A Sprinkle of Misunderstandings

When was the last time you let a sprinkle of rain get in the way of a big project? 

A common scenario regarding project proposals is similar to the following:

B. Taylor Account Manager: “Good morning, I am following up to see how the board meeting went the other day. Did the project get awarded? Were there any questions regarding the proposal? When can we start?”

Client: “Hey, Thanks for calling and following up. No, unfortunately, the painting project didn’t get signed or awarded because the board felt that the rainy season was upon us, and they decided to wait until next year!”

After a phone call as such, we hang up and ask ourselves why the board waited until quarter 1 of the new year to sign a paint project? When they could have signed it in quarter 4, it leaves us a bit perplexed. 

Our confusion stems from the simple fact that it takes (sometimes) months’ worth of time for us to prepare the project. Plus, we are able to paint in the wet months, especially interior projects. We work around the weather to complete exterior paintings as well. 

A timely signed contract allows us to get it scheduled, prepare pre-production paperwork and our workforce. Projects added to the calendar of future work are the ones with signed contracts.

As a team, we keep everyone posted on future jobs. The labor force enjoys knowing what projects they are slated for next, just as much as leadership loves planning each project. We believe it is best to be fair to our team members in the field by offering them a peace of mind in regards to their workload and stability of their job, as they have families to support. 

During the wet months, if our clients procrastinate in the process of getting contracts signed, there is no guarantee there will be a workforce immediately ready to beautify their neighborhood. This is a key reason contacts need to be signed months in advance. 

Our leadership team is best equipped and prepared to exceed client expectations when we can schedule projects and plan each one appropriately with ample time. At the very least, when a project gets signed a couple of quarters ahead of time, you are allowing the contractor to order some material, mockup the property, and get the right paint and paint colors on the wall. 

Business partners, do everyone a favor and make plans now to sign contracts in quarters 3 and 4 this year for all your contractors in 2021. 

 

The Palette Bandwagon

Decisions, decisions, decisions.
Do you hop on the color trend bandwagon or do you stay traditional to your association colors?
Sherwin-Williams’ Color of the Year is Naval. This beautiful shade of blue might be the perfect option for a fresh exterior color on your property. It provides a sense of peace and quiet confidence like none other. If you are wanting a resource to help plan the colors for your Multi-Family property, CLICK HERE.
Kelly-Moore’s Color of the Year is KM5183 Sun God. This color gives off a sense of personal passion and confidence. CLICK HERE to check out the colors it pairs well with and how you may want to use this bold color on your property.
Something to consider: every color gives off a different impression and feeling. When choosing your next color be sure to consider what feeling you want your visitors, homeowners, and employees to have when they are on your property.
  • BLUE – Peace, quiet, and serenity. Blue can sometimes be viewed as a depressing color, however if you mix up the shades, you will find it can signify loyalty, authority, or strength.
  • YELLOW – Happiness, energy, and playfulness. Yellow can be a scary color to use for some people, yet if it is used correctly and in the right shade it can give a bold, delightful statement.
  • RED – Passion, excitement, aggressive, and important. This is a color you may use with caution or play with the shades of red to find the perfect fit.
  • GREEN – Life, prosperity, nature, and vitality. Green is always a wonderful option for an accent color.
  • BROWN – Natural, rustic, and honest. Often paired with green, brown can be a great match for a rustic setting or just as a neutral color for your property.
We are fortunate to work with both Sherwin-Williams and Kelly-Moore as trusted industry partners. If you have color selection questions or what to discuss a future painting project, our team is happy to help. We are already starting to book fall and winter projects, however we still have room for late summer. If we can assist you, please let us know.
– The B. Taylor Painting Team

2020 Summer Painting Season

Too hot to paint? No way. 

Painting in the heat is different than during the cool, wet seasons, however, our service never changes. Our team has the expertise to ensure each project is done with high-quality workmanship and the correct products are used each time. 

 

Success in the warm months:

Just like an art project, paint typically dries faster in warmer temperatures, than it does in the cool winter months. Painting apartment complexes and commercial buildings is not much different.

As in any other time of the year, success begins with the prep. This includes the need to provide adequate downtime (or drying time) after pressure washing the substrate. During the summer the water will evaporate faster and more forcefully; therefore, if a coating is applied too soon it will bubble as the vapors try to escape but are trapped by the film once dried. This is especially true on wood (or engineered materials) as it absorbs water deeper than any other substrate, but in general, it’s a rule that must be followed regardless of the substrate.

For metal, workability lies on the surface temperature. It must be painted early in the morning before it heats up. If that is not possible, the coating must be applied very thin so it will not crack as it dries from the inside out or surface to ambient air. 

Since the paint dries so quickly in the heat it cannot be worked or handled much, if it’s overworked it will show spray and roller patterns. The key is having skilled tradesmen, a foreman that knows not only how to spray the material, but what equipment is needed and how to properly use it. The right tip and pressure on the spray rig go a long way when spraying paint during the hot summer months. A skilled, experienced foreman will know what he’s working with and will adjust his spray pattern accordingly to vanish spray lines and leave a uniform finish without having to do the same task multiple times. Skilled and experienced painters/journeymen know how much they can work the material and how long they have until the roller and brush begin to leave stipples and brush marks. 

 

Types of paint to be used in the heat:

The question is not whether or not it’s the correct paint. Rather, it is whether or not the application method is proper for the coating and substrate. 

Most coatings are engineered to be used in the heat. However, not all are applied or worked the same way. High solid coatings are more likely to show patterns if overworked or if they are applied with the incorrect equipment and unskilled workmanship. Two-component coatings have a shorter pot life in the heat and stains are susceptible to “shinners”. Once again, the key is to have professional, experienced tradesmen handling the materials.

 

Safety first in the heat:

On top of proper coatings, applications, and quality workmanship – we hold safety to be our #1 priority all the time, with an increased focus during the hot months. We make sure there is ample water supply for our team members on the job sites and breaks are taken in the shade. If it is an option to paint earlier in the day before the peak temperatures, we change the time of day we paint. Lastly, leadership members train foremen to recognize the signs of heatstroke and there is always a plan for emergencies set in place prior to starting each project. 

B. Taylor Painting would love to be your trusted contractor for all painting projects. If we can help you, contact us today at www.btaylorpainting.com.

Vapor Abrasive Blasting

Written By Ashley Kenny

Gilroy, California, is known as the garlic capital of the world. With enough production to warrant a July festival in honor of the “the stinking rose,” there’s plenty of processing facilities to keep contractors busy.

In November 2018, B. Taylor Painting was working at a Gilroy processing plant and seeking alternative methods of surface preparation. Mechanical removal would do more than protect employees from going home smelling like a greek food truck – it would change the game for the service of B. Taylor Painting.

“This project actually entailed doing light gauge steel, sheet metal covers on equipment and where the belting and belt system move, there’s a lot of intricate pieces,” said Brian Taylor, President of B. Taylor Painting. “One of the benefits of a media blaster would be that it allows the metal to stay cool enough to where you don’t have it warp.”

Taylor connected with Don Gonneville of Gonneville Inc., a West Coast Graco EcoQuip blaster distributor. With more than 20 years of experience in the business, Gonneville showed up to the jobsite ready to demo the EcoQuip P model.

“We blasted in a real time environment and they actually bought it on spot and they’ve used it ever since,” Gonneville said. “Brian told me that on the first job they did, it paid for itself.”

This is no everyday sand blaster nor an average water blaster – it’s actually the lovechild of the two.

“Our unit has a blast pot into which you put water and abrasives together,” Gonneville explained. “Our system is pressurized with water. In other words, as the user blasts with the system, the water and abrasive that is ejected from the pot process is replaced by water being pumped back into the pot to maintain pressure in that pot.”

As for specifications, the EcoQuip’s blast pot is two cubic feet and can run on a 185 cfm compressor. But you can also attach a 400 cfm compressor to achieve even more production, Gonneville said.

From an engineering perspective, this blaster gets big points. Traditional blasting pots are compressed with air as they expel abrasives out. An empty pot means nothing but air.

“It has an uneven blast because as the air compresses and expands, compresses and expands, it changes the velocity of the abrasives being ejected from the system,” Gonneville said. “Water, on the other hand, since it cannot be compressed, will have a consistent pressure throughout, where the blast is very steady. So we use less abrasive and it provides a more consistent blast.”

The most significant improvement made by Graco since purchasing the EcoQuip line eight years ago is the design of the pot’s overhead dome, Gonneville said.

“The old design, rather than being convex, was concave on top and it trapped air around the rim on the inside,” he said. “When you went to pressurize the pot, you had to wait until the air was expelled before the pot would start pressurizing, which wasted some time. With the system we now have, since there’s no air trapped in that pot, as soon as we start introducing more water into the pot to pressurize, it pressurizes almost immediately.”

Time is money 

Quick pot pressurization isn’t the only thing that will get your budgets excited.

“The No. 1 cost is labor,” Taylor said. “Anytime we can introduce a mechanical form of removal, it’s going to bring that cost down. In our experience using this, for a year and a half now, we’ve found that this media blaster brings that labor down the most.”

Just how much does it save time on surface preparation? Pedro Cazares, B. Taylor Painting general manager, talked about a project in Marina, California, where his team was doing surface prep for ten housing units, two stories each. The metal railings sit close to the ocean, meaning the salt water in the air oxidizes the metal and in less than six years they needed a makeover. On that project alone, the use of the EcoQuip blaster saved more than 300 hours of labor, Cazares said.

Taylor said that kind of cost-cutting may not happen on your first job, but it’s worth it.

“The first time you go out and use this stuff, you’re not going to go cut your labor bill in half, because you’re still learning how the equipment works,” Taylor said. “But over time, you train your employees on how to use it and people get familiar with what it’s capable of, what situations it’s effective and what situations it’s just not. If we can get the equipment in there, this new blasting system is by far the quickest, most-efficient way to do it as far as labor is involved.”

Safety second to none

Proper training is less for the sake of your pocketbook and more for the safety of the operator. Contractors in every trade constantly seek ways to protect their people and maintain or exceed OSHA standards – and dry blasting rivals twelve-packs-a-day when it comes to lung health.

“It creates an awful lot of dust,” Gonneville said. “That’s one of the reasons why vapor abrasive blasting is gaining a lot of popularity. Because it reduces the amount of dust airborne particulates by almost 95 percent.”

An impressive number, but that doesn’t mean you go commando. In case you haven’t made dry blasting your favorite summer time activity recently, here’s your reminder that California heat and full body PPE aren’t exactly the best match.

“When it’s hot, the operators like our system a lot more because they don’t have to wear as much protective gear,” Gonneville said. “They do have to maintain breathing protection, eye and ear protection. That’s pretty simple.”

This system keeps your general managers smiling, operators safe and accountants as happy as they get. The EcoQuip’s ability to please doesn’t stop there.

Anyone in charge of paperwork shuffling will be happy to hear this also saves on your printer ink, at least in California, Gonneville said.

“In California, if your ratio of water to abrasive is at a certain level, the blast pot does not have to be permitted by the air quality management district or the air and resources board in Sacramento,” he explained. “A dry blast pot over a certain size has to be permitted and the user of that pot has to keep track of how much abrasive is being used. Our system does not have to be permitted. That’s one big advantage of the mix between water and abrasive.”

Cleanliness is next to godliness

Gonneville, Cazares and Taylor all agree – the EcoQuip blasts the competition when it comes to executing a clean job.

Cazares explained how B. Taylor’s team uses two layers of plastic around the blast areas to catch all of the broken glass used as an abrasive. This media is the most economic choice for B. Taylor Painting and 100 percent reusable, he said.

The president of the painting company agrees, going into more detail.

“We can actually funnel all that debris to an area where we can filter the water back out and contain all those particulates,” Taylor said. “Then sweep it up later or actually drain it into a bucket if you’ve created the proper funnel system, you can drain all of it.”

Environmental Benefits

This cleanliness translates into environmental stewardship as well, Gonneville said.

“It makes it a lot easier to measure how much abrasive you’re actually using in the process,” he added. “This means that our system uses a lot less abrasive because it can be metered or adjusted a lot easier than an air-compressed system.”

Gonneville said B. Taylor Painting is a “professional in surface preparation” – in part because they use the best equipment available in a way that is environmentally sound and friendly.

“Obviously, it often comes down to money,” Gonneville said. “But customers also need to consider how clean the job is going to be, how well it is going to be done. Of course, the result is very much a function of the equipment that’s being used.”

Workmanship

As general manager, Cazares’ chief concern is that of service quality. In the case of surface preparation, this means achieving a perfect profile.

“Grinding it or machining it by hand will leave a really smooth profile and will leave the metal really polished,” Cazares said. “When you apply coating to a really polished hard substrate, it does not stick. What we’re trying to achieve is dimpling in the metal that allows the primer and the coatings to adhere properly. In this case, with the team and system that we’re using, we’re aiming for at least a 2 mil. profile.”

The crew at B. Taylor Painting uses broken glass on metal, but there’s many options to send through the EcoQuip, Gonneville said.

“We use garnet on steel because it cuts very well,” he explained. “It’s denser, harder and it removes the coating quickly.”

Workmanship doesn’t pivot around the abrasive. It comes down to the user and the equipment. In the case of the EcoQuip, the machine is customizable depending on the project’s needs.

“We can blast anywhere from 40 PSI to 130 to 135 PSI,” Gonneville said. “Depending on the job we’re doing, for example, if someone is blasting wood, which is a lot more delicate, obviously than steel, they want to blast at a lower pressure so they don’t damage the wood. With steel on the other hand, you want to blast at a higher pressure because not only will they do the job faster, but also, it creates that profile.”

Doing the job

Whether it’s sandpaper or the latest model of a vapor abrasive blaster, tradesmen have always optimized their resources to get the job done. However, what sets a tradesman apart – a company apart – is how they use the tools they pick up.

“The biggest thing is that it allows us to differentiate ourselves from our competitors and allows us to give peace of mind to our clients using this machine on the metal,” Cazares said. “The prep that we’re doing on the metal is going to hold up longer.”

Taylor chooses to work with people like Gonneville and companies like Graco because of the service they provide – which is why his clients, in turn, choose to work with B. Taylor Painting.

“We’re tradesmen, brought up in the trades,” he said. “Our company was founded on the principles of doing the job, you know, painting and providing service in the painting industry. But when we talk about getting a job done as efficiently as possible, it comes through experience and it comes through the fact that we’re rooted in the trades.”

Keeping Social

Work may look a little different, you may still have several projects to do, but do you feel isolated?

 

As a country, we have been asked to social distance – that does not mean social isolation.

 

As a team, we are reaching out and touching base not only with each other, but with our clients as well. Although we are an essential business and still performing some work in the field under California and CDC guidelines, our main goal is to keep in touch with our business partners and friends. 

 

How are you doing? We want to know how YOU are doing during these times. You may have a great idea or a schedule you are sticking to. Possibly you are trying new recipes at lunch or you have discovered how to meet your residents’ needs. We would love to hear it! 

 

A few of our business partners have teamed up with us on Thursdays at 1 p.m. to virtually visit about life and how their business has been impacted. 

 

Whether you want to join a Zoom call, send us a text, or give a team member a call – we are here for you. We are in the trenches with you and we get it. 

 

Email us here if you would like to schedule a meeting to visit, vent, cry, laugh or catch up! WE are looking forward to it!

 

Your Money Matters

Have you started planning your next project?

After being in the industry for 20 years, we have had the opportunity to answer several questions. However, when it comes to budgets, these two questions come up often during the budget planning season.

“When is the right time to start planning my project budget?”

Depending on your company’s reserve processes, keep up to date with possible or impending costs of work is key to a streamlined and successful year. So, when is the right time? Now, there’s no harm in being prepared.

“How do I go about planning a budget if I don’t know what to expect? Who can I work with to help plan my budget?”

Planning your budget starts with knowing your business partners; a good business partner provides clear and complete information to you regardless of the type or size of any given project. The SERVICE that the business partner offers is key to knowing what to expect. A trades professional will be able to honestly tell you what they think is imminent and what can wait, will provide a clear scope of work and a fair cost for the project.

Some things to keep in mind when planning your budgets:

  • Timing is key! Leave ample time to thoroughly assess your budgets.
  • Determine your scope of work, or have a general idea. We will help with the rest.
  • Site maps are much appreciated, but not necessary.
  • How soon do you think this work will happen? We’ll need to make reasonable assumptions regarding labor and material costs if its several years out.
  • Don’t hesitate to ask for help. We love helping clients build bids for projects.

Our team offers budgeting assistance, which mainly happens from April – June. If we can help you, please let our team know here!

Core Values: Fun

FUN – It’s our #2 team value.

Fun is an important core value for us to have on a daily basis because most of our work can be relatively boring and difficult. If we make decisions based on whether it’s going to be fun or not fun, at least we know what we’re in for. We recognize not all decisions in business are going to be fun, however, it’s worth the extra effort to smile, find light-hearted moments, and create joy whenever possible. 

Growing a successful business and having satisfied, happy clients can be challenging. That fact alone may be the reason why so many businesses are emotionally bankrupt. 

We’ve asked our leaders over the years to complete intense projects, lead large teams and make critical decisions without checking on their EQ, which can cause a life of turmoil. It’s important to us to check in on both our team members and clients with each project and afterward.

Are you having challenges you find too difficult to bear alone? Do you feel like everyone you turn to professionally is just passing the buck? Are you starting your day most days thinking “this isn’t going to be any fun?” 

This is the exact reason we have fun in our value system. 

When we experience numerous hard and boring days at work, We ask ourselves what needs to change? The first aspect we reflect on is our value system and determine what change needs to take place to create more fun in our professional life. 

It’s that simple. As a team, we have decided having fun is important to us. 

 

Questions for you: 

What important value do you have in your company that your team members can make decisions based off of? 

Are the business partners you’re working with or clients you have properly matched to the values you live and work off of daily? 

If your answer is “no” to the questions above, we urge YOU to review your list of professionals you interact with on a daily basis and determine if you are going to keep them in your circle for 2020. The importance of doing this is making sure you are intentional with the workload and the people you are asking your team members to serve throughout the year. When you properly match everybody up and do not leave any area of confusion the rest will take care of itself. 

 

Tips for Hustling on the Homefront

Are you working at home due to COVID-19 or to avoid illness? We have a few team members who work remotely and/or work as much as possible from their home office. Be sure to check out their tips below when it comes to being efficient, hustling at home, and keeping in contact with business partners and clients. 

Google Programs are Your Friend  

Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides can be used to work on projects with other team members or easily share work that needs a second set of eyes to be completed. We utilize Google Docs to easily share information, plans, schedules, and reports with our team.

Utilize Video Chat

Zoom, Facebook, Google Chat, and YouTube all have access to video chatting. Rather than having a phone call, utilize one of these platforms to meet, share ideas, and have a “personal feel” to your meeting. 

Schedule Your Time

Make efficient use of your time by setting timers and organizing your time before you begin projects. Some of our team uses a paper planner with block scheduling. Others prefer their phone calendar or a simple sticky note with a to-do list. Whatever suits you, use it. 

Meal Prep and Stay Healthy

Take advantage of the time you have at home to eat a healthier lunch, wash your hands often and drink more water. If you need to take a walk to destress or clear your mind, do it anytime throughout the day. A brisk walk once or twice a day will do wonders for you. You may find these actions will give you added creativity and more energy to hustle through your tasks and stay in touch with your team. 

“I’m a painter.”

“I’m a painter,” said Brian Taylor, President of B. Taylor Painting.

Brian grew up in Northern California and always had a love for the trades.

“Growing up, I just was not a student,” Brian said. “I wasn’t very good at school. I never really engaged in school or in the process. I didn’t really take to education. I knew from the beginning I was going to have to do something with my hands.”

Twenty years ago, Brian quit his job, started a company, and married his wife Faye – in the span of three months. He is celebrating 20 years of business in the painting industry, March 2020.

 “I can’t believe it’s been 20 years. It feels like we just barely figured out how to graduate high school.”

 

 

Core Values: Family First

Family First  – It’s #1 to our company value system. 

Family First is important to us because it’s the primary reason why we do what we do. 

We all work tireless hours in the office, running projects, building team members and solving problems for our clients. These are all important; however, the most important things in life are those we get the opportunity to come home to. In a roundabout way, everything we do at work for our team members and our clients allows them to go home safely, mentally relaxed and capable of thoroughly enjoying family time. 

Family First is not just a value written in our value system which hangs on the office wall, it is a high-level priority both team members and their families take great pride in. Everything we do revolves around the family-first value. From the big decisions that we make on a daily basis, all the way down to the small ones minute by minute. We are always thinking, “In what way will this decision affect my family?” 

When we keep our decisions as a business, based on the values that matter to us most, we feel it builds a sustainable and structurally-sound professional relationship that will stand the test of time.

Family first. Values matter. Integrity lasts. 

 

Questions for you:

Do you relate to this value system? 

How do you make decisions every day that match your values?

What value from our system matters the most to you?