Fresh Coat Painters, the national painting franchise, has built a strong model that sets the stage for business growth with access to a range of project types. While many painting franchises focus on completing a high volume of residential projects for revenue purposes, strategically incorporating larger, more consistent commercial and multi-family projects promotes scale.

“Residential painting is great for cash-flow purposes. It’s great to build your business,” said Jared Gallier, owner of Fresh Coat Painters of South Denver. “Getting into commercial and multi-family projects is great for growing your business and hitting the next level because it’s higher tickets, longer-lasting projects and steadier work.”

Beyond Cash Flow: A True Pathway to Scale

Commercial projects create a pathway for growth by helping owners capture higher-value projects and begin to establish year-round stability, even through the typical off-season for a given market.

“I have bids out now for commercial work that won’t start until November, December or even January,” Gallier said. “That’s great for us because we tend to slow down heavily during the winter, and these projects will keep our teams busy and keep cash flowing.”

In the early days of scaling into this side of the business, Gallier says multi-family projects can serve as a good stepping stone. Things like apartment turns, as residents move in and out, and phased projects throughout multi-unit establishments, allow for somewhat predictable timing and build valuable relationships with property management companies that may have more project opportunities in the future.

Mastering the Operational Shift

Coordinating larger, longer-term projects requires a different level of foresight.

“The biggest piece of the puzzle is planning the crews and timing,” Gallier said. “Not all painters are created equal. There are commercial painters for a reason; you must find teams who can focus on speed and efficiency.”

Managing relationships with commercial partners is just as important.

“Just because you get a contract for three buildings over the next three years doesn’t mean the relationship work stops,” he said. “You want to continue to foster it. You never know what other opportunities could come up. There’s always going to be someone knocking on their door, and if the team hasn’t heard from you in 15 months, they may give another team a chance. Staying top of mind with the client is a great best practice.”

Leveraging Fresh Coat’s Support System

Fresh Coat’s structure provides a significant advantage for franchisees with integrated support.

“A big reason why I chose Fresh Coat as the franchise to invest in was because they’re one of the only franchises that has a specific commercial division,” Gallier said. “For Fresh Coat, the royalty fees are all equal. Whether the project is a commercial lead provided to you, one you pursue independently, or a residential job from any source — the royalty fees remain the same across the board.” 

Having these resources fully included in the franchise model means owners can begin to scale as they feel ready, and they’re able to do it with a team of experts standing behind them.

Between the national partnerships that owners can tap into and the support from the commercial team in identifying necessary materials and appropriate pricing for a given project, owners can chase these opportunities with the confidence that the existing support structures will propel them toward success. 

Building a Resilient Future

Scaling through commercial and multi-family projects builds sustainability in the business and brings a new type of fulfillment to owners.

“It’s nice to be able to drive through your town and have things be aesthetically pleasing with a fresh coat of paint on the buildings,” Gallier said. “It may not seem like a big deal, but whenever someone drives past a building we painted and says, ‘I hated the color of that building, and now it looks so bright and fresh,’ that’s a huge compliment to the work we do.”

Gallier points out that he is also fulfilled knowing that the commercial and multi-family projects support consistent work for his teams. This is another sticking point as keeping revenue flowing is key, but it also helps with retention and ultimately reduces costs associated with personnel turnover.

“I look at us as a team, and I feel bad whenever I don’t have work for them,” he said. “That’s why having commercial work during these slower winter months is crucial, not only for my business but their livelihoods as well.”

Venturing into the commercial space is a smart business move, but it’s also a way to build a more durable, impactful business that benefits the owner, their teams and the larger community. With a strategic approach and the support of a powerful franchisor, scaling Fresh Coat through commercial and multi-family work is a proven pathway to success.

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info. 

Fresh Coat Painters, the national painting franchise, has built a strong model that sets the stage for business growth with access to a range of project types. While many painting franchises focus on completing a high volume of residential projects for revenue purposes, strategically incorporating larger, more consistent commercial and multi-family projects promotes scale.

“Residential painting is great for cash-flow purposes. It’s great to build your business,” said Jared Gallier, owner of Fresh Coat Painters of South Denver. “Getting into commercial and multi-family projects is great for growing your business and hitting the next level because it’s higher tickets, longer-lasting projects and steadier work.”

Beyond Cash Flow: A True Pathway to Scale

Commercial projects create a pathway for growth by helping owners capture higher-value projects and begin to establish year-round stability, even through the typical off-season for a given market.

“I have bids out now for commercial work that won’t start until November, December or even January,” Gallier said. “That’s great for us because we tend to slow down heavily during the winter, and these projects will keep our teams busy and keep cash flowing.”

In the early days of scaling into this side of the business, Gallier says multi-family projects can serve as a good stepping stone. Things like apartment turns, as residents move in and out, and phased projects throughout multi-unit establishments, allow for somewhat predictable timing and build valuable relationships with property management companies that may have more project opportunities in the future.

Mastering the Operational Shift

Coordinating larger, longer-term projects requires a different level of foresight.

“The biggest piece of the puzzle is planning the crews and timing,” Gallier said. “Not all painters are created equal. There are commercial painters for a reason; you must find teams who can focus on speed and efficiency.”

Managing relationships with commercial partners is just as important.

“Just because you get a contract for three buildings over the next three years doesn’t mean the relationship work stops,” he said. “You want to continue to foster it. You never know what other opportunities could come up. There’s always going to be someone knocking on their door, and if the team hasn’t heard from you in 15 months, they may give another team a chance. Staying top of mind with the client is a great best practice.”

Leveraging Fresh Coat’s Support System

Fresh Coat’s structure provides a significant advantage for franchisees with integrated support.

“A big reason why I chose Fresh Coat as the franchise to invest in was because they’re one of the only franchises that has a specific commercial division,” Gallier said. “For Fresh Coat, the royalty fees are all equal. Whether the project is a commercial lead provided to you, one you pursue independently, or a residential job from any source — the royalty fees remain the same across the board.” 

Having these resources fully included in the franchise model means owners can begin to scale as they feel ready, and they’re able to do it with a team of experts standing behind them.

Between the national partnerships that owners can tap into and the support from the commercial team in identifying necessary materials and appropriate pricing for a given project, owners can chase these opportunities with the confidence that the existing support structures will propel them toward success. 

Building a Resilient Future

Scaling through commercial and multi-family projects builds sustainability in the business and brings a new type of fulfillment to owners.

“It’s nice to be able to drive through your town and have things be aesthetically pleasing with a fresh coat of paint on the buildings,” Gallier said. “It may not seem like a big deal, but whenever someone drives past a building we painted and says, ‘I hated the color of that building, and now it looks so bright and fresh,’ that’s a huge compliment to the work we do.”

Gallier points out that he is also fulfilled knowing that the commercial and multi-family projects support consistent work for his teams. This is another sticking point as keeping revenue flowing is key, but it also helps with retention and ultimately reduces costs associated with personnel turnover.

“I look at us as a team, and I feel bad whenever I don’t have work for them,” he said. “That’s why having commercial work during these slower winter months is crucial, not only for my business but their livelihoods as well.”

Venturing into the commercial space is a smart business move, but it’s also a way to build a more durable, impactful business that benefits the owner, their teams and the larger community. With a strategic approach and the support of a powerful franchisor, scaling Fresh Coat through commercial and multi-family work is a proven pathway to success.

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info. 

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Morgan Wood

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