Aussie Painting Contractor

Issue 8 May, 2012

Aussie Painting Contractor Work Work Life Life Balance Balance

Tax Updates of General Interest

Member Profile: Damon More, Core Painting

Advertising Advertising Your Your Business Business

Where, Where, When When and and How How Much?

Much?

Join Aussie Painters Network and Receive...

• • • • • •

Instant access to our TWO 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) $55 credit with Motorpass Join for chance to WIN Sunshine Super Clean Kit Value $129

• • • • • •

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

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

Aussie Painters Network and Resene Paints are working together to make a more even playing field for all painters. We have partnered up to work out a fixed price schedule for Our Members that will potentially save you thousands of dollars annually, as well as an unbeatable monthly special to be announced each month in Aussie Painting Contractor. Whether you are a one man band, or have a number of staff with a huge operation, this is a membership perk not to be ignored! Resene have provided the most competitive pricing structure I have seen in years.

May Monthly Super Special

Enamacryl 10L of White and Pastel Colours $89.90 more than 20% off normal buying price.

Enamacryl 4L of White and Pastel Colours $39.90 more than 20% off normal buying price. *Only with Aussie Painters Network

Editor

Page 6

Editor - Another Busy Month

Page 7

Members Consultant

Page 8

Work Life Balance Principle #1

Prioritise!

Nigel Gorman Deputy Editor Caroline Miall CONTRIBUTORs

Advertising Your Business Where, When and How Much?

Page 12

Belinda Ross Caroline Miall Ian Scanes

Page 14

Tips to Consolidate Rather than Capitulate?

Page 16

Some Tax Updates of General Interest

Page 18

Page 20

WorldSkills Australia

Page 23

The Perks to Social Networking

Jennie Gorman Jim Baker Leanne Staff Michael Farrugia Mel Holzworth Nigel Gorman Rai Malisauskas

Tips for Successful Networkers

Stephanie Gadd Tamara Simon

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Anne Delgado

Page 26

Member Profile:

Damon More, Core Painting

Page 28

Dining Room Colours

Page 33

Painters Whites in the Pacific

Page 34

Painting the Exterior of Your Home

Page 36

Industry Idiots

Page 37

Important Contacts

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 Contractor 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

ADVERTISING / MEDIA KIT CONTACT info@homepaintersinfo.com WEBSITE www.homepaintersinfo.com

We’ve had another busy month here and Aussie Painters Network is going ahead in leaps and bounds!

This week I was interviewed by ABC National Radio for one of their programs about the problem with Lead Based Paint in older homes. You will be able to hear the Documentary at 8am Sunday 6th May 2012, or the podcast will be available a few days later if you miss it. I will update you with the link next month. Good to see the topic is still highlighted in the media; it’s such an important health issue for our Industry.

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

Our membership base has had steady growth this month with another eight Members joining us; bringing us to Member Number 155. This leads me to this Month’s lucky member to win the Sunshine Super Clean Pack valued at $129.00.

Congratulations to Simon Bool from S.B. Painting Contractors, for winning our monthly Member give away. Have a look at page …… for info on this month’s prize.

We hope you get something out of this month’s issue. And if you do, and you know any other painters that may be interested in saving time and money, send them our details.

Have a great month this May and Happy Painting!

Hello and welcome!

Finally the rain is subsiding and the cooler weather is heading our way! A welcome relief for some I believe.

We have had a tremendous response in this past month and have welcomed many new members.

I assure you that your membership cards will be in the post soon.

For those still not sure about joining, it is time to step outside your comfort zone and delve into the great unknown!! For only $49.97, what have you got to lose? Nothing! Only Gain, here with Aussie Painters Network. We are loving the feedback that we have been receiving a steady flow of and the encouragement of people from both the Painting and non-painting sectors. It is great to know that we are finally filling a niche to Painting Contractors, supplying you with a great magazine and invaluable information and wisdom.

As our membership grows, I am getting closer to actually getting out into the Paint Stores and meeting Painters. It is a part of Membership that I love.

Members Consultant

Stephanie Gadd Membership Consultant 0433 724 794

For more information about our unreal membership benefits, which I might add, are REAL BENEFITS TO YOUR BUSINESS, Please visit us at www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au and have a look through what we are offering. You will save money on your membership with the first Benefit that you use, so go on, Join us for $49.97 and help us to help the Painters here in Australia band together and stay informed.

Until next time!

Would You Like To Advertise Your Products?

Email Us : info@homepantersinfo.com Call Us : 0430 399 800

Work Life Balance Principle #1

Prioritise!

You’ve probably heard the key ‘parable’ in time management techniques; Put the big rocks in first…? You know, the one where if you fill up the vessel with all the little grains of sand that pile up, then you won’t get the big boulders in at all. Well, prosaic as it might sound, it does illustrate well the first instalment in our series on Work-Life Balance -Priorities. It’s easy to lose sight of them, and we’re all capable of it, especially during times of stress. But being successful in your business can be as much about achieving that balance with your personal life, by placing at least as much emphasis on the things that are really important to you. This will include your business; but health, personal development and goals, family and friends, should surpass it. Of course it would be wonderful if we were all lucky enough that our work was our personal passion, but for most of us this isn’t really the case.

Remember when you are assessing your priorities with regard to how you spend your time, that you work to live, and not the other way around. Having said that, obviously your business or job is fairly crucial to the quality of that living, but this is where balance can truly be the key to happiness.

With many of us nowadays working from home for at least part of our jobs, it can be challenging to keep this time limited like you would if you were going to an office for the paperwork side of things. With PC’s in all of our homes, it can be like a self-imposed ball and chain. And with social media sites like Facebook and Twitter on the same machine it can also be like a moth to flame tempting us to waste vast quantities of otherwise free time. Add to that equation our smart phones and the likes of Angry Birds, and you could be dwindling away a lot more time than was perhaps once wasted on TV alone! So if you’re working at home, remember your family needs you as much as your job does; it’s appropriate to be a ‘clock watcher’ and be wary of the online time wasters!

Most of us will have small children, a partner, or family and friends who miss you when you overwork. It doesn’t take much effort to spend quality time, but if you’re busy at work, you do have to factor it into your week. If you simply plan to spend time at home, mark it in your diary. Buy tickets to shows, or be on the look out for free events that you can attend with your family. Find a weekly class of interest to your child to do together or visit the brilliant galleries and museums our country has to offer for free (lots of children’s activities all year round too). Whatever it is, put it in your calendar, be it paper or electronic, and keep your commitments to your family and friends like you would your work appointments. Your life will be richer for it, and you may just appreciate your work more for affording you the opportunity of an abundant life.

Advertising Your Business

Where When and How Much ?

After talking to many painters I have discovered that many don’t really know how to advertise their business to their greatest advantage. Regardless of what industry you find yourself in, it’s not always an easy prospect to get right. As a Painter, where are you best to advertise? Do you spend hundreds, or even thousands of dollars advertising your business? How do you evaluate the relative success?

It’s even more complicated now with so many new marketing avenues to explore; online banners, Google pay-per-click ads, social networking sites, blogs, forums, etc., on top of the traditional Yellow Pages, Local papers, letter box drops, Radio, TV and telemarketing. These can all be effective forms of marketing your business. What works best for you can depend on the size and nature of your business, your location, and your client base.

If you don’t know the answers for your own business, perhaps a bit of market research is in order to put a strategy in place. Even if you ask one simple question of your customers, let it be ‘Where did you hear about us?’ With this, you’ve asked the most cost effective question you ever could. It’s the most direct way to work out where you are most astutely going to put your hard earned money to use to be noticed. If you spend $1000 advertising in one place and you get only a few quotes you may need to look at somewhere else to advertise. So do some comparisons to make sure you are spending your advertising budget in a productive way.

On the other hand, it is possible you only need to spend minimal amount of money using information you already have. A simple mail-out to your existing customer database could keep your name in the forefront of a loyal customers’ mind, and provide them something in hard copy to pass onto friends and family who might be in need of your services. Use email to do the same, and it will cost you literally nothing! Consider offering a rewards system whereby you don’t spend any of your advertising budget until you actually have the job in the bag. Yes that’s right, pay for advertising after you have already won the job with a simple strategy offering your current client base a fee, a discount, or a gift voucher, to land a job among their networks.

Consider printing cards to send to your previous customers, five years on from the job, when they might be considering a repaint, or touch ups. Be present when they need you most! Above all, try not to fall into the habit of going from job to job without considering how to maximise the goodwill created by a job well done.

So give it some serious thought, a bit of time and research before you spend money on any one form of advertising. You might find that multiple avenues - both traditional and online - works best and covers all bases.

Tips to Consolidate Rather than Capitulate?

Business Systems Specialist, Tamara Simon says many businesses need to take a different view of the GFC to ensure they are still in business in 2011.

In light of the current Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the constant media bombardment, I think you could be forgiven if you were feeling a bit depressed, negative or maybe just gloomy.

For those in business, life has possibly gotten a bit tougher (and maybe a bit quieter); with many trying to determine how long the GFC will last, what marketing strategies to maximise, and can they ride it out with hopefully their current staff levels in tact.

In addition, the Federal Government’s Stimulus Package hasn’t assist many small businesses, summed up I believe quite well

by Joe Hockey, Shadow Treasurer on ABC’s ‘Q&A’ show - Thursday 19th February 2009.

“Small business is not getting any incentive at the moment to continue to employ people when they’re seeing fewer and fewer customers come in the door. You can have all the tax concessions you want for small business, but if small business hasn’t got customers and if small business can’t borrow money from banks, then small business isn’t going to be able able to afford to buy new equipment.”

However for many, increasing income is not an option because the market is deciding not to purchase their services, let along pay a higher premium than in the past.

So the only viable option is to reduce expenses to keep your doors open while we see out these uncertain times.

Because it will get better (or back to what normal growth and productivity should be), rather than the wave of prosperity we’ve been riding for at least the past five years.

We just don’t know when it will get better.… but businesses need to be ready when demand returns.

As reducing salaries should be viewed as a last resort, here’s some other avenues to first consider, at least in the GFC. •

Order stationery monthly rather than ad hoc

•

Not provide tea, coffee, milk for staff in the short term

•

Maximise onsite visits – plan multiple sites in one day rather than separate trips

So businesses have two choices

•

Review financial delegations of staff to ensure no unnecessary/unauthorised spending

•

Review bank fees and charges – consolidate accounts/loans

•

Short term freeze on salary increases

•

Review telephone/mobile phone plans to get the best deal

•

Shop around for all purchases – look for discounts

1.

2.

Increase Income

Decrease Expenses

Simply having money in the bank account to pay the bills now doesn’t ensure long term viability and sustainability – nor does it identify the business as successful, merely surviving or treading water.

Cashflow areas to consider • Invoice clients as soon as work is completed rather than simply at the end of each month •

Introduce deposit and progress payments

•

Offer payment plans/discounts

Finally, use this time to review your systems and develop your templates to ensure they are not an additional expense item because…

REWORK = TIME = MONEY So isn’t it time to Take Another Look to see whether your systems are putting your business at risk.

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.

SOME TAX UPDATES OF GENERAL INTEREST

ATO Crackdown on PSI The ATO has advised that it will write to some taxpayers who have reported personal services income (PSI) and may have incorrectly self-assessed themselves as conducting a personal services business (PSB).

The ATO is using data matching software from a variety of sources to identify who are the likely taxpayers. The mere fact you may be identified and written to by the ATO does not mean that they are correct. We can help you overcome this problem if needed.

Facebook Used in Education Tax Refund Fraud Suspected promoters of an Education Tax Refund scam have had their personal computers and records seized by the ATO and Australian Federal Police.

It is suspected the group targeted students from South-Western Sydney high schools to submit fraudulent Education Tax Refund claims for non-existent schoolchildren or in the names of students not entitled to claim the refund.

A member of the group is alleged to have used Facebook as his main recruitment tool, telling students on the social networking site he could arrange refunds if they provided their Tax File Number (TFN), address and date of birth.

The ATO reminds the public that it uses sophisticated data matching technology to review all refund claims and check for fraud before refunds are issued, and that they also receive information from honest taxpayers who let the ATO know about tax fraud happening in their area (suspected tax evasion and fraud can be reported by calling 1800 060 062).

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.

Tips for Successful Networkers Networking or the ability to connect with other people is very essential if you want to become successful in your chosen career, your business or just to develop your personal skills and relationships. Events on networking play an important role in helping build personal and lasting relationships with others with proper interaction.

However in order to be able to interact properly with other people, you need to have the skills and techniques first in order to succeed at networking. Below are five tips that I will share with you on how to become a successful networker.

Determine your goals first.

Know your goals and plans first before joining networking groups. Reassess and ask yourself, “Why do I need networking?”, “Is it for business purposes?”, “Will it help me develop my skills?”, or“Will it help me land a good-paying job?”. Whatever your reason, just be sure of what you really want as well as what you need. By doing so, this will become as a basis for you in choosing the networking group that will fit you and suit your skills well.

Select the right kind of network.

Once you have your goals fixed and determined the reasons you have in joining a network, now is the time to choose the right and suitable group which you will join. Choose groups that have the same goals and interests as yours. Not only will you be inspired in mingling with the group but you’ll be also motivated to reach all your goals by helping each other with shared thoughts, knowledge and different approaches that would work effectively.

http://www.connexionsunlimited.com.au Phone : 0414 278 344

I hope these simple tips that I have shared will help you succeed in your‘art of networking’. If you want to learn more, go to

http://www.connexionsunlimited.com.au and sign up for my free e-course.

Build personal relationship with others.

Meet new people and build personal relationship with them. You can do so by starting up a sense and wholesome conversation. Try out general topics such as sports, about the family, their favourites or just anything that you think is interesting for them. You will be surprise to know that there are also others who share the same interests, ideas and principles as yours.

Follow-up.

After meeting new people, you can start following-up within 24 hours. You can do so by dropping a quick email, giving them a short call, or simply sending a text message to greet them. Following-up shows interest and professionalism.

After doing so, you can connect with them again by scheduling a face-to-face meeting.

Jennie Gorman

Schedule Meet-ups.

After making further contact and wishing to learn more, you can then schedule a time to connect in person. Choose a place that is convenient not only to you but to others as well. This will make you both comfortable and at ease. If there is a distance and you are unable to connect face-to-face, why not use Skype as an alternative?

Our Mission

To contribute to sustainable economic prosperity through the development, recognition and promotion of excellence in skills.

About WorldSkills Australia WorldSkills Australia (WSA) is an organisation (established since 1981) that provides young Australians aged 23 and under the opportunity to gain new skills, compete against their peers in their chosen trade and fast track their skills and career development.

Our purpose is to promote and build a skills respect culture by celebrating skills excellence, inspiring young people and providing them with an opportunity to showcase their trade and skill talent. We achieve this goal through competitions held on a Regional, National and International level.

All Australian apprentices, trainees and VET students have the opportunity to compete and if eligible, medallists can compete on the International stage in the Skill Olympics.

Through a program of competitions aligned to National Training Packages, WorldSkills Australia works to ensure that today’s young people have the skills and abilities to compete.

WorldSkills Australia competitions operate on a two year cycle. Regional competitions flow into National competitions and winners, if eligible, will advance to the International competition to represent their country.

WSA is a member of WorldSkills International, which is the global network of 58 countries who participate in trade and skills competitions. Every two years the WorldSkills International community competes on the global stage to showcase and raise the standards of their country’s skills.

We challenge young Australians to strive for skills excellence and produce skill ambassadors that are held up as beacons to show the success that is possible via a trade or skill based career. Worl Skills Australia is developing a new generation of business leaders and raising the standards of vocational education and training.

Rear left: Maddison Stanley, Drew Hodges, Rhys Wilson (2nd place), Aaron Loft Front left: Ana Coqabula (Fiji), Molly Close (1st Place), Daniel Robinson (2nd Place)

Rhys Wilson

Molly Close

Maddison Stanley

2012 WorldSkills Australia National Competition, Sydney The nation’s biggest skills showcase is coming to Sydney!

This year the 2012 WorldSkills Australia National Competition will be held at Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park from August 30 to September 1. With over 25,000 square metres of competition and exhibition space, there will be plenty of exciting and interactive activities to take part in.

The competition will showcase the skills of 500 of Australia’s best trainees, apprentices and students competing to be titled the National Champion in over 50 skill and trade areas. The competitors, aged between 15 and 25, will also be competing for a spot in the 2013 Team Australia Skillaroos that will be heading to Leipzig, Germany for the 42nd WorldSkills International Competition.

Whilst there, visitors can try their hand at 25 different Try’aSkill demonstration categories including, hairdressing, wall and floor tiling bricklaying and more.

Please visit us at www.worldskills.org.au to learn more.

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.

info@zebraweb.com.au

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The Perks to Social Networking.

So what is social media? Social media allows you, the small business owner, to communicate with your online business customers. To do this you use other websites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Linkedin. The benefits of using sites such as these is that they help to build your online profile.

They help to identify you with your product and service and as a professional. They help to build your online reputation. The more consumers that see your presence online the more these consumers see you as a reputable and trustworthy business. You can interact with these customers to help build an awareness of what you and your business have to offer.

Social media sites allow you to keep an eye on what your competition is up to. You can monitor what product and services they are offering and allow you the opportunity to improve on that and be current in your industry.

These social media websites rank highly in the search engines. If your business has a social media presence that is tied to your business and brand, the search engines tend to rank these quite well. They will register that you have content that is popular and worth ranking.

Improving customer service is another benefit to social media. You can monitor your presence on the social media site and find out what customers are saying about you and your product or service. You can interact with these customers to improve your service.

The big 5 social media sites at the moment are Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and GooglePlus.

Let’s discuss Facebook here. You will need to set up a personal profile on facebook to start with.

From here you can then create your business page. We strongly recommend that you link this into your business name and brand. Anything that you do from a business point of view you will want to put onto your business facebook page. Remember, Facebook is a social site so use it to promote yourself, same as you would do at a work function.

You can link into other facebook pages that relate directly to your business. Leave positive comments on their pages for all to see. Make sure that your posted comments are always polite, this page is representing your business and will leave an impression.

Make sure that your page settings allow other people’s comments to appear on your wall. It’s social networking and would be pointless to only have your comments. If someone posts something you don’t like on your page, you can choose to delete it.

Try to keep your posts current to your facebook page to keep it active.

There is a huge social media world out there and you can choose to make it a part of your online marketing strategy.

Member Profile

Damon More, Core Painting

Core Painting is a family owned and operated business in Bunbury, Western Australia. We are leaders in the Painting & Decorating Industry in WA, with all painting work done according to the Australian Standards for house painting. We provide a very reliable, friendly painting service because we are specialists in high quality house painting from new homes to re-paints. All materials used are of the highest quality and all of my workmanship carries a three year written guarantee.

I began painting following a move from a butchery apprenticeship that wasn’t a good fit for me and following twenty years in the meat industry I made the change. I was well aware that no matter what industry you found yourself in, customer service and knowing your product was the key to keeping the customers coming back time and again. I took an entry level pay to get into the trade and with a boss who was a good painter, I was thrown in the deep end from day one, which served me well.

After 3 years and training I had completed my apprenticeship and was focused on having my own business. In WA if you want to have your own painting business you have to pass a written exam from the Painters Registration Board. I studied hard for a few months, passed the exam and my new business was born. It wasn’t easy at first getting work, but now I have five major contracts with real estate agents in Bunbury, looking after their rental properties and I do private work on new homes andre-paints. I always liked the re-paint; to take an old beat up home and make it like new again is a great feeling! My business at the moment has doubled since this time last year and the amount of people ringing up saying, such recommended me is phenomenal., so I must be doing something right!

I’m still only a one man show and some days I put in fifteen hours to keep up with demand, but now I am looking at putting on two apprentices over the next few months. The future will definitely see me building up my team to cater for demand in the housing industry. Painting has definitely changed my life for the better. Over the years we have established a solid reputation and are well known and respected in the painting and home improvement industry.

I understand that painting your home can be very disruptive if not managed correctly. Your entire painting project requires personal attention to every detail, including a special concern for your privacy and disruption to your familyroutine. By carefully planning, More Core minimizes the impact the services have on your environment and ensure that each and every painting project is carried out in a safe ordered manner. My company is fully accredited, insured and is a member of the Master Painters of Australia.

If you’re thinking of a painting project, give me a call on 08 9796 1811 For a free site inspection and compare our rates, or Visit our website at

www.morecorepaintingdivision.hipages.com.au

Dining Room Colours This is the place we meet, break bread, communicate, celebrate, with family, with friends, with business associates. It is also the place within our home that reflects who we are to the outside world.

Food is very grounding and is considered to be an ‘Earth’ element.

Therefore, in the dining room earthy colours work the very best. Choose a neutral a few shades darker than the other rooms in the house. Café latte, Milk Chocolate, and other delicious food references come to mind with the colours that match them, even Bread as a colour is delicious, Bread Crust mmm… yum.

Then think about the feature walls and furnishings, they are the colourful food.

BUT REMEMBER, food is not bright and loud, FOOD IS EARTHY. Pumpkin, Aubergine, Celery, Blueberry, Mulberry, even tomato, none of these food colours is vivid, some are a little bright, but they all have an earthy tone to them.

Beware in the dining room using Greens and Blues, especially in crockery, not too many foods look good on coloured plates! Beware using citrus hues in the dining room, these are best left for the kitchen or in accessories.

On the walls use a washable paint.

On the ceilings use a washable paint. Even if this is the only room you do this in, you will be rewarded. Candle smoke, champagne corks, etc, are much easier to clean up after, if the paint on the ceilings and walls is washable.

Belinda Ross

Furnishings can be covered in patterned or plain fabrics, but once again, be practical with whoever lives in or visits the house.

If your home is filled with young children, use patterns.

If you home is filled with adults then perhaps a plain upholstery would be more appropriate. Always use Scotchguard.

The most important thing to remember about a dining room is to use it! Often and with others! It is the place to re-connect with people. Our lives are so busy, and filled with technology, there is something delightful about eating and communicating with those we care about, around a table that encourages chatter, laughter, deep discussion, love, caring and sharing.

Pass the pasta please. Here, let me pour you some wine. Cheers! and here’s to a great night in!

Please remember, if you are working with a client who is stuck on selecting colours, contact your local paint store for a reference to a colour consultant.

If you are in South East Queensland call me on 0413 464 289 or 07 3886 4488

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!

Debtor Finance 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

Painters Whites in the Pacific

Painting and Decorating has been an undervalued trade in the Pacific Islands for many years now, as a result of the lack of investing in training. The consequence of this has been poor workmanship, asset breakdown through protective coating failure, mould and mildew leading to health issues as a result of poor coating selection, and generally poor aesthetics. The cost has even been felt by builders who have had completion payments withheld because of paint defects.

The Australia, Pacific Technical College (APTC www.aptc.edu.au) has done a lot to change the image of the trade and improve professionalism. Not only through the training and assessment against certificate III painting and decorating but also because of the overall professional attitude that is expected from their students.

Painting whites are a symbol that has been with the trade for many years and by ensuring the students wear white when working they promote the trade and draw the focus of the student on their own attitude towards being professional.

The students wearing these whites are very proud to be seen and though the tradition in Fiji is to change before hoping on a bus to go home, many of these students wear their painting whites with a sense of pride.

Lesson for Australia One thing can be learnt from the years of neglect in training in the Pacific region. The cost is very high. Do we value the trade we have? Are we investing in training others?

What does the future hold for the trade?

Let us hope we don’t go down the same road as our pacific island neighbours and pay the price for neglecting training. We all have a responsibility to ensure we maintain a high standard in the industry.

Article by Michael Farrugia of www.pacificpainters.com. Michael is also one of the directors for the National Institute of Painting & Decorating www.painters.edu.au

Painting the Exterior of Your Home http://www.apmf.asn.au

Painting the exterior of your home will do more than simply create an attractive appearance, says the APMF. It will provide protection from the sun and weather which will otherwise gradually damage your home.

Many home-owners are now choosing to paint their homes to save money. With careful planning and preparation, the results will be rewarding. Before you commence you must consider: choosing appropriate colours, choosing the correct type of paint, selecting the appropriate applicators and properly prepare the surface for painting.

Finally, ensure that the correct application procedures and the manufacturer’s instructions are followed.

Some points to remember when selecting colours for painting or repainting your home are:

•

Research shows that cool roofs reflect more of the sun’s energy away from the roof structure, reducing both the roof’s temperature and the heat transfer into the roof cavity. This results in reductions in the building’s cooling load and the corresponding reduction in cooling demand and energy consumption in summer.

• Cool roofs can be achieved by using a lighter paint colour or by using more sophisticated coating systems.

• Try to blend your home into its natural surroundings and with homes around you.

• Consider the colour of materials on the exterior which will not be painted, which will either contrast or compliment your chosen colour scheme.

• On homes with interesting architectural details, use an additional colour to emphasise them.

Paints available today are either solvent based or water-based and often a choice can be made of either for a particular surface.

Solvent-based paints are solvent thinned types. Their properties include durability and resistance to abrasion. Clean-up is achieved with turpentine or mineral spirits. In addition, brush cleaning compounds are now available.

Water-based paints are water thinned. These paints are often selected because clean-up can be done with soap water. These paints are also durable, easy to apply and retain colour well with time. These paints also emit low amounts of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which is good for the environment.

Both these varieties of paints are available in a wide variety of sheens from flat to full gloss. A paint with higher gloss is preferable in situations where dirt collection or abrasion may be a problem. This would include doors and trim areas.

Exterior wood stains should also be considered for timber surfaces. These are available in solid and semi-transparent types. Solid stains will hide the colour of the underlying surface, allowing the texture to show through. Semi-transparent stains allow the natural wood colour to be featured. Excellent water-based low VOC products are also now available.

Keep your home looking attractive and beautiful, remember that the investment in a home is often the most significant that many make in their lifetime.

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

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