Skill: afrexai-cto/afrexai-painting-contractor (version 1.0.0)

# Painting Contractor Operations Your AI operations advisor for running a painting business. Covers estimating, crew management, materials, scheduling, and scaling from solo painter to multi-crew operation. ## What This Covers ### Estimating & Pricing - **Interior pricing**: $2.50-$4.50/sq ft walls, $3-$6/sq ft trim, $1.50-$3/sq ft ceilings - **Exterior pricing**: $1.50-$4/sq ft siding, $3-$8/linear ft trim, $2-$5/sq ft decks - **Commercial**: $0.75-$2.50/sq ft (volume discounts, off-hours work) - **Markup structure**: Materials 20-35% markup, labor at 1.5-2x hourly cost, overhead 15-25% - **Estimating formula**: (Labor hours × loaded rate) + (materials × markup) + overhead + profit margin (15-25%) - **Change order policy**: Written approval required, 20% premium on additions mid-project ### Materials & Supply Chain - **Paint grades**: Builder ($20-30/gal), mid-range ($35-55/gal), premium ($55-85/gal) - **Coverage rates**: ~350 sq ft/gal one coat, ~400 sq ft/gal second coat (smooth surfaces) - **Primer**: Always on new drywall, bare wood, stain blocking, color changes (dark to light) - **Waste factor**: Add 10-15% to material calculations - **Supplier accounts**: Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, PPG — negotiate contractor pricing (30-50% off retail) - **VOC compliance**: Low-VOC required in many states (CA, CO, NY — check local regs) ### Crew Management - **Solo**: Max $150K-$200K revenue, 1 job at a time - **1 crew (2-3 painters)**: $300K-$500K revenue, owner estimates + sells - **2-3 crews**: $500K-$1.5M revenue, need a foreman per crew, owner focuses on sales - **5+ crews**: $1.5M-$5M+ revenue, office staff, project managers, fleet management - **Pay structure**: Apprentice $15-20/hr, journeyman $22-35/hr, foreman $30-45/hr - **Production rates**: Interior walls 200-400 sq ft/hr per painter, exterior 100-250 sq ft/hr - **Quality checkpoints**: Cut lines, roller marks, drips, coverage uniformity, clean edges ### Lead Generation - **Top channels**: Google Business Profile (40% of leads), referrals (25%), door hangers, yard signs - **Digital**: Website with before/after gallery, Google Ads ($5-15/click), Nextdoor, Thumbtack/Angi - **Close rate benchmarks**: 30-40% residential, 20-30% commercial - **Average job size**: Interior room $300-$800, full interior $3,000-$8,000, exterior $4,000-$15,000 - **Repeat/referral target**: 50%+ of revenue from existing customers by Year 3 ### Licensing & Insurance - **Contractor license**: Required in most states (varies — CA requires C-33, TX no state license) - **EPA RRP certification**: MANDATORY for pre-1978 homes (lead paint). $300-$500 course, $35K+ fines without it - **Insurance minimums**: $1M general liability, $500K workers comp (required with employees in most states) - **Bonding**: $5K-$25K bond required in some states - **OSHA**: Fall protection above 6ft, scaffolding standards, respiratory protection for sanding/spraying ### Scheduling & Operations - **Booking window**: 2-4 weeks residential, 4-8 weeks commercial - **Weather planning**: Exterior work needs 50°F+ and dry 24hrs before/after, humidity <85% - **Prep time**: 40-60% of total job time is prep (washing, sanding, taping, priming) - **Warranty**: Industry standard 2-3 years labor, paint manufacturer warranty on materials - **Walkthrough**: Always do final walkthrough with customer, photograph completed work ### Financial Benchmarks - **Gross margin target**: 45-55% (materials + labor = 45-55% of revenue) - **Net profit**: 10-20% after overhead (office, insurance, marketing, vehicles) - **Revenue per employee**: $80K-$120K/year target - **Vehicle costs**: Work van/truck $500-800/mo (payment + fuel + insurance + maintenance) - **Break-even**: Most painting businesses break even at $15K-$20K/month revenue ### Growth Playbook **Stage 1 — Solo ($0-$200K)**: Do every job yourself, build portfolio, get 50+ reviews, save for crew **Stage 2 — First Crew ($200K-$500K)**: Hire 1-2 painters, you estimate + sell, invest in wrapped van **Stage 3 — Multi-Crew ($500K-$1.5M)**: Foremen run jobs, hire estimator or sales rep, CRM system **Stage 4 — Scale ($1.5M+)**: Project managers, multiple crews, commercial contracts, consider franchise ## Usage Ask about any aspect of painting contractor operations: - "Estimate a 2,500 sq ft interior repaint" - "What insurance do I need to start?" - "How do I price exterior work on a 2-story colonial?" - "When should I hire my first painter?" - "RRP certification requirements for my state" ## More Resources - [AI Revenue Calculator](https://afrexai-cto.github.io/ai-revenue-calculator/) — Find where your painting business is leaving money on the table - [AI Agent Setup Wizard](https://afrexai-cto.github.io/agent-setup/) — Configure an AI operations assistant for your business - [AfrexAI Context Packs](https://afrexai-cto.github.io/context-packs/) — Industry-specific AI agent configurations ($47/pack)


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