It can be extremely time-consuming comparing quotes between painting contractors to ensure that you are comparing ‘apples with apples’ and that the quote matches the brief.
To assist owners corporations through this process, we have prepared the following guide to help you make an informed decision and choose the right supplier. We have also provided a 3 Colours Quote Comparison to assist in comparing suppliers.
Considerations when comparing
strata painting quotations
1. Are they licensed and Insured?
Any work worth over $5000 requires the contractor to be licensed. You can check a painter’s license online to make sure it hasn’t expired. Check that the painter has appropriate insurance cover for the work – this includes Public Liability and Workers Compensation.
2. Industry Accreditation
Does the painter have industry accreditation such as Dulux accredited painter? Are they members of Master Painters of Australia? This will give you peace of mind that your painter has agreed to uphold a professional Code of Ethics and is accountable to an association if they don’t.
3. Payment Terms
What are the payment terms? Legally a painting company cannot ask for more than 10 per cent of the value of the works for a deposit. The payment should be made in progress payments with sign off from the strata committee at each stage to ensure they are happy with the works.
4. Consumer Building Guide
Has the painter given the owners corporation a copy of the Consumer Building Guide? This provides key information about rights and responsibilities under NSW’s home building laws and where to get more information.
5. Work, Health & Safety
Does the quotation contain information about the painting contractors work, health and safety procedures? Will a Risk Assessment and Safe Work Method Statement be completed before commencing the works?
6. Home Building Compensation Fund Insurance (HBCF)
Does the quote include an estimate for HBCF? Where the value of the work costs more than $20k, your painter is required by law to obtain a certificate of insurance under the HBFC scheme to cover the works. It is the painter’s responsibility to purchase the certificate of insurance on behalf of the owners corporation. The insurance covers owners for up to six years in the case of incomplete or defective work and the contractor company has become insolvent, disappeared or has died.
7. Warranties
Has the painter provided a warranty document that outlines the limitations of the warranty? A good painting contractor will provide a guarantee of workmanship which compliments the warranty of the paint product such as Dulux. However, all warranties have limitations that outline when the warranty does not apply. The most prevalent building issue that limits a warranty is water ingress that has not been dealt prior to painting. Water ingress issues can lead to early paint failure so if the owners corporation chooses to paint in areas affected by water ingress, they should be made aware that the warranty will not cover any paint failure resulting from it. A copy of the warranty in relation to their building and the warranty should be kept on file along with the quotation that outlines any building issues identified in the inspection.
8. Inspections and documentation of building issues upfront
Quotations for strata property should not be provided without a prior visual inspection of the property. A visual inspection assists the painter to determine the condition of the substrate, so they can accurately quote for the works. The inspection also provides the painter with the opportunity to document any building issues that may cause early paint failure and limit warranty.
9. Variations
Usually, not all areas of the building can be inspected during a walk-around so the quotation which may lead to issues being discovered after the job is commenced. The quotation should contain the terms of the variations of the scope and how variations are dealt with and signed off before commencing any works to fix a prior undetected issue. All variations should be added into the contract after they are signed off by the strata committee.
10. Paint Product Used and Number of Coatings
Does the quote specify what paint product will be used (for example Dulux or Taumans) and how many coatings will be applied?
11. Surface Preparation
Surface preparation is the most time-consuming part of the job. This is because, without properly prepared surfaces, the paint coatings won’t stick and early paint failure can occur. A good painter will outline what is involved in the preparation process such as filling cracks and holes, sanding surfaces between coats, applying sealers/primers, and what they do to protect non-painted areas from paint splatters.
12. Building Washing
Does the quote include washing down the building to remove mould, dirt and grime prior to painting? Does the quotation outline how areas will be protected from water?
13. Environmental Management
Does the quotation outline the contractor’s environmental practices? Are they an eco-friendly choice? Do they use water-waste minimization techniques? Low VOC Paints? Do they dispose of their waste in an environmentally friendly manner? Do they use eco-friendly brush washing techniques?
14. What does the quote include?
This can be the most time-consuming part of the quote to compare as every company has a different way of listing the inclusions and exclusions. To ensure the quotes received are accurate, the strata committee should first make a list of what they want to be included in the quotation – for example, garage doors, door frames, window frames. For anything that they are unsure of whether it needs painting, or perhaps just a clean and touch-up, they can discuss with their painter during the inspection.
15. Other Considerations:
- Is access equipment Included in the quote? Or if excluded, is there a price included for it?
- Is the preparation of surfaces included in the quotation?
- Does the building require a colour change? Is a colour consultant included or an additional cost? Does the owners corporation know the process for changing the colour of a building (generally a resolution at a general meeting is required)
