Painting for Profit!
The ultimate business development conference - just for painters
Get your JSEAS! March 8 is..
International Women’s Day
Security of Payment in Construction Have your say
Van-Ute-Trailer
How does your business get around?
www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
EDITOR Nigel Gorman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Caroline Miall CONTRIBUTORS • Caroline Miall • Clayton Coghlan • Jack Josephsen • Jim Baker • Leo Babauta • Monroe Porter
From the Editor Hi Everyone, As you would have heard in the last couple of weeks we partnered up with Likeminded Painters Australia to have a mini Conference on the Gold Coast on the 5th of March. We have painters coming from as far as Western Australia. You still have a chance to attend if you purchase prior to 1pm Tuesday the 1st of March. There will be no door ticket sales as it is a catered event. We are really looking forward to the conference and will share all that goes on in next month’s Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine. This month has also seen Aussie Painters Network do a group deal with a new Insurance company. It will bring your premiums down below what you thought possible. Contact us for more information. Our Membership is now on the way to 700 and growing quickly, so get on board and join us so we can assist with your voice in the industry. You may not have heard, the trucking industry have just had approved a minimum contractor/subcontractor wage rate. Now that we have a precedence to refer to, it would be great to establish something similar for the Painting Industry. If we can get the numbers and your collective voices, we can begin to take a serious stand. Employers have minimum wages that employees have to work to, so too should contractors, especially when it comes to new building work.
• Nigel Gorman
Our apprentice training in Qld is also growing. This month, on top of looking after the south east Qld, we have also done training in Hervey Bay, Bundaberg, Townsville and Cairns. Next month we are heading as far west as Charleville.
• Robert Bauman
With Easter less than a month away I hope you are all planning for a few days of a well-earned break. Its been a busy year already!
GRAPHIC DESIGNER J. Anne Delgado
Till next month. Happy painting, Nigel Gorman
nigel@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
07 3555 8010
Contents 6
Rules for getting
Organized and Decluttered Clickbait
Epoxy Clean Up
Are You Chasing Up
28
Outstanding Invoices?
10
Having your say Security of Payment Discussion Paper
13
Are you a folder or a scruncher?
Van – Ute – Trailer
31 32
What’s your preferred choice?
Construction Industry Profile Breaking Unhealthy Business Addiction Coggie’s Tips and Tricks
19 Second Tragedy
20
Hardware outlet says NO to The Underrated,
37
Staff Harassment Glidding
38
Industry Idiots
44
Important Contacts
45
34
On Adelaide Hospital Construction Site
24
Opinions and viewpoints expressed in the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine do not necessarily represent those of the editor, staff or publisher or any Aussie Painters Network’s staff or related parties. The publisher, Aussie Painters Network and Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine personnel are not liable for any mistake, misprint or omission. Information contained in the 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 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.
Rules for Getting
ORGANISED & DECLUTTERED What would it take to get your life decluttered and organised? That might be a tall order for many of us, but the truth is, we could do it in bursts and spurts, using a handful of easy-to-follow rules. I know in my life, going from being overwhelmed with clutter to minimalism was a slow but rewarding journey, and now I feel happy every time I look around and see the lovely space around me. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I’m here to testify that it’s not impossible, and it just takes some small steps that add up over time.
Here are the rules I suggest —
though I don’t suggest adopting them all, and especially not all at once. Try a few out, see how they work for you, then try a few others. 1. Get yourself organised at the start and end of a day. As you start your work day, write down your 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs). Write down a handful of other things
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you’d like to do today as well. Clear your desk, get things in order. At the end of each day, tidy things up, check off your list, maybe even get things ready for tomorrow. 2. When you get up from your desk, put one thing away. Whenever you get up for a glass of water, to go to the bathroom, to take a break … pick up something off your desk and put it away. If your desk is clear, look for something nearby. 3. When you’re done eating, wash your bowl. This is self-explanatory. Mindfully wash your dishes instead of leaving them in the sink. If there are other dishes in the sink, wash a few of them too. 4. Wipe down the sink when you use it. Whenever you wash your hands or brush your teeth in the bathroom, wipe down the sink so it’s clean. Do the same in the kitchen sink. Clear away a few things around the sink too if you can. 5. When you walk through a room, find one thing to put away. If you’re going from your bedroom to the living room, find one thing during that trip to put away. You don’t have to get stuck in putting everything away, just one thing.
6. When you take off a piece of clothing, put it away. When you shower or change clothes, instead of leaving them on the floor or on a piece of furniture, put the clothes away or in a hamper. Look for a few other clothes to put away too if there are more lying around. 7. Keep flat surfaces clear. Your tables, counters, desks, floors … keep them clear. If there’s a ton of clutter there now, see the rule below about decluttering on Saturdays. But if it’s doable, just start clearing whatever is on the floor (except furniture and the like). When you walk by the kitchen counter, look for things other than oft-used appliances to put away. 8. At the end of the work day, file stuff. If you still use papers, file them at the end of the day. If you are all digital, clear your computer desktop and put files where they belong. 9. Deal with an email instead of putting it off. When you open an email, give it the space to deal with it immediately. Read it, reply, take action, or archive it. Or put it on your to-do list for later if it’s a big task. Don’t just constantly open emails without handling them.
10. Work to only having 3 emails in your inbox. Slowly clear away the hundreds or thousands of emails in your inbox. Archive or delete them, put a handful in a to-do folder, file others into informational folders, unsubscribe from newsletters. 11. Put non-essential items you want to buy on a 30-day list. Create a 30-day list, and whenever you want to buy something that’s not absolutely essential (other than groceries, cleaning supplies, toiletries), put it on the list with the date you added it. Then don’t allow yourself to buy anything until it’s been on the list for 30 days. At the end of the 30 days, see if you still want it before buying.
(buy something online, get a gift), get rid of two other similar things. For example, if you buy a pair of shoes, donate two other pairs. In this way, you’ll 1) think more about each thing you buy, and 2) slowly have fewer and fewer possessions. Eventually you’ll want to switch to a “one in, one out” rule when you think your possessions are at a good level.
How to Implement the Rules
15. Limit how many things you have. Consider limiting yourself to 30 pieces of clothing, or 30 books, or something like that. Get rid of everything else, don’t allow yourself to go beyond the limit. The individual limit you set is up to you, whatever feels slightly uncomfortable is good.
Set a reminder on a certain day each week (let’s say Monday) to review how your rule went, and to pick a new rule to try out. Have a physical, paper note somewhere visible so you’ll remember to do the rule throughout the week.
12. Put your clothes in a different closet or box, and only take out what you need. Move all your clothes to a closet in an unused room or put them in a box or two. Remove the clothes you really need to wear. After a month of doing this, you’ll see what clothes you can consider donating.
16. At the end of each month, clear out computer clutter. Self-explanatory. Back things up!
13. Declutter on Saturdays. Every Saturday morning, spend an hour or two decluttering one area.
Of course, these are just suggested rules … you should modify them to suit your life.
14. One in, two out. When you bring something new in your life
17. Every three months, purge. Also self-explanatory. Spend a weekend purging your unneeded belongings.
Now, those are a lot of rules, but I don’t think you should implement them all at once. In fact, I suggest trying one per week. Really focus all week on making that rule happen. If it goes well, keep it. If not, toss it out. The next week, try another.
One at a time, you’ll find the rules that work for you. And one step at a time, your life will slowly become less cluttered, more organised. And you’ll be set up to make great things happen in the rest of your life.
Leo Babauta,
a successful ‘simplicity’ blogger & author from California, is the creator of top 25 Blog, Zen Habits, chronicling his insights from acting significant changes in his personal and working life.
www.zenhabits.net 2016 March Issue | 7
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2016 March Issue | 9
Broadcasting on the net has evolved some fascinating behaviours. Among a growing list, most notably the trolls who just enjoy the shit stirring, the over sharers, and the goal/money driven. The last ones can cause a great deal distortion to the Signalto-noise ratio on the net. The World Wide Web is a massive global community after all, so getting attention is attempted and accomplished in a lot of different ways, often denigrating the medium. Clickbait is the use of seemingly sensational headlines or pictures to peak the viewers more base curiosity or sense of voyeurism, and add to the sites stats with your curious click through, only to find the destination to be less than impressive or complete rubbish; sensationalism over fact. It often uses ‘fear uncertainty and doubt’ to grab attention, is designed almost purely to generate advertising revenue, and more often than not the intriguing headline or picture has no real substance to the content. Clickbait, has become a real menace to internet users. Lately, I’ve noticed
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a disturbing explosion in the amount and techniques used to suck you in. It’s all over social media networks, using methods to encourage sharing, and even regular articles you want to read are peppered with ads that are made to look, deceptively, like the link to the next page. Nowhere is safe from the spam. It is so obstructive that even if I’m vaguely interested in their banal but sometimes oddly compelling content, the advertising can be so rife that it can block the screen with no way of getting to the actual article; couldn’t even get past the pop ups to see the ‘bait’ – and I actually wanted to! Time wasting, frustrating nonsense. The blurring of the lines between blog and clickbait has seen the emergence of media sites like Upworthy and Buzzfeed, which – don’t get me wrong - can often have some interesting stuff, but also rely on click through advertising for revenue; you could get lost in their wormholes of human interest/clickbait style articles images, and videos, for days.
I guess that therein is the problem of clickbait, apart from encouraging poor quality net content; It can be a lot of rubbish, but even when it isn’t, it has the potential for wasting a lot of time. Especially for anyone with a penchant for procrastination. On the up side, the overwhelming presence of startling, scandalous, eye-grabbing clickbait has given rise to a new kind of satire. The Onion established in response to the saturation, their website clickhole! Definitely worth a look and a laugh! Even more laughs at the Clickbait Headline Generator!
http://community.usvsth3m.com/generator/clickbait-headline-generator
You can even turn the generated headline into a fake, fun article. Or… is that just more clickbait!! #who knows!
Caroline Miall
caroline@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
2016 March Issue | 11
Painters JSEA s
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EPOXY CLEAN UP
Are you a folder or a scruncher? I used to be a scruncher, but I saw the light and I’m now a proud folder. Ok, before your mind goes into the gutter let me just make it clear I’m talking about cleaning up epoxy resins here and nothing else! Believe it or not there are clear advantages to using a folding technique when cleaning up epoxies and, seeing as my recent posts have wandered into the field of handy practical tips, I may as well highlight some of these while I’m at it. Now, I know some are happy to sit over a bucket of solvent with an old brush when cleaning tools, however if you want a long career in the epoxy industry I strongly believe you should minimise your exposure to harsh chemicals at every opportunity. The headaches, solvent highs and skin irritations will catch up with you eventually! If you want a less hazardous way of cleaning up epoxies that’s also neat and efficient, here’s how I go about things. No need to get aggressive when cleaning up epoxies The first point is to always use gloves and make sure they can handle the solvent being used. Some solvents can disintegrate even the highest quality gloves and, therefore, aren’t really suitable as general purpose cleaners in my opinion. Those of you familiar with methylene chloride will know what I’m talking about! I tend to stick with methylated spirits
(or denatured alcohol) where possible and only turn to more powerful solvents like acetone or methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) forcleaning up epoxies that have partially cured. There’s really no need to use anything more aggressive than that. The “squirt and fold” approach for cleaning up epoxies Those of you who do work with a bucket of solvent are probably wondering how I go about cleaning tools. Well, I find a squirter bottle and rag to be a great combination. You could use an ironing spray bottle on the mist setting as well, but I’d prefer not to as there’s greater chance of inhaling the stuff. If you need to get into nooks and crannies, a quick blast from the nozzle at close range normally does the trick. Other than that, I simply squirt onto a folded rag and start wiping, re-folding as required to create another clean patch.
The big advantages with folding are neatness and efficiency. Firstly, folding means I have a smooth, flat surface to wipe with far less chance of smearing. Secondly, I have a small contained area where the mess sits in the rag. I can fold to lock it inside and go again with a new, clean surface. If you scrunch, you tend to lose track of the dirty areas and this often leads to goop getting everywhere. Have you ever tried to clean a liquid pigment like phthalo blue or signal red using a scrunched rag? It’s a nightmare! Finally, I can use the back of the rag when folding because the solvent soaks through the layers and allows me to pick up even more resin. This means you’re using a lot more surface area when folding, which greatly reduces the number of ragsneeded.
2016 March Issue | 13
For those unwilling to give up the bucket and brush method, I suggest at least switching to white vinegar instead. It will remove the majority of waste off your tools and a quick wipe of methylated spirits/denatured alcohol at the end will bring them up as good as new. Dry your rags before disposal There’s one last tip I have with relation to cleaning up epoxies and it’s also a pretty important piece of safety advice: let solvent-soaked rags dry out in the open before you throw them in the bin. Solvents give off a lot of vapour and a heap of soaked rags stuffed into a bin can quickly build up to become a serious fire hazard. If you still doubt the benefit of being a folder after reading all of this then I can only suggest that you try it. It is one of those habits things that people seem to adopt for good as soon as they try it because it is so much more effective. I guarantee that you’ll use much less solvent, rags, time and energy when you next clean up. What are your nifty clean up tricks? Do you have a method that works well and doesn’t create a mess or involve nastysolvents?
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Jack Josephsen 0408 877 256
Do you like working outside? Wouldn’t it be good to be out of an office or not on the same site 48 weeks of the year?! With today’s apprenticeships you can even do your theory without going into a classroom situation by enrolling in a course offering online learning. You do all the under-pinning, theoretical part of an apprenticeship on your computer. These videos show how the theory component of pai painting and Decorating can be undertaken online giving students and employers greater flexibility in training.
Flash Joint and Render Finish
How to Use Conventional Spray-gun Systems
2016 March Issue | 15
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Deal with an insurance company that has the best available cost effective insurance for tradies. The security for this product is placed via Lloyds of London as well as other Australian authorised insurers.
1800 355 344
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info@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
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www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au 2016 March Issue | 17
The portable, inexpensive method to prevent paint waste-water polluting the environment.
Developed by Jim Baker 2013
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Construction Industry
PROFILE Last year a construction industry profile was published analysing statistics in workplace injury and death, reviewing results from 2001–02 and 2011–12, hopefully informing future policy and practice to continue efforts to prevent harm to workers.
So, how are we doing, and what is hurting us the most often? Well, the fact that 58% of fatalities caused from falls from a height were from roofs and ladders, half at less than 4 metres, suggests that painters are an at risk occupation that requires care and professionalism.
Are you meeting your WHS obligations? Falls from a height was the most common cause of workplace death over the period 2002–03 to 2013– 14—accounting for 117 fatalities in the construction industry. There were 14 painting trades workers fatalities – among the top four most affected trades. Construction Industry Profile - Key facts • 30% of falls injuries were caused by ladders • There has been a 31% decrease in the rate of serious claims in the construction industry between 2001–02 and 2011–12 • 20% of serious claims were for back injuries • There has been a 36% decrease in the rate of fatalities between 2002–03 and 2013–14 • 58% of fatalities were caused from falls from a height were from roofs and ladders, half of these involved falls of less than 4 metres http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/about/ publications/pages/construction-industry-profile
2016 March Issue | 19
Breaking
UNHEALTHY
Business Addictions Business can be stimulating and somewhat addictive. There is a thin line between addiction and passion. Addictive behavior is a behavior that is so controlling, stimulating and rewarding that its leads to lack of control and harm to those around us. Passion is a strong barely controllable emotion that leads to success and excellence. The National Institute of Health estimates that 1 in 10 Americans have some type of addictive behavior. The good news is that being addicted to your business is probably better than being addicted to drugs or alcohol.
Addiction also contains a strong element of denial. This is where the problem magnifies itself as people practice the same behaviors over and over and expect a different result. What’s inspiring this article is the transition of one of my networking customers. Fifteen years ago, he was several hundred thousand in debt and made no money. He was addicted to buying the latest equipment, trying the latest business idea and the philosophy that selling would take care of everything. And boy can this guy sell. But the problem was he would sell himself on his own flawed thinking the same way he would sell his customers. This year his salary and income amounted to $441,725, he
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takes 4 vacations a year and the business and his personal finances are rock solid.
First, understand that enjoying working is not a bad thing. Think of the millions of people who go to work every day and hate their job. I enjoy working and it has provided me with a nice livelihood. However, working hard in an unprofitable business and being in denial of that fact leads to an unhappy life. Killing denial and building a profitable business will at least give you the option of improving your life. An owner with an unprofitable business is like a gerbil going around a wheel in the pet store window. So how did he do it and what should you do? Growth is not your friend and sales growth can be addictive. For most unprofitable businesses, the solution is to increase their prices and shrink the business. A five percent price increase can have little impact on sales and a tremendous impact on profits. One exception to this price raising strategy can be a business that operates in the new construction arena and everything tends to be price driven. You may have to find new markets, which can take time. If you are in a new construction price driven market, look at your costs carefully. Much
of this work is bid per square foot or some type of unit pricing. Determine which jobs you make money on and which you don’t. Stay away from the losers and take a more disciplined approach. Another exception to the price increase strategy is someone that has built a big shop and expanded their market but still is not profitable. Addictive decisions can include large shops and overhead. This situation can take time to get out of but the same advice applies. Know where you make and lose money and be more strategic. Don’t see volume as a catch all solution. I cannot over emphasize the importance of job costing and eliminating unprofitable jobs. Some contractors are good at certain types of work and others are not. Don’t worry about complicated material costing. Simply track labor costs and see if the job took more labor than you thought. If necessary, do it by hand each week when you do payroll. As consultants, we find that the typical contractor loses money on 30% of their work and does it over and over. It takes just as much, if not more effort to produce losing jobs than where you make money.
Instant HR Policies and Procedures Manual Complete HR Policies & Procedures Manuals in Minutes
2016 March Issue | 21
Hire a strong financial person or office manager. Have a monthly financial meeting. At that meeting review an accrual balance sheet and profit and loss, accounts receivable and all jobs done that month. Force this discipline. Much like a breathalyzer on a car, it can save you. Yes, you may be losing money but you will only become more anxious and afraid by living in the dark. Put some type of discipline in place. If you are unorganized, hire someone to help keep you organized. Don’t try to do it alone. But if you have the kind of admin staff where you have to tell them what to do, they are not going to provide enough discipline to hold you accountable. Also, a family member may not be the best fit as the family dynamic plays into the equation.
Track how you spend your time and put a value on it. Focus on things that bring value to the business. If you spend most of your time in sales, find ways to do your estimates faster and more efficiently. Learn to delegate. Take your best foreman and give them clear instructions on jobs and turn them loose. Teach the foreman how to plan the job, set milestones and make labor and schedule. Give your crews the knowledge they need to succeed and track their success. Create new work habits. Stop pretending you are getting work done late at night. Get up early, go to work an hour earlier. Try to get thinking work done in the morning while you are still fresh. Leave on time and have dinner with family or
friends. Be disciplined for a month or two and this will be your new life patterns. Don’t expect to do the same over and over and succeed. Change is never easy. For individuals, motivation tends to wear off before the change actually occurs. This is why triggers such as monthly financial meetings are so important. Use numbers, facts and a few simple disciplines to create a new you.
Monroe Porter is president of a PROOF Management Consultants. For consulting or a seminar, just call him at 804 267-1688 email him at monroe@proofman.com
www.proofman.com
COGGIE’S
Tips and Tricks
Introducing Clayton Coghlan (aka Coggie),
with Coggies Tips and Tricks! With 25 years in the industry, Coggie has offered to share some of the tricks of the trade that he’s picked up throughout his career. He is very passionate about the Painting Industry and will be sharing with us regular videos to assist in your business. Enjoy the videos and hopefully you’ll pick up something that makes a difference!
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2016 March Issue | 25
BECOME A
MEMBER TODAY!
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2016 March Issue | 27
Are You Chasing Up
OUTSTANDING
Invoices?
A friend of mine, who’s running a tradie business, had a bit of a cry on my shoulder recently. He was saying how he was struggling after the holidays to pay his provider accounts and have enough to pay his sub-contractors, and himself. He was thinking of asking his accountant for a cash flow report to get an overview. So I put my accountant hat on and asked him a few questions like ‘Have you raised invoices for all your jobs?’ His answer was ‘Yes, I’ve done that, but it’s not looking good, there’s so many outstanding invoices.’ I said ‘A cash flow report will not help you, if you haven’t addressed the underlying problem, which is getting control of your accounts receivables.’ The reality is that this happens every year after the Christmas holiday period, business often slows down and people might have overspent on their budgets and credit cards. When these folks take longer to pay your invoice, it means that you are not generating cash flow to meet your obligations. Let’s face it, who hasn’t gone past the due date of an invoice on occasion, these things happen. There could be any number of reasons that an invoice doesn’t get
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paid, not just that the customer is short of cash temporarily. The key to getting outstanding invoices paid is active debtor control, ie having a system that follows up outstanding invoices regularly. Once you’ve implemented a debt control system, you’ll never experience cash flow problems again… and if you do, there could be a different underlying reason, which can be found by examining your 5 critical business numbers. Sometimes debt issues and outstanding payments can occur due to poor communication between you and your customer or client. That’s why, before the sale, you need to be explicitly clear about the prices associated with your products and/ or services. If you’re providing someone with a quotation document (so, in effect, more of an estimate of how much something will cost), it’s important to include a Terms of Trade. This will outline where the costs associated with your quote come from, as well as a note that prices could increase dependent on the job itself. These are just a couple of examples to show how you can avoid delays in getting your invoices paid.
However, the old adage that ‘the squeaky wheel gets the oil’ also applies when it comes to outstanding invoices. What that means is that you need to regularly review your debtors and make sure you follow up, as soon as an invoice has gone overdue. The best way to do that is to set up a system, either by yourself or your bookkeeper, that schedules regular debtor review and sends reminders to customers who have not paid. In the old days, bookkeepers or business people who were actively managing their debtors would have bought a custom made stamp that read something like “All Accounts are 7 Days”, and then do the follow up as soon as that period was over. Of course, these days, you can use modern technology or software to include these statements on your invoice. No matter what your terms of payment are, when invoices are overdue, you’ll need to send the customer a reminder soon after the due date. When the situation drags on, then you’ll need to become more and more firm. If you’re unsure how to communicate that in a firm, but still friendly way, we can help you out.
We’ve got a complete debt management system that includes sample letters, call and fax scripts. If you want to take control of your debt collection, you can start by getting our FREE eBook “Company Finances and Debt Collection”. Simply visit our website at www. adhamilton.com.au and go to the Resource Centre, complete your details and we’ll send the eBook to you straight away. If you need further help, you can simply contact us to request our sample letters and scripts, which you can easily adapt to your business situation and terms of trade. If you already have a debt collection system in place and are still experiencing cash flow problems, then you really need to talk to us, as we can help you analyse your 5 critical business numbers, including net margin, mark up and break even figures. These numbers tell the real story of your business and once you understand them, you can make much better, and more importantly, well informed business decisions.
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2016 March Issue Centre | 29 Name
Having your say
SECURITY OF PAYMENT DISCUSSION PAPER
What’s worse than not getting paid for months of hard work? Possibly the knowledge that you could have had your say on the legislation around Security of payment in the construction industry before you fell victim to the lack of it!
Security of Payment is important – after all, we might love our work, but none of us is doing it for the love of it alone. “It’s about making sure subcontractors get paid on time, every time. This is not just important for workers and their families, it is important for Queensland’s economy and productivity.”
Here are some of the suggestions offered in the discussion paper: • Option 1— Project Bank Accounts: A project bank account facilities simultaneous payments of a projects head contractor and all participating subcontractors through a trust arrangement. • Option 2— Retention Trust Fund Scheme: This option requires subcontractors’ retention money to be held in a separate trust account. • Option 3— Insurance schemes: This option includes a range of insurance schemes to safeguard against defects, late completion and insolvency of contractors.
• Option 4— Federal legislative changes: This option seeks to lobby the Commonwealth government for reform to Commonwealth legislation relating to security of payment. • Option 5— Education: This option proposes education for the building and construction industry stakeholders regarding matters such as financial management, contract management and protection of their rights. The paper also seeks responses on the 2014 amendments to the Building and Construction Industry Payments Act 2004, as well as the Sub
contractors’ Charges Act 1974 and the Queensland Building and Construction Commission’s Minimum Financial Requirements Policy. You can provide your feedback by reviewing the discussion paper and either completing a 30 minute survey, making a written submission or attending a consultation session. For the information and links you’ll need to provide your thoughts, go to: https://www.getinvolved.qld.gov. au/gi/consultation/2810/view.html
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Van – Ute – Trailer
What’s your preferred choice? Recently I asked painters around Australia what their ‘preferred choice of vehicle’ was. I myself like the convenience of a van but many years ago, I did have a work trailer that I used also. For me it became too awkward for parking and storing at home so I sold it and just stayed with a using my Ford Econovan. Recently I traded my Mitsubishi Express and bought a Hyundai I-Load which is a dream vehicle. It is so nice to drive. Unfortunately my supervisor has the privilege of driving this, and I am left with my seven year old turbo diesel Mazda Bravo. But the good thing about driving a ‘Ute’ is that the height of the roof racks are much lower to the ground which makes it easier for an old bloke like myself to load scaffold onto.
So what do other painters use and why?
RON CHAPMAN from ‘Ron and Robin - The Painters’ in Melbourne, Victoria is a 40 year trailer veteran because, ‘It provides an on-site
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point of sale advertising for the duration of each project. As well a secure lock up, weather protected work station, it is fume free with an abundance of space for everything, including the ability to carry my extension ladders. Also I don’t require a trade specific vehicle as any vehicle with a tow bar will do!’
CHRIS STOREY from ‘Chris Storey Painting’ in Winmalee, NSW says, ‘I have had Utes and Vans but have found it’s far easier to have a trailer. To me it is ‘mobile signage’ that can be left on a job site for the public to see. To me, driving around in a stinking van full of paint fumes is not an option. Also the price of having a trailer is so much cheaper for me than having the extra expense of running a second vehicle.’
ALEXANDER POULTON from ‘Nu-Look Painting’ in Silver Ridge, Qld. ‘All my work is rural so a trailer works well for me. I leave it at the job and it locks up securely. It’s also good to have every bit of painting gear I will need in the one place rather than always having to go home if I need something. The trailer can fit 10 x 15lt drums, an airless spray-gun and a pressure cleaner. I only use my Ute for scaffolding and bulk paint’.
MICK MO MOUNAJED from ‘MD and Sons’ in Mindaree, WA says, ‘ I utilize a Hyundai I-Load which has been customised inside with a raised floor to allow for deep draws, a provision for spray equipment on the left and is fully fitted with marine grade carpet. I find the I-Load with its sliding doors either side makes working from this vehicle a breeze. I fitted a fiberglass Vapour barrier for safety, low odour in the cabin and to quieten the road noise often heard echoing from the van compartment in the rear. The barrier has also made the cabin more efficient to cool and heat as it now enclosed.’
So there you have it!
Well I guess you would now like to know the final result of the survey? Out of 55 painters that answered my query of ‘their preferred paint vehicle’; 26 chose a ‘Utility’
JOHN CAINE from ‘Moorabbin Painting and Decorating Service’ in Noble Park, Victoria says, ‘Had them all; Panel Van, Station Wagon, Dual Cab Ute with canopy, Dual Cab Ute with tarp, Single Cab Ute with tarp, Sedan with tradesman trailer and Hi-Ace Vans. My verdict - Vans by the ‘length of the Flemington straight’, then Dual cap with canopy and then the Panel Van.’
11 chose a ‘Trailer’ (using a Ute/Vehicle)
Utilities are the favourite amongst painters but I feel, that was a for-gone conclusion for Australians anyway don’t you think?
18 chose a ‘Van’ (I did get one that said he uses a motorbike and sidecar but I think he was joking, but then again, it may not be that silly. I remember my father telling me when he was young, he used to use a wheelbarrow to carry his tools and paint gear in from home to work).
Jim Baker
www.mytools4business.com info@mytools4business.com
Trace My Business Keep a record of ALL your clients • • • •
•
Where the referral came from
The quote success and failure rates
•
Suburb comparisons
The different advertising campaigns
•
(what (wh works and what doesn’t) First projects vs repeat business
New vs existing revenue and projects
•
Yearly and overall client revenue
•
Growth analysis
Projects, who referred them, and the referrals they subsequently provided
Written and Developed by Jim Baker
2016 March Issue | 33
SECOND TRAGEDY
On Adelaide Hospital Construction Site Construction worker, Stephen Wyatt was supervising the fitout inside the CBD site of the Adelaide Hospital one afternoon last month when an accident with a scissor ended his life suddenly and tragically, crushing him between the lift and a low doorway. Workers subsequently left the site for the day to consider and reflect on the terrible loss of their colleague. The use of scissor lifts was immediately banned on the site. Unbelievably, this is the second elevated work platform accident on the job resulting in crushing fatalities; the last in November 2014 being Jorge Castillo-Riffo, 54. Safe Work Australia had put a temporary prohibition on the use of scissor lifts at that time. The deadline for handing the project over to the government is in April, but the hospital is not to be handling patients until November. Pressures of deadlines can often increase the incidence of such senseless accidents, and it is hoped that it was not a contributing factor to these tragic outcomes. It has been reported the CFMEU has suggested an extension. Reviews of such incidences will hopefully reveal where the issues lie - whether it’s inadequate training/experience or if workers are fatigued, and what can be done to ensure it doesn’t happen another time. The loss of these individuals tears apart the lives of their families, friends and leaves a traumatic impression on those who were witness to the tragedies. Then there is the impact it must have on the morale and performance of those left to continue on with the building, potentially increasing risks of further mistakes if workers’ minds are not on-task. A potential vicious circle, workplace health and safety is everyone’s issue.
Caroline Miall caroline@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
34 | Aussie Painters Network
2016 March Issue | 35
www.consolidatedi .com.au Phone: +61 7 3292 1100 | Fax: +61 7 3292 1110 Email: contactus@consolidatedi.com.au I just wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU for referring me to Consolidated Insurance Pty Ltd. I spoke to Scott about our Business Insurance and with little time, Scott emailed me back a comprehensive package for our Business and we saved over $1,000.00. Thanks again Aussie Painters Network for the great referral and all your ongoing help. Sonya Baker www.bakerbrosmasterpainters.com.au
Hardware outlet says NO to
Staff Harassment
It’s a good news story for me when I hear that a major hardware shop has responded to claims of harassment of their staff, by banning the offenders from the store. Female staff at a Melbourne Bunnings store had been subject to sexist behaviour from a few poorly behaving tradesmen and, to the surprise of the staff involved, last month the issue was handled with the zero tolerance reaction that it warrants.
Bunnings declined to comment when the ABC reported the story, which I think is equally appropriate.
Sexual harassment is illegal. An employer is legally obliged to maintain a working environment free from it. And their actions speak louder than any comment to the media would. Whilst the specifics of the incident/s were not publicised, I feel fairly confident that this sort of behaviour goes on a lot, is often culturally embedded and is ignored or tolerated. Seems that it was menacing enough for it to be reported to management, despite the potential for a negative impact on employment. The swift definitive response
of the retailer would also suggest to me it was not an overreaction on the part of the staff. Providing a benign, non-threatening environment is beneficial for everyone involved to just get on with it. Well done Bunnings for standing up and saying enough, showing that there has been progress in our treatment of women leading up to this International Womens Day. Caroline Miall
caroline@aussiepiantersnetwork.com.au
2016 March Issue | 37
GILDING It was only when my wife and I began watching the series of ‘War and Peace’ on the BBC recently, that it brought back fond memories of our trip to St. Petersburg in 2014. One of the scenes was shot in the ‘Great Hall’ (fig. 1) at St. Catherine’s Palace (fig. 2) and we were astounded by the amount of Gold Leaf that was applied in this one room. The art of ‘Gilding’ dates back 5,000 years and is the application of applying a layer of gold onto a surface of a less rare metal or substrate. This at the time was not very satisfactory because of the problem with ‘overlapping’ of the gold. The method of gilding with foil developed in two ways. First the foil became thinner and thinner which could be correctly called gold leaf; secondly when attaching the edges of the leaves, they were inserted into grooves which were cut into the surface rather than
38 | Aussie Painters Network
being overlapped. Because gold leaf is insufficiently strong to support its own mass, new methods of attaching it to the substrate had to be developed. The obvious way was to use an adhesive and this method is still used today. The building of the Palace began in 1717 on the wishes of Catherine I of Russia and was a simple two story structure, but in 1752 Catherine’s daughter, Empress Elizabeth, asked her Italian architect, Bartolomeo Rastrelli to demolish it and replace it with a much grander edifice. The construction lasted for four years and on 30 July 1756 the brand-new 325-meterlong palace was completed. On the exterior of the building everything that is painted in a deep olive colour, (cornices, pillars, caryatids) were then gilt and on the roof of white tinned iron stood a gilt wood-
en balustrade also decorated with gilded wooden figures and vases. It was even rumoured that the palace’s roof was constructed entirely of gold. Overall, the amount of Gold Leaf that was used is staggering. On the exterior alone, more than 100 kilograms of gold were used. The ‘Great Hall’ was intended as a formal apartment and used for important receptions such as balls, formal dinners and masquerades and was painted in two colors and covers an area of approximately 1,000 square metres. It occupies the entire width of the palace. The windows on the eastern side look out onto the park while the windows of the western side look out to the palace plaza. There are 696 lamps on fifteen chandeliers located near the mirrors which are all covered with Gold Leaf.
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2016 March Issue | 39
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Turner, Whitney Houston, Naomi Campbell and Sting.
Devastation struck in 1941 when the palace was ransacked and used as barracks for the German forces. When they retreated in 1944 after the siege of Leningrad, they intentionally destroyed the residence leaving only the hollow shell behind (fig. 3). The ‘Great Hall’, the ‘Picture Gallery’ and the ‘Gala Staircase’ (fig. 4) had all but collapsed. The ‘Amber Room’ had been stripped and the ‘Gala Rooms’ gutted by a fire. Fortunately prior to the war, Soviet archivists managed to document a fair
amount of the interior which proved of great importance in reconstructing the palace (fig. 5). It is amazing when you look at the damage that was caused that it could be brought back to look like the original. In order to attract the funds for the restoration, the palace’s administration had leased the ‘Grand Hall’ for such high-profile events as Sir Elton John’s concert for an elite audience in 2001 and an exclusive party in 2005 featuring the likes of Bill Clinton, Tina
While taking in all the sights of St. Petersburg and touring numerous buildings that were owned by the Zsars, you can understand why there were only two classes of people in those days. They were the ‘poor’ and the insanely ‘rich’. There was no expense spared in the construction and in the lavish furnishings of the interiors that made up the residences. Today, the application of Gold Leaf is a profitable business for those that can apply it. It is used in Government Buildings, Theatres and High-end private residencies. If you can master this specialist technique, it would be a great skill to add to your repertoire!
Jim Baker
www.mytools4business.com
FEBRUARY 2016
TRADE UPDATE ®
paintback.com.au
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PAINTBACK Information to guide you through the Paintback journey: 1. What is Paintback? Paintback is a first for trade painters. From May 2016 Paintback - a new national waste paint collection scheme will be launched, providing a cost effective service for retail and trade painters to clear away left over paint. It aims to reduce the large volumes of waste paint currently stored or disposed of improperly, which poses environmental risks including from contaminants that can seep into soil and water systems. To learn more about Paintback, visit our website Paintback.com.au or connect with us on social media to receive latest updates.
2. How much will it cost? The levy will be 15 cents per litre (plus GST) and has been approved by the ACCC. The levy will fund the collection and treatment of waste paint nationally, education campaigns and research. The levy will be collected from the paint companies (manufacturers and importers) so they will be required to pass this on in full to all their customers. This will result in a once-off price increase to cover the new 15 cent per litre levy and GST effective May 2016
3. Where do I take my unwanted paint? Paintback will establish drop-off sites at local councils across Australia where you can leave your unwanted paint. Waste paint will not be accepted by non-Paintback sites. Paintback’s first sites will service large population areas in mainland capital cities (see later in this Update). From May 2016, further sites will be rolled out across Australia. Paintback is targeting 30 sites nationally by the end of the year and over 50 by end 2017. There will be no additional charge to drop off your waste paint at a Paintback collection point.
4. Why can’t I take it back to my retailer or trade store? Disposing of product where you purchased it from is not an environmentally suitable location for disused paint cans to be collected. Dropping paint off at participating transfer stations ensures that the waste paint collected can be managed by suitably trained staff and stored in a purpose-built area.
5. How do we access the sites when we live regionally? For areas with lower populations or in remote areas where there may not be permanent collection sites available initially. Paintback also intends to run mobile collections to service low populated areas. This involves temporary sites that will be established for certain collection days. These will be advised via our website paintback.com.au, at local council websites advertised in local media and across our social media sites.
6. How much paint can I return? 100 litres of paint in containers of up to 20 litres is the maximum that can be returned per visit to your Paintback site. If you have a large stockpile of waste paint, Paintback is working on alternative solutions to safely and efficiently collect these. Keep an eye out at paintback. com.au for further updates.
PAINTBACK LEVY AND INVOICES Paintback has been approved by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) to charge 15 cent a litre (plus GST) levy on eligible paint architectural and decorative products. Suppliers will have different invoice layouts due to IT system differences. However, at minimum all invoices should indicate what products have the levy on it, the total amount of levy charged excluding GST and the Paintback website address for further information. As Paintback is charging paint manufacturers and importers they will pass it onto their customers. Recovering this cost is possible by passing it through to consumers through the retail price. The same levy will be passed through paint companyowned trade centres to trade customers.
PLANNING FUTURE SITES Can we return all paint products? The following list outlines the products that Paintback will and will not accept:
Accepted
• Interior and exterior architectural paint • Deck coatings and floor paints • Primers, undercoats and sealers • Stains and shellacs • Varnishes and urethanes (single component) • Wood coatings
FURTHER WORK ON PROPOSED LAUNCH LOCATIONS Paintback is in discussions with the sites (below) to be its first collection points for waste paint. It is working with these sites on operating arrangements ready for the launch in May 2016. STATE
Locations
NSW
Liverpool, Port Stephens (Salamander Bay), Moss Vale, 4th site to be advised
QLD
Nudgee, Willawong
SA
Edinburgh North, North Plympton
VIC
Banyule, Geelong, Monash, Mornington
WA
Balcatta, Tamara Park
• Packaging
Not Accepted • Industrial maintenance coatings • Original equipment manufacturer (e.g. car manufacturing) and industrial surface coating (shop application) paints and finishes • Aerosol paints • Automotive paints • Anti-fouling coatings • Melamine, metal and rust preventative • Caulking compounds, epoxies, glues or adhesives • Colourants and tints • Resins • Paint thinners, mineral spirits or solvents • Paint additives • Roof patch or repair • Tar-based or bitumen-based products • Two-component coatings • Traffic paints • Texture coatings • Bagged renders • Isocyanates • Metal coatings • Paint washings
FURTHER INFORMATION Contact Amanda Dutt Sharma Marketing and Communications Manager P: 03 9670 3076 E: aduttsharma@paintback.com.au Please visit our website at paintback.com.au or connect with us via our social media sites for further information.
NEXT AREAS OF INTEREST The sites above are just the start. To provide further coverage, Paintback is interested in establishing collection sites that include Canberra, Darwin, Hobart and Launceston and further afield in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia (subject to relevant approvals and building sites being available).
LOCATION ROLLOUT TARGETS STAGE ONE (COMMENCE) MAY 2016
14
Paintback Collection Sites Open
STAGE ONE (COMPLETE) END 2016
30
Paintback Collection Sites Open
STAGE TWO FROM 2017
51
Paintback Collection Sites Open
STAGE THREE (FOOTPRINT COMPLETE) FROM 2019
70
Paintback Collection Sites Open
The Industry
Idiots
42 | Aussie Painters Network
Important Contacts Aussie Painters Network www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
Ph. 0430 399 800
National Institute for Painting and Decorating www.painters.edu.au
Ph. 1300 319 790
Australian Tax Office www.ato.gov.au
Ph. 13 72 26 / Ph. 13 28 65
Award Rates www.fairwork.gov.au
Ph. 13 13 94
Fair Work Building & Construction www.fwbc.gov.au
Ph. 1800 003 338
Mates In Construction www.matesinconstruction.com.au
Ph. 1300 642 111
Workplace Health and Safety Contacts Comcare WorkSafe ACT Workplace Health and Safety QLD Victorian WorkCover Authority WorkCover NSW SafeWork SA WorkSafe WA NT WorkSafe WorkSafe Tasmania
www.comcare.gov.au www.worksafe.act.gov.au www.worksafe.qld.gov.au www.vwa.vic.gov.au www.workcover.nsw.gov.au www.safework.sa.gov.au www.commerce.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/ www.worksafe.nt.gov.au www.worksafe.tas.gov.au
1300 366 979 02 6207 3000 1300 362 128 1800 136 089 13 10 50 1300 365 255 1300 307 877 1800 019 115 1300 366 322
www.actcancer.org www.cancercouncil.com.au www.cancercouncilnt.com.au www.cancerqld.org.au www.cancersa.org.au www.cancervic.org.au www.cancerwa.asn.au
(02) 6257 9999 (02) 9334 1900 (08) 8927 4888 (07) 3634 5100 (08) 8291 4111 (03) 9635 5000 (08) 9212 4333
Cancer Council Australia ACT NSW NT QLD SA VIC WA
2016 March Issue | 43
Standard Membership • Five postcode listings in our online directory • Work, Health and Safety Plan • Risk Assessment and Safe Work Method Statements • Incident Investigation Forms and Incident Investigation Form Register • Instant access to our pricing and estimating guides • Quotation guide to assist you when quoting • 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 • Assistance with Debt Collection and Discounted Terms of Trade • Discounts on Courses • Painter Help section if you are looking for work or looking for painters to help