Painting an office or shop: how to plan it well

A freshly painted office or a well-kept shopfront says something about your business before a customer or employee has said a word. Yet many business owners put it off because they fear downtime, paint smells and mess. It does not have to be that way. In this article you will read how to plan painting work in commercial premises sensibly, what to consider when choosing paint and colour, and which agreements made in advance stop the work from getting in the way of your business.

1. Why commercial painting pays off

In a shop, practice or office, an interior is used far more intensively than in a home. Chairs scrape along the walls, trolleys and boxes knock into door frames and the entrance takes a lot of hands and feet every day. After a few years a space starts to look tired sooner as a result. A paint job at the right moment keeps the premises presentable and at the same time protects the surface against further wear.

The outside counts too. A shopfront with flaking window frames or a weathered entrance does not immediately give passers-by on a busy shopping street in Amsterdam or Haarlem the feeling that they will be well looked after inside. On the page about commercial painting you can see which types of premises Oranje Kwast works on.

2. Planning around your opening hours

The main concern for most business owners is not the paint but the planning. An office where people need to keep working, or a shop that stays open, calls for a phased approach. The work is then done room by room or zone by zone, so the rest of the premises can stay in use. For spaces where that is not possible, the work is carried out in the evening or at the weekend by arrangement.

It helps to list a few things in advance:

• Which spaces must never be out of use at the same time.
• When your business is quietest, by day and by season.
• Whether workstations, shelving or equipment need moving temporarily.
• Who will be the painter's point of contact while the work is under way.

3. Paint for heavy use

In commercial spaces, paint has to withstand more. For walls in corridors, canteens and shop areas, a scrubbable latex paint is chosen that can be cleaned without the colour going dull. Doors, frames and skirting boards get a hard-wearing gloss. Water-based products from premium brands such as Sigma, Sikkens and Wijzonol dry quickly and give off little odour, so a space is often usable again the same day or the next.

Large wall areas and ceilings in offices are often sprayed rather than rolled. That is quick and gives a crisp, even finish without roller marks, as with the commercial latex spraying carried out by Oranje Kwast. If you work with corporate colours, pass on the colour codes in advance, so the paint can be mixed to an exact match and you can assess a test patch first.

4. Agreements to make in advance

If you rent your premises, check your lease to see whether you are allowed to have painting done and whether the landlord has to approve colours. If you are in a building with several tenants or an owners' association, also agree on access, use of the lifts and cordoning off shared areas. That way the painter will not find a locked door on the first day.

Keep an eye on the financial side as well. Commercial premises are generally subject to the standard VAT rate, whereas the reduced rate on labour is intended for homes. How that works exactly is explained in VAT on painting work; if in doubt, check it on belastingdienst.nl. A broad indication of costs can be found in what commercial painting costs.

5. From quote to completion

For a commercial job, our painter first comes by in person to look at the spaces and discuss the planning with you. You then receive a clear, detailed quote, so you know which areas will be done when and there are no surprises afterwards. During the work, floors, furniture and equipment are carefully covered and the work area is kept tidy, so staff and customers notice as little of it as possible.

Afterwards you check the result together and the premises are left clean and swept. If you have premises in Amsterdam, Zaandam or elsewhere in North Holland and want to know what is possible, request a no-obligation quote or call or WhatsApp 06-18923233.

In practice this topic belongs with commercial painting and interior painting. There you can read about the approach and the options, or request a free, no-obligation quote straight away.

Further reading: Interior painting in Purmerend, Interior painting in Wormerveer, Exterior painting in Amsterdam.

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