OUR EXPERIENCED PAINTERS FAQs

Yes, we generally discuss the basics on the phone or via email, which is followed by a site visit to obtain the specifics. We will then email or post the quote.

No, you should always meet with a representative from the trade firm face-to-face and discuss the project. Give each contractor a copy of a detailed brief which outlines your requirements. Someone who quotes over the phone may underestimate the amount of work or preparation required and you could be hit with extra charges or a low-quality paint job.(see “Painting Specification Checklist“).
(see “Rendering Solid Plastering Specification Checklist”).

Yes, we have $20 million in public liability, workers compensation, and carry ‘contractors all risk insurance’ on a job specific basis. All certificates are available on request.

Yes, we hear this often in our industry. Ultimately it will come down to the level of thoroughness, attention to detail & quality of the finished product. For example, the amount of time that goes into the preparation of a surface & the subsequent coats it receives will all reflect the final product. Our quotes are in depth & clearly list the inclusions, which should enable you to compare the prices.

Yes. We’ll stay with the project and work until it is completed. The same crew will work on your job from start to finish because we assign different crews to different jobs.

Yes, we have some online references in our testimonials section, we also keep written references on file for those who ask. We recommend having a look at the what we’ve done section of this website.

We use only the highest quality products. The brand we use can be influenced by other factors including customer preference, the nature of the project.

Not cutting corners, preparation, preparation, preparation; and finally, budgeting enough time to do the work properly.

The only maintenance required would be to keep the surface clean. This is generally done with a low water pressure cleaner.

Choosing colors can be bewildering. Each manufacturer offers a few thousands! Fashions come and go. We recommend that you start by asking yourself what colors you like (e.g. which ones are dominant in the clothes you buy?).

Light shades will usually make a space look bigger, darker ones can add warmth to a room. A sense of harmony can be obtained in many different ways.

If you need more elaborate advice we can refer you to one of the interior designers with whom we work regularly.

Plastering and sanding do create dust. We will do our utmost to minimize it. All floors will be carefully protected with drop sheets, and your furniture covered with plastic. Other areas of your house or apartment will be blocked off with plastic so that they remain as much as possible dust-free. At the end of the project, we will clean carefully the rooms where we have worked. Some smell is unavoidable when you paint. We will work with water-based paint (latex), which is a lot less smelly, unless the surface requires a oil-based product (stucco ceilings; rusted metal; water or nicotine stains). Or unless you specifically ask us to use an oil-based paint.

Painting your home can be a fun and rewarding experience but most do-it-yourselfers underestimate the skill and time it takes to achieve a professional high-quality finish (see “Doing It Yourself”).

Some things to consider include:

Health and Safety: Painting can be hazardous work, whether its working on ladder or dealing with solvents and dust. Professional painters have the appropriate safety equipment to keep you and your family and themselves safe.

Preparation: Professional painters know how to properly prepare the surface. Preparation can be more than 50 percent of the time of a paint job – scraping, sanding, caulking, cleaning and priming.

Which paints and how to apply them: paint choice is not just about colour, professional painters know which paints to use in each situation and the tools to use to get the best results.
Clean-up and disposal – professional painters take care of these tasks as part of their service.

The cost of a job is usually determined by the level of preparation, attention to detail and quality desired. Typically you will get what you pay for. Accepting a low-bid or negotiating a lower rate may be false economy if the painter cuts corners to get the job done. Give each painter an identical brief and ask them painter to itemise the expenses so that you can compare how the money is being spent. You don’t have to accept the highest bid but never select a painter solely on price either. You need to feel confident and informed about what you are getting for the money you are being asked to pay.

It will depend on your home’s condition, the colours you choose and the scope of work required. Your painting contractor will give you an estimate start and finish date when they provide you with a quotation. It is generally not necessary to seek alternative accommodation while the work is being done, but painting can be messy. Expect there to be lots of dust and noise. Professional painters will clean-up at the end of each day and make sure that your furniture is placed in its original condition when the job is done. If you have small children or pets, it is advisable to keep them out of the home while the work is being done for safety reasons. Ask your contractor for advice.

Yes we can. To fix a hairline crack a textured or membrane paint will bridge over the crack. However usually when there is a crack there will also be delamination. Delamination can be detected by tapping the area on the wall and it sounds hollow. This is a problem that needs specific attention. To fix, cut out the delaminated render with an angle grinder then gently remove loose render and patch with acrylic modified render.

There are many style of rendering that we do, mostly depending on the client or style of existing home, but nothing is impossible with our many years of experience and expertise. Some examples of our existing styles are listed in the rendering and solid plastering, located on the what we do tab of the menu.

A good place to start is asking what jobs they have done recently. When consulting with a renderer, ask them about their most recent works. For example if they say that they have just recently finished rendering a block of 50 units, more than likely they are use to getting the bigger unit contracts, which more than likely suggests they have many renderers and labourers working in their team. Now this can be great if you are wanting a whole block of units to be rendered, as you know they have experience dealing with units, they will be generally quicker to finish the job, and more than likely a fair bit cheaper. But if you were building yourself a quality home, or needed a cement renderer for you renovation home, it would be advised not necessarily to choose the most cheapest, or the quickest cement renderers in town. The good old saying applies “You get what you pay for” especially when dealing with cement renderers. So it is important to ask for their most recent works, even if you can ask them to show you, or perhaps drive past a home which they have rendered will give you a good indication of the quality you should expect.

Depending on how many square metres there are in the home, but a general guide for a 3 bedroom single story home will take 5-8 days externally and 5-8 days internally. For a 2 story home the time may be double depending on scaffolding structure.

As a homeowner you should always seek qualified tradesmen. It is also in your best interest to get more than one quote. Make sure the quotes use the same specifications. Some details you should ask to be included in your quote are:

• Are angles being used for the corners? What type of angles are they?
• Is a specified system recommended?
• How many coats are being applied?
• Make sure they using the same brand throughout the job? (more then one brand will impact warranties)
• Are you getting a warranty for materials as well as labour?
• Make sure the tradesman is licensed.

To become a Renderer requires a four year apprenticeship, so to pick up a hawk and trowel and attempt it yourself may be a challenge. However, there are products on the market such as Concote (an acrylic bagging system) which make it easier for home renovators to do it themselves.

Curing time for traditional sand and cement is 28 days, whereas acrylic renders which are supplied at RTP have a curing time of 48 hours. This can be a huge cost saving especially if scaffolding is involved.

Weep holes are a standard architectural detail and are required as instructed by the architect.

You can choose to hang wallpaper, also called wallcoverings yourself but like most do-it-yourself home improvement projects you will need to make sure you have the time, right equipment and patience needed. Professional wallpaper installers:

• know how to properly prepare wall surfaces. This includes: removing nails, switches, cleaning walls, patching cracks and using a primer or sealer to make sure that you get the best results.
• have the skills, tools and experience to complete the job with best-results and minimal disruption
• know what wallpaper types work best where
• handle all aspects of clean-up and rubbish disposal
• have expertise in all aspects of wallpaper from removal through to hanging.

This will depend on the size of the room, the layout of the room, the wallpaper itself and the skill of the installer or paperhanger. It is not a quick DYI job.

Many of today’s wallpaper varieties have a life of 7 – 10 years depending on where they are installed in the home. Wallpaper in kitchens and bathroom need to be able to resist moisture and scrubable.

Wallpaper is extremely durable. Dirt and grease should be removed with gentle soap and water.

Industrial Rope Access is an access method that allows any trade to be carried out in difficult or inaccessible areas in a quick and safe manner by dual-ticketed technicians (ARAA Or IRATA & trade/profession).

Rope Access provides a more efficient solution to many of the access challenges encountered within construction, maintenance and inspection projects and can be utilised across all industry sectors. Using rope access often provides numerous benefits including:

• higher productivity
• lower costs
• decreased shutdown time
• reduced OHS risk

Workplace Health and Safety statistics show that industrial rope access is a safer work method than alternatives such as scaffolding and elevated work platforms.

There are many benefits of rope access. Unlike traditional access methods, custom rope access solutions can be designed to fit various applications. Among other benefits, rope access is:

• Versatile: rope access professionals can apply the techniques to a wide variety of environments, from confined-space penstocks to tower structures to complicated steel installations.
• Cost-effective: rope access is very economical. Because fewer personnel can accomplish faster completion it means minimal downtime which effectively means lower costs.
• Efficient and quick: rope access systems are installed and dismantled quickly and require fewer personnel than traditional access methods. Less interference with other facility operations means less disruptions and minimized downtime.
• Environmentally friendly: rope access techniques and equipment has minimal effect on the surrounding environment compared to traditional access methods.
• Safe: independently certified rope access technicians uphold an exceptional safety record which makes it one of the safest jobs in the whole construction industry.

Yes we have our own staff who are trained in both rope access and restoration trades related to our core business. Our skilled tradesmen perform Stonemasonry, Rendering, Painting and other maintenance services. For more specialized services such as façade engineering or non-destructive testing, plumbing and electrical work we are able to engage the services of other industry professionals with which we have strong relationships.

Yes, we are experienced in treating and repairing concrete cancer affected structures.