection, however, usually, not all parts of the building are accessible while making inspections. Your painter will need to talk to you about how you want to go about repairing any building issues that are discovered along the way.
Arranging a quote from 3 Colours Painting
3 Colours operates in the CBD, North, East, South, and Inner West of Sydney. We can get a senior estimator to you within the week and provide you with a quotation within seven days. Our quotes are detailed and provide a building inspection report of any building issues and the cost of repair. To arrange a quote, call our office on 1300 88 36 35 or email 3colours@3colours.com.au . Check out our previous strata projects here.
