The challenge of assessing service quotes + Video

If you were assessing a product you would get samples, photos and specs prior to buying. However, assessing a service quote is always a challenge. That’s because you won’t be able to see or feel what you are buying until after you have given the go ahead. And, just looking at a completed paint job doesn’t tell you if it has been done well, or will last.

So, the challenge is to look at other factors which will indicate a quality job which will last.

We’ll give you a range of pointers to consider in your evaluation which will significantly increase your odds of a successful choice.

Quality Control

As mentioned above, just waiting to see the finished product to gauge quality isn’t predictive of how it will last long-term. A quality contractor should have a robust QA process in place to give confidence that the coating will perform over time. A good QA system will include all, or most, of the following;

Hold points
These are set points throughout the project where the team must stop (hold) work until set quality checks have been completed. On a typical project, these checks may include cleaning stage, prep stage and final checkoff. More specialised projects will have further checks and may require independent audits.
QA reports
At each stage of the quality program there should be formal reports completed including significant photo evidence. These should be held on file securely both to prove the correct steps have been completed, and so you can drill down into procedures, in case of any future issues.
Importance of cleaning
The importance of cleaning as a stage cannot be overstated. Moss and mould spores are almost impossible to detect. For this reason, many contractors will not take this stage seriously enough. Cleaning is the stage that will have the biggest impact on your paint job. We recommend you question your contractor closely around their cleaning methods and ensure they are putting enough priority on it.

Bonus - 3 Quality Control Myths

Myth 1. It’s all about quality paint
This is wrong. Very wrong. Most New Zealand painting companies use good quality paint from Resene, Wattyl, Dulux or similar. These manufacturers have very good quality control. As a result, the chance of a quality issue is almost nil.
Myth 2. I will keep an eye on the painters
Every trade has its secrets and painting is no exception. Only another painting tradesperson could tell whether a tradesperson is really doing a quality job.
Myth 3. I’ll check it over before I pay the invoice
Too late. The preparation is where the quality control is won or lost. By the time its covered up with 2-3 coats of paint you’d never know whether the prep was done well or not.

Police Vetting

Prior to working on any project, particularly where there will be direct contact with children or other vulnerable people, contractors should be police vetted to ensure they have no criminal history. More info is available on this link.
https://www.education.govt.nz/school/people-and-employment/principals-and-teachers/police-vetting-for-schools-and-kura-maori/#Who

As part of our standard recruitment procedures, all candidates are police vetted.

Health & Safety

Managing health and safety on projects can be a real challenge when you’re focussed on other, day-to-day priorities. However it’s something that can’t be overlooked as you have a legal obligation to provide a safe and healthy workplace at all times.

Here’s a few key things to know about safety;

SSSP - This is the site specific safety plan. Prior to starting work, the contractor needs to provide you with an SSSP which covers a range of topics including; task analysis, emergency plan, and hazard register - to name a few. In short, this document is the plan to safely complete your project. You should review and agree to it prior to any work commencing.

Daily 5x5 and Toolbox talks - Each day the contractors need to have a 5x5 meeting where they quickly review work for the day and ensure there are no new hazards. This should be recorded formally and you should have a record these. Some contractors will have an online system which sends these through to you in real time.

Reputation

There’s never any guarantee how long a contractor will be in business for. But, to some degree, the past in an indicator of the future. Selecting a contractor who has been in business for a long time is a good idea because they will be careful about protecting their reputation.

Auditing

A great idea in order to maintain quality and safety standards is to audit the teams. Employing either external or internal auditors who spot check on a regular basis will ensure teams continue to perform at high standards. Good companies have as a target auditing their teams every 400 to 600 man hours onsite.

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