We all know how hectic life can be as a business owner or a property manager. Simply keeping up with the day-to-day maintenance is enough to do, but protecting and maintaining the exterior of a building for the long-term presents a whole other level of challenges. All parts of your exterior need to be cared for, from the landscaping to the windows to the front-facing exterior. One thing many of the property managers we work with are curious about is knowing when it’s time to give their business’s exterior either a good power washing, a new coat of paint, or both.
Understanding what influences people to use your services or visit your business is an important starting point in determining many factors, from the level and intensity of upkeep to which interior and exterior paint colors you choose. Here in Houston, we have many different types of commercial businesses, including retail space, office buildings, medical suites, warehouse space, co-working space, and more. Each space has unique characteristics and maintenance needs.
Your part is to identify your building type, which clients are visiting, and how often, and the level of upkeep you’ll need. For our part, we’ve put together 5 reasons why you should consider painting the exterior of your business and when you should hire a professional to get the job done.
1. Painting Can Save You Money
We love to paint (we wouldn’t be here if we didn’t) but one of the biggest reasons we love it is because of how cost-effective it is. Painting is one of the smartest ways to bring about a change to your property without spending too much of your maintenance budget.
Before we paint any building, we take the time to inspect it to see if any minor or major repairs are needed. We also make sure that the building is clean enough to paint. If it’s not, we wash it and, in many cases we’ll add a coat of primer, to protect the structure itself, and to prepare it for its new coat of paint.
Whether you want your building painted because it isn’t as up-to-date as you or your customers would like, it looks worn, or you want to protect it from the elements, a fresh coat of paint does wonders for curb appeal, and as mentioned above, it can do so much more.
Paint protects your investment for the future by providing a significant barrier to resist damage from the elements, moisture, mold, bugs and so much more. Keeping up the outside of your building protects the integrity and safety of your building.
2. It’s All About the Aesthetic
As a property manager or business owner of a brick-and-mortar store, getting people to come inside is crucial. A fresh coat of paint can attract more customers and even potential employees to have a more favorable impression of your business. For restaurant and retail owners this could be a game-changer in boosting sales
Take the time to walk around your building and notice any inconsistencies with the walls or anything that might deter someone from going inside your business or store. If you can’t remember a time when someone complimented the exterior, it may be a good time to consider cleaning or painting.
The exterior of your business includes more than just the structure itself. It includes everything around the building, including the landscaping. Have you ever walked through a garden and thought, “How do they keep this place looking so beautiful?” Turns out your customers may not say it, but they will definitely notice your landscaping if it is unkept.
Depending on your property, this may be as simple as buying planters and incorporating plants that are low maintenance to draw attention. It may mean hiring a gardener to plant some new flowers or bushes to make your business more inviting. Whatever it may be, paying attention to details such as landscaping shows your customers that you care.
3. What Will Your Customers Think?
There are many signs and ways your building’s exterior “speaks” to you. If you notice paint peeling or chipping, your building is screaming at you … it is definitely time for a fresh coat of paint for your building. While this may seem to be only a visual problem, peeling or chipping paint can also be a sign of oncoming damage to the building itself. The best solution to this problem? Hiring a contractor who knows how to prepare and repaint your exterior.
While paint may not have an expiration date on the label per se, it can date your building. The right color can transform any outdated building into the next best spot in town. And a new coat of paint can increase the value of your property, which is a win-win for any property manager.
Knowingly or subconsciously, customers pay attention to the little things. The outside of your building is a representation of what is inside. While you can’t judge a book by its cover, people can and will judge your business before ever setting foot inside. The messages that you send customers and potential clients through your presentation of your business can convey the care and consideration you will show them.
4. There’s Competition
Houston is a bright and growing city. Whether your business is inside or outside the loop or the beltway, there are always new businesses popping up or are coming just around the corner. When it comes to competition, being ahead of the game is always better than being behind, and that applies when it comes to keeping your commercial building asset protected, updated, and looking its best.
Take notice of what buildings near yours are doing well. If they have made updates, it could make your building seem unkempt. You may even be in an area where new buildings are being built. This makes it even more important to care for your exterior as it can look old compared to a brand-new building.
The way we do business has changed drastically over the years. If you have or are considering changing your branding, you’ll need to change your exterior to match your new building. Everything in and around your business should be uniform, from your logo to your paint colors. Choosing the right color for your branding is also key to tying in each element of your location.
Even if your branding hasn’t changed, use elements of the city or the surrounding area to draw inspiration from. Are you near the Bayou? Take advantage of the greenery and tie it in with your landscaping. Are you near Montrose or EaDo? Incorporate some of the arts and entertainment aspects nearby. The key is to find a way to bring continuity and consistency from the outside in.
5. Prevention
Sometimes the best answer to a problem is to add some elbow grease and soap, lots of soap. Taking the time to clean your building’s exterior can truly transform a space.
We recommend using a pressure washer to clean grime and dirt off your building’s exterior, especially if you have predominantly concrete areas. A pressure washer can make concrete look brand new. Pressure washing is also great at cleaning walls, signs, parking lots, and some warehouse interiors.
The advantage of working with professional painters is that we know what to look for. At Streamline Paint, we take pride in how we spot and communicate any trouble areas or repairs needed on your buildings. These repairs will need to be addressed before painting, but these small repairs can prevent larger ones down the road, saving your business money and time.
Exterior painting season is here and many businesses are taking advantage of this downtime to make improvements to their brick and mortar locations. Contact our professional painters to help you understand if and when it is time to paint. We can help with color choice, materials, and more and we can get the job done without interrupting your business. Don’t worry about cleanliness or other disruption. You can trust Streamline Paint & More to take care of every detail of your building’s cleaning and painting so you can conduct your building’s business.
