Aussie Painting Contractor July

Issue 10 July, 2012

Aussie Painting Contractor Achieving work life balance #3

Work Out You’re Worth; Delegate and Outsource!

Two simple ways

to promote your website Are you valuing your time and that of your clients?

Colours for the Kitchen

Be more then Good, Be GREAT!

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CONTENTS

Editor Nigel Gorman

Deputy Editor Caroline Miall

6

Editor

7

Member Consultant

Building Industry Taxable Payments 8 Annual Summary 10 Achieving work life balance #3

Work Out You’re Worth; Delegate and Outsource!

CONTRIBUTORs Belinda Ross Caroline Miall Ian Scanes Jennie Gorman Jim Baker Leanne Staff Michael Farrugia Mel Holzworth Nigel Gorman Stephanie Gadd Tamara Simon GRAPHIC DESIGNER J.Anne Delgado

14 Outsourcing 16

Are you valuing your time

(and that of your clients)?

Be more then Good 20

Be GREAT! 22 Two simple ways

to promote your website

24 Able Painters

Focasing on Abilities not Disabilities

26 Colours for the Kitchen

30 Members Profile

Lancaster Painters Australia Pty Ltd

36

Industry Idiots

37

Important Contacts

Welcome to the start of another financial year!

We can hardly believe that it was just over a year ago now that Aussie Painters Network and Home Painters Info began; in that year we’ve grown at a steady rate.

This month Resene Paints is helping us celebrate our first anniversary - and mark the Tenth Edition of Aussie Painting Contractor; Resene is offering Members-only special discounted prices for the next six months! … with their Aussie Painters Network Paint Price Freeze.

(See details on page 9) From talking to people across the industry, it would seem many will be grateful the last financial year is over, with some difficult times endured. Here’s to a better one this year. I hope you’ve all managed to weather the storm, and that some of the discounts and offers we’ve secured for Members will be of assistance.

From the Editor Nigel Gorman nigel@homepaintersinfo.com 0430 399 800

A couple of hot topics have come up this month.

Lead Paint has come up again with another child with elevated lead levels in Qld, also its been announced a painting company has been fined over cleaning a roof containing Asbestos. Both cautionary tales to Painters and home owners; be aware of the dangers that might be hidden within the home.

Now is a good time to take stock of what’s been achieved this last 12 months and to set some goals for the next. So please, enjoy our tenth issue. We hope you get something out of it and if you don’t, let us know what you want to find in coming months. We’d love to hear from you.

Opinions and viewpoints expressed in Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine do not necessarily represent those of the editor, staff or publisher or any Home Painters Info staff or related parties. The publisher, Home Painters Info and Aussie Painting ontractor Magazine personnel are not liable for any mistake, misprint or omission. All information contained in Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine is intended to inform and illustrate and should not be taken as financial, legal or accounting advice. You should seek professional advice before making any business related decisions. We are not liable for any losses you may incur directly or indirectly as a result of reading Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine. Reproduction of any material or contents of the magazine without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Hi to all you hard working Painters!

This past month has been excellent for us at Aussie Painters Network, which seems to be getting better all the time. It really is an exciting time for us here as we are slowly becoming more and more recognised and respected by painters, manufacturers and business owners. Our hard work of bringing you a service that is second to none is finally beginning to pay off.

Until next time,

Stephanie

I would like to welcome all of our new members this month, please let us know how we can improve our service to you. It is a pleasure to know that we are filling a niche in the Painters & Decorators market by constantly updating you on any important information that comes our way in relation to our industry, along with the benefits which we are providing you as members.

We have recently attended trade events in a bid to gain more recognition by painters, home owners and industry related businesses. Your support and great feedback has been a huge incentive for us to continue doing what we are doing to keep on top of changes that may affect you and your business.

Aussie Painters Network are aiming to prove to you that we are here to stay, we are here to service both the painter and small business owner and offer the best information available to us so that we can forward that information onto you via email.

If you have other Painting apprentices, or Painters who have not heard about us at Aussie Painters Network, please help us to be pro-active and tell them about us.

We have a database of over 10,000 painters Australia wide and are aiming to improve that number and our membership base.

Stephanie Gadd Membership Consultant 0433 724 794 steph@homepaintersinfo.com

Building Industry Taxable Payments Annual Summary

Once again the Government is adding to your administration burden by now imposing yet something else to report, without any thought of compensation to you for the extra time and effort needed.

The Government will require you to complete an annual report, due to be lodged with the ATO by the 21 July 2013 (capturing the data for the period 1 July 2012 – 30 June 2013). Yes, earlier than the BAS report for the June quarter.

Who Needs To Report All those who are in the building industry who make payments to contractors in the building industry. Your primary business must be in the building & construction industry.

In summary – If painting services are part of your business and you employ a contractor in the building industry, then you have to make this report. Now, at this stage we have not seen the report or what is being required, but be assured the purpose of the report is to match the payments you may make to the income shown by that Contractor. They will data match for the whole of Australia to conclude a minimum amount that each contractor in this industry will show as their Sales amount.

So please keep all invoices for Contractor payments. You will need them later. If you use MYOB or another accounting system, make sure you have contractor’s information fully completed and also have them set up so that at years end you can print a report for all Contractors and it will show the total for the year.

Contact us if you have any questions.

Telephone: +617 3808 2868 Fax: +617 3808 8600

Achieving Work Life Balance #3

Work Out You’re Worth; Delegate and Outsource!

One of the most difficult balances to strike in small business is placing the optimum value on your own hours at the rate you deserve; and work the number of hours you should be. This way, you’re likely to be getting more out of the rewarding side of your profession, and finding more time for leisure. Obviously when beginning a business you’re going to be investing a lot of time, and plenty of it unpaid; but as an established business, you need to place at least the same value on your hours as you would demand from an employer, and preferably a lot more. This is where you need to question, ‘is there anything I do in my business that could be done more time or cost effectively by lining up someone else to do it?’ Similarly, if you can afford to avoid it, you shouldn’t be spending time doing what others are professionally trained for, if it takes you forever to complete.

If you’re just looking to lighten the load for a busy period, or to conquer a job you’ve been putting off, consider contacting one of many employment agencies for simple time consuming tasks like filing or other admin; or if you know a high school or uni student seeking some extra income, they can be a great source of assistance. Cost effective alternatives like off shore contracting is a very real option these days, especially if you have ongoing work you need done; any number of tasks can be easily delegated with the most basic of communication resources (i.e. skype).

So, consider ways you can free up your time to devote to the people and pass-times you love! In the painting industry there are a number of ways to spread the load so you can attain a more desirable work/life balance.

If your business doesn’t already, take on contractors or apprentices, short or long term.

Both of these options could prove a great asset to your business, and both can be recruited to provide flexibility and control as the employer.

Providing an apprentice with an opportunity to learn is a great way to give back to your industry also. Most states have an employment agency specifically for apprentices and there are grants for employers who take them on.

recommendations from other painters as someone who knows your industry well could be invaluable.

Unless you’re particularly fond of it or good at it, you should outsource your accounting and tax processing too. Seek the services of a good accountant for your business; you’re better off having someone you trust who knows your business so if you haven’t got one, put this on your to do list! Ask for

It’s not difficult to see where you could be saving yourself some precious hours, but it may be worth spending a week analysing your time and noting what’s taking up the bulk of it. It may come of a surprise how much time you’re spending on tasks at home which could be farmed out. At a time when we’re all wishing there were more hours in the day, there

may well be a way to make it happen!

Check with your state government and seek information from sites such as:

www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au

These unique rollers are specifically designed for Australian standards.

They have been tried and proven over many years and for many Australian conditions.

There are 2 categories of fabrics: Knitted and woven fabrics. The knitted fabric is the cheaper option, woven fabric are more expensive to produce. The fibers of the woven fabrics is better secured so the fabric hardly loses fibers. The fabric is cut into strips for production (thermo bonding / melting in most cases) the structure is lost at the edge. Therefor you need to “work any rollers in (kitted and woven) before use, to remove any loose fibers. After working in the roller the fibers should be secure.

Knitted fabrics tend to loose fibers a bit more. Generally these rollers are cheaper to produce. However the quality depends on the fiber and backing of the fabric.

Most rollers used by painters are knitted.

Rolon is the exclusive importer for these rollers and we guarantee these high quality tools. The most used design, the Goldstripe, has been copied in China but the quality is different. The copied version is rough and our fabric feels smooth and soft. Claims that they would be “equal” or “the same” are in our view deceptive.

The fabrics of most of our rollers are designed for more than 500m2. But some painters use the i.e. the Goldstripe roller for glossing doors after they are worn down. They would use the rollers for much much more than 500 m2 .

Outsourcing Outsourcing is no different to taking on a staff member in your business. Before you place the job add, you need to know what you want help with. You will have written a job description to attract the right person.

You could be needing help with invoicing, quotes, formatting documents, ordering, recruitment or marketing material. You might want help with sales and generating new leads.

Clarity is the key.

Using a remote worker from Asia and preferably the Philippines will significantly reduce your costs. Instead of paying a minimum of $25.00 per hour you will pay a maximum of $6.00 per hour.

To make the working relationship successful you will need to have hired the right person in the first place with the right skills.

But even with this in place failure to perform the following can reduce your success with the offshore outsourcing model: • setting aside time in the short term for training • tracking through an online system, this is imperative especially initially • applying good managerial practises - if you don’t have any experience in this, it can be challenging • conducting performance reviews, checking timesheets weekly (min), referencing back to the original job description to check that each thing is being handled • constant monitoring, excellent management of time and excellent communication • setting up good communication systems • being organised • setting up excellent tracking systems • setting up effective computer cloud software such as Skype, dropbox, gmail and gdocs (set up a gmail email account, you more than just an email address)

Who you hire

depends on your business goals.

Taking on staff is always a learning curve for any business and offshore remote staff outsourcing is no different.

All obstacles can be overcome.

How much money can be saved?

Some of our clients are paying as little as $110 per week for a full time virtual assistant trained in telemarketing, customer service and date base administration and lead generation.

At gotooutsource.com we supply the perfect virtual assistant for your business needs.

Tell us what you are looking for!

Fill out our virtual assistant questionnaire TODAY and be blown away by what tasks you could possibly outsource.

We take your criteria and deliver you a quality virtual worker ready to work full time or part-time in your business.

If you would like more information on how to succeed with this model, reduce your business costs and create incredible leverage in your business gotooutsource.com is here to help.

Call us today on 0414 707 751 Angela De Palma info@gotooutsource.com

Are you valuing your time (and that of your clients)?

Do you arrive at every job or meeting on time?

Being punctual is easier than you think.

Business Systems Specialist, Tamara Simon, has a few simple tips on forward planning.

I’m sure you’ve heard from family, friends or clients that one of their biggest frustrations is with people who don’t keep appointments, are always running late or don’t allow enough time for meetings. Not to mention those who take phone calls while they are with a client.

Is it any wonder that negative generalisations are held about tradespeople in the building and construction industry and other service based businesses?

Clients want to feel valued because their time is precious too. They want to feel that you actually want to be there, listening to their issues and concerns – rather than feeling like they are a distraction to your day, and that there is somewhere more important to be.

It seems simple enough to provide great client service, but so often not remembering the little things can damage your client relationships and your reputation.

Here are a few tips to help you value your client’s time and meet their expectations.

Tip 1: Include travel time to and from the meeting when you block out your diary.

Allow 15 minutes extra for unexpected traffic or bad weather.

Tip 2: Confirm the appointment time with the client the day before.

Phone or email the client to ensure things haven’t changed since you made the appointment.

Tip 3: Don’t start a task, take calls or discuss anything with your team 15 minutes before you are due to leave for an appointment.

This will ensure you leave on time for the meeting.

Use this time to check you have everything you need including directions, the client’s file, tools, safety gear, notepad etc.

These tips are simply common sense, but they will help you to value your time as well as your clients. As the saying goes, time is money – it is a precious commodity that we should respect, not dismiss.

Thomas C Haliburton says that “punctuality is the soul of business”.

Remember: whether you are on time or not is often the first impression your potential client will get, and it may determine if they do business with you or not.

Tip 4: Turn off your phone as soon as you arrive at the appointment.

You don’t want to take a call that could make you late for the client. This also means you will be truly focused on the client and not distracted.

Tip 5: If absolutely necessary, have your phone on silent or vibrate.

If there is something so urgent that it can’t wait an hour or so, explain to your client that you are expecting an important phone call and may have to take the call.

Tip 6: Keep a notepad in your car.

If you arrive more than ten minutes before the meeting, use this time to get a jumpstart on a task, draft an email or to jot down ideas, but keep an eye on the time, as you don’t want to be late.

Tip 7: Get out of the car 10 minutes before the meeting time.

This allows you the time to collect your gear, lock the car and arrive calmly, whilst still ensuring you are early or on time. Better you are waiting for the client than the other way around.

Tamara Simon

was a Queensland Finalist in the Telstra Business Women’s Awards. With extensive experience in over 10 industry sectors including building design, training, auditing and marketing, she is passionate about helping build profitable and sustainable service-based businesses.

TAKE ANOTHER LOOK

Insurance Premium Funding A lending facility for business clients who wish to spread the cost on annual insurance premiums over monthly instalments so that they can smooth out their cash flow.

Debtor Finance, Receivables Funding, Cashflow Finance, Factoring, Invoice Finance – call it what you like; is experiencing another growth phase.

Essentially instead of having to wait up to 90 days for debtors to pay, lenders purchase acceptable trade debts and provide up to 80% of approved invoice values within 24 hours. The balance made available upon payment of the full invoice amount by the debtor.

Benefits?

No security over bricks and mortar, maximise profits, flexibility, purchase more stock, obtain purchase discounts and possibly put on more sales staff.

Designed for businesses that sell goods on standard credit terms. Suitable for businesses that have good growth opportunities or ambitions, limited fixed assets to use as security, restricted liquidity or slow paying debtors.

Preferred business types, importers, wholesalers or suppliers, printers, transporters, manufacturers, service industries, people industries, management/partner buyouts and business successions.

80% of your debtors in your hands within 24 hours – worth thinking about!

Rod and Ian Scanes Phone: (07) 3278 0825 Fax: (07) 3278 0894

Mobile: 0421 383 314 (Rod) 0421 383 315 (Ian)

Email: rscanes@firstcharteredcapital.com.au

ABN 37 128 508 494 434 Anzac Av, Kippa-Ring QLD 4021 PO Box 446 Kippa-Ring QLD 4021 P: (07) 3283 8848 F: (07) 3283 8847 E: admin@austplanfs.com.au

Maintain your family’s living standard

If you have a financially dependent family, you should ensure you have enough Life insurance.

What are the benefits?

By using this strategy, you could: • Provide your family with an ongoing income, and • Enable them to meet their living expenses if you pass away.

How does this strategy work?

It is important that you should consider using insurance to clear your debts if you die, become totally and permanently disable or suffer a critical illness.

However, it’s also important you have enough Life insurance to enable your family to meet their ongoing living expenses in the event of your death.

As a starting point, you need to: • Work out what your family spends each year on groceries, education, household bills and other living expenses, and • Decide how long you’d like your family to be financially supported in your absence.

Once you know these two things, a financial adviser can calculate how much life cover you will need to provide the required income over the desired time period.

When doing this, a financial adviser can take into account the tax that may be payable on the investment income your family will receive and allow for the impact of inflation.

With the right insurance advice, your family can receive enough after-tax income to meet their ongoing living expenses and avoid financial difficulty. A financial adviser can also review your insurance needs over time to make sure you remain suitably covered.

by: Jennie Gorman

Have you ever asked yourself how others see your business or how you feel about it yourself?

Do your clients say you are good, or do they say you are GREAT? How do you want your clients and customers to remember you? What do you want them to say about you in general conversation?

These are important questions,so we get an idea of not only how we see ourselves but also how our clients and peers in the marketplace see us. If you have never asked the questions above, get some testimonials or do a survey to get some feedback.

Ask your clients, what areas or categories they see you good or great in and why do they say that? This is important for you to decide where you are going and if you are meeting and serving your correct marketplace.

For me, as a small business owner, I do not judge a business necessarily by the amount of money that they create. I believe it is more on how your clients feel about you and if your services are giving them what is want and require. Ask yourself who you and your business want to serve? It is also important to know what outcomes you want from your clients and your services? If you have a business that employs others, you need to make sure your bottom line is working in your favour as the dollar factor becomes more imperative, so you can pay not only yourself but also your staff.

Visit my website today! http://connexionsunlimited.com.au

It is wonderful to be described as either good or better still great, but what does that mean.

To achieve the title of being great can sometimes only apply to large business, where there is staff and a strong management. As a small business owner, this can apply to you too. We are seen on how good or greatwe are in our leadership skills. How we connect and hold the vision for our business, no matter how large or small, will show through too. We do not all want to have the large company or corporation even though we can still play a big part in changing others to become who they are by what we provide as services and products.

I believe that they only difference in a large or small business is the turnover and the number of people working both on it and in it. The skills necessary are still the same, just on a different level size wise.

I suggest that you learn who you are, what your leadership skills are and how they are received by others. If you hold your vision of what you set your business to be, looking at yourself and becoming accountable for the direction you have taken, you can only succeed, no matter your business size.

It is important that you see yourself and your business as two separate entities so that either can be removed and the business stays intact. Is this what you set out to do when you started your business? Or was it to create something that would close when you are no longer there to work it?

One of the things that effects a business, especially a small business, is when the person who heads it gets caught up in the glory of their business. Staying focussed on an end result without buying into the ‘ego’ will make your business strong and successful.

As a promoter of small business, I have seen over the years people who have had a great impact on others to such an extent that they got caught up in the belief that they were the only ones! We attract the people around us that we need so that we can help fulfil both our own and othershopes and desires in an area of their lives.

So, what and who do you want to be remembered by when you leave your business?

If you have a business that you want to grow and become a company that is known and respected, I suggest that you read ‘Good to Great’ by Jim Collins. This book is also good for anyone is business to learn some good business principals too!

PO Box 118, Clayfield Qld 4011

Phone: (07) 3262 5343 • Fax: (07) 3262 5805 • Mobile: 0414 278 344

www.zebraweb.com.au

Two simple ways

to promote your website.

It might seem a bit overwhelming when you think about how to promote your website. It doesn’t have to be. There are two simple but very effective ways to promote your online business.

Basically you are going to employ techniques that will work well with marketing tools you already have in place.

use your EMAIL.

It is not too complicated to create an email Firstly, signature which will then appear at the base of every email that you send out. You add your web address with a link to your website. You’ll be surprised how many people will click on this link to find out more about your business.

You could take this opportunity to also promote a special feature of your business, such as ‘free quotes’ or ‘ complementary colour advice’ to entice the client to click on your website.

use your existing stationery.

Particularly Secondly, your BUSINESS CARDS. It’s essential these days to ensure that your web address appears on your printed material, almost as important as your mobile number!

Your letterhead, envelopes, quotes, invoices and most importantly your business cards can all showcase your email address and website address. So, next time you need to get them reprinted, make sure you include your web address on them. A lot of initial contacts are made online, so having these details on your business card is essential.

Promote yourself and your website as much as possible!

Able Painters

Focasing on Abilities not Disabilities One of the things I love about people in the South Pacific is that in the face of adversity they always have a positive attitude, a gentle South Pacific smile, and a confidence that quietly says “I can do this!”

Take for example Joy, a Fijian student of APTC who has just started a company called “Able Painters” with two other students Alex and Volavola who happen to be deaf.

Joy does not see any disabilities,only the abilities that her two friends have. As she said “Both men are good painters and will be a great asset to her new company.”

So joy is not employing people with a disability. She is focused on their abilities as painters. Hence the name “Able Painters.”

So what does the future hold for Joy and her two brave friends? One of the large chain of department stores in Fiji has agreed to take Joy and her team under their wing and train them in business management and book keeping. Able painters will be doing work on a number of their properties including one of the largest department stores in Suva.

The company that has agreed to sponsor Able Painters can’t be named at this stage but the general manager said he can provide one of his accounts people to work with Joy for about an hour a week training Joy to manage her accounts and bookkeeping.

The Fiji Deaf Association is supporting too by providing interpreters when needed.

It is anticipated that customers will see this as an opportunity to support the community while receiving a professional standard of finish on their investments.

Over the years I have personally trained five different painters who are deaf, one who had autism and another that had mental illness, while one of my students continued in the trade despite the fact he had to have his foot removed during his apprenticeship.

What they all had in common was not their disability but their extraordinary ability to meet the challenges that life throws at them and continue to move forward.

Another thing they have in common is good employers who could look past any perceived disability and see the benefit of employing these extraordinary people.

By Michael Farrugia www.pacificpainters.com www.painters.edu.au

Joy in the middle pictured with Alex on the left and Volavola on the right

Colours for the Kitchen I must say these months seem to be getting shorter and shorter, of course they are not, I just seem to be doing more and more, which, in business is a good thing – right! Ok so let’s get cooking…

We spend a great deal of time in the kitchen, (whether we are the cook or not doesn’t matter) so it is a really important room to get RIGHT. There are a lot of hard surfaces in the kitchen so let’s deal with them first.

Cupboards, benches, tiles (floor and wall) will be there for 10 – 20 years in a lot of cases so we need to make sure we really love them. There are some beautiful colour ranges available for these surfaces but please choose wisely! I love citrus colours in a kitchen but seriously if I had to wake up to lime cupboards, lemon tiles and black benches for the next 20 years I think I’d throw up! You get the drift.

There is an amazing range of basics from cool and warm whites, coffee colours, warm neutrals, browns and blacks, even some shades of blues and greens can work on these hard surfaces but please be realistic and make sure you absolutely LOVE your choices.

There is an amazing range of stone and imitation stone products for your hard surfaces too, take a look, do your homework and choose wisely, both with the colour and material you choose.

Now let’s take a look at painted surfaces in your kitchen. NEVER CHOOSE THE PAINT FIRST! There are thousands of paint colours and about 50 tiles, benches, and laminates you may like, or that are within the budget. Much easier to start with your hard surfaces and find a paint to tie in with those.

Really there are 3 painted surfaces: Ceiling

Walls

When painting the ceilings in a kitchen I use and recommend using a ‘Low Sheen Scrubable Wall Paint’ – I know, I know, you are going to tell me it’s a waste of time, but please hear me out. As a painter, it’s always the apprentice who gets to clean and sand the ceilings, right! Well as a home owner and one who has painted 4 homes and offices, I am telling you that ceiling paint in a kitchen is pretty close to useless! Sorry!

No actually I’m not…

Traditional Flat Ceiling Paint does not clean well, it leaves smears and splotches when we try to clean off greasy splatter and other miscellaneous stuff that finds its way onto a kitchen ceiling.

However, I am very pleased with the results of my most recent kitchen painting project where I used the Low Sheen Wall Paint on the ceiling, wipe off grunge is a breeze.

Next time you are painting a kitchen ceiling, just try it, I promise you the home owner will love you for it.

Cupboards

Well if I had to choose where I would add colour in the kitchen I may choose to buy a $699 K-mix with matching kettle, toaster and every other gadget available, they come in rainbow colours magenta, emerald, sky, lemon, and more.

But then again, would I get over the magenta mixer after a couple of years? Not sure? I could paint a pink wall for $70 and when I get tired of it paint it out! I could do that every year for 10 years and still come out on top.

I like the idea of a kitchen painted in neutral hues, with accessories of colour that can be changed seasonally or when you tire of them…

I think for a kitchen a lot depends on what the intention for the house is, are we renovating to stay there, to sell, or rent. Take these 3 questions into consideration when you are painting and or renovating your kitchen and you will at least know the right questions to ask and make sensible paint choices.

As for colour, white is good, a shade of white is better, just for the cleaning factor once again.

Cupboards in a 2 pack finish, choose super hi gloss, gloss, semi gloss. My personal preference is semi gloss, in a nice shade of off white, Dulux Antique White USA, Cottontail, Natural White, Whisper White. Take your pick really, just make sure it works with the benches, and tiles.

Be l i nda R os s 0413 464 289 07 3886 4488

If in doubt, get in touch with your local Colour Consultant, or if you are in South East Queensland call me.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TODAY! www.sunshinesuperclean.net

Resene Clinicalcote is a low odour, washable waterborne paint with antimicrobial silver for use on broadwall areas in building s such as hospitals, rest homes, medical centers and clinics.

For many people the word ‘hospital’ conjures up thought of drab, institution buildings. However this is not the case today as designers strive to create healthcare facilities and buildings that support wellness and uplift the spirits of patients and staff with the use of Resene Clinicalcote to enhance, protect, deodorize, and sanities.

This is more true today than ever.

Hospitals must be easy to clean and maintain so appropriate and durable finishes and materials need to be specified for each functional space. New anti-microbial silver paint coatings (Resene Clinicalcote) minimize bacterial contamination and cross-infection as well as providing a durable finish designed to withstand alcohol and glycol containing hospital cleaners and an enhanced appearance to aid in the healing process with comforting colours.

These facilities provide care for non-acute and long term conditions.

Most residents are aged and/or frail but not necessarily bed-ridden.

As these are ‘homes’ to the patients they need to be sensitive and responsive to long term human needs and wellbeing, both in a physical and emotional sense. Studies have proven that certain colours help with calming anxiety, stress, accelerate healing and rehabilitation. With the expert knowledge of Resene’s dedicated staff, we are able to assist in the colour selection process with rendered images of the chosen/recommended colour schemes to ease the feeling of anxiety over treatment and unfamiliar process that contribute to stress.

Members Profile

Lancaster Painters Australia Pty Ltd Ph: 1300 526 227 • Mob: 0412 610 018 www.lancasterpainters.com.au

As multi award winners and with over 30 years experience, Lancaster Painters Australia offer an Australia-wide professional painting, decorating and restoration service with style and elegance for all occasions.

We offer painting services for all residential, commercial and heritage work, including lead paint stripping and painting using environmentally friendly paint finishes. Our paint finishes include modern and innovative finishes, specialist finishes, decorative finishes, sign writing and artistic painting.

With honesty and reliability, our goal is to work closely with our clients, helping them to style and redecorate their homes and businesses in order to achieve their desired outcome.

We are passionate about achieving our best for our customers!

Fully licensed and qualified with full liability insurance, all work is quality guaranteed to industry standard. We offer a 5 year guarantee on all our work. Certificates of practical completion are supplied throughout all stages of the job. Being eco friendly and lead safe, we operate using safe work methods and environmental management, utilising a continuous improvement action plan. Training has resulted in achieving certificate III in painting and decorating, responsible officer and holding a senior first aid certificate and whitecard.

Full training has been achieved in safe lead and asbestos management, Peel Away and sustainable painting practices. We are licensed to perform high risk work and are fully ccredited and licensed to erect steel and mobile scaffold over four metres up to thirty eight metres as well as elevated platforms, static lines and safety nets. Electrical equipment is tagged. Our heritage listings include SA and NSW. We hold a national police certificate.

We encourage painters to strive to be the best at their trade in each state by being on the Aussie Painters Network and by showcasing what can be achieved by painters and decorators.

Even low levels of lead are harmful Paint contractors, parents, renovators, child-care centre operators, teachers, landlords, agents, pet-owners: Find out if paint, dust, Soil, drinking water, toy paint, Plastics, ceramics, jewellery, and other items are safe for humans and pets.

Buy a DIY-sampling / lab analysis lead kit The LEAD Group’s lead test kits are the only ones available in Australia for testing a wide variety of samples at a lab (which charges us a charity rate so you pay less).

Order online • print form • fax/call : 1800 626 086

Click here for videos on how to use the sampling kits The LEAD Group is a charity (ABN 25819463114 )

donate NOW

*The water test kit requires less lab work and a lot less interpretation that is why it costs less Prices include postage within Australia, handling, lab charge, results, interpretation & GST.

You take the samples, and send them to Sydney Analytical Labs.

The lab analyses the samples, and we explain the results.

www.lead.org.au

How To Become A Really Successful Painter My name is Jim Baker. I have been a painter for 42 years and have run my own successful painting business in Brisbane for 27 years under the name of James W Decorating.

At the Dulux National Conference in 2004 and 2006, I won the title of Dulux Accredited Painter of the Year for Queensland.

I have also been a finalist in the Action Coach My Business Awards for Best Small Business in 2008, the Dulux Accredited Business Professional finalist in 2011 and the Micro Business Queensland Telstra Business Awards finalist also in 2011.

When I was first in business, my main concern was to be cheaper than my competitors’ price. Experience has taught me that this is not what a client is looking for, which is the reason I wrote a book, “How To Become AReally Successful Painter”. If you are in business, or one day want to start up a business, then my book can help you. I can show you how, using a series of 8 easy steps, your business will be one jump ahead of your competitors and more profitable. It doesn’t matter if you want to be a one man operator or have 50 people working for you. The outcome is the same. Success for your business!

My book has been thoroughly approved by Dulux, Master Painters, Be Constructive Qld. and TAFE teachers from various colleges around Australia. 1200 books are being given out by Dulux to every final stage painting apprentice and Post Trade graduates in Australia each year. It is also being used as a reference book by Dulux in New Zealand and a TAFE College in Fiji.

If you are looking for improvements in your business, then “How To Become AReally Successful Painter” can really help you.

A copy of my book is available by emailing your name and address to jimbaker@notjustapainter.com.au http://www.housepainteradvice.com.au Regular retail price: $25.50 (inclusive of GST and postage).

What I have learnt through trial and error, attending seminars, observing how others run their business and being in the trade myself for 42 years, will be of huge benefit to you.

I will show you how to: • Advertise efficiently without spending a fortune.

• Get more exposure.

• Increase the number of your potential clients.

• Win the job even though you are the highest quote.

• Improve quote acceptances.

• Be more of a business person rather than ‘just a painter’.

• Make your quotes more appealing.

• Design graphs to help keep track of calls and clients.

• Get and keep that competitive edge over other painters.

Just one small detail could mean either a Yes or a No on a job acceptance. By following even a few of my proven ideas, I assure you that you will have more success in winning a job over your competition. This is not done by lowering your prices.

From feedback I receive from my clients, I am often the most expensive and I am usually booked 3 to 4 months in advance.

Grab a Copy Today!

The Industry Idiots

Important Contacts

Home Painters Info http://www.homepaintersinfo.com Ph. 0430 399 800 Australian Tax Office http://www.ato.gov.au Business Ph. 13 72 26 / Personal Ph. 13 28 65 Award Rates http://www.fairwork.gov.au Ph. 13 13 94 The Office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner http://abcc.gov.au Ph. 1800 003 338 Mates In Construction http://www.matesinconstruction.com.au 1300 642 111

Join Aussie Painters Network and Receive...

• Join NOW! membership is Tax Deductable • Instant access to our pricing and estimating guides • Quotation guide to assist you when quoting • Work Method Statement and Risk Assessment Guide • Special Pricing with Resene Paints (Lower Paint Prices) • Personal service and phone advice • Web Listing for prospective customers to find you easily • Free targeted online marketing & advertising • Back-links to assist you in SEO rankings • Your own page on homepaintersinfo.com • Painter Help section if you are looking for work or looking for painters to help

• Have your details listed in 5 postcode areas

If now is not the right time to subscribe we can still offer you a complimentary 1 page listing in our ‘Find a Painter’ section.

Supply your details to obtain your complimentary page NOW! Make sure you include your address, phone number and current web site if you have one, if you don’t, use ours!

$49.97 is all you pay for one year’s subscription