I can still recall the first barn roof I ever painted. I was young, about 16 or so. I won’t mention the year, but to say it was before the internet was invented would be an understatement.
Growing up on a Farm
Growing up in a family where we were both farmers and barn roof painting contractors, it did not seem odd at all that barns were an every day part of life. Some folks are used to only seeing them as they pass by on the highway, never truly a connection made.
Not for us, the Stewart’s, we are farmers through and through, just with a knack for painting barns, barn roofs, AND farm equipment…
Beyond working the land, our farm painting abilities can be summed up in one sweet and short list:
- Painting barns across Ontario
- Painting barn roofs
- Painting farm equipment
- Traveling painting
An Agricultural Way of Life, Plus Paint 🙂
The first barn I ever painted… I can remember it clear as day. It was a painting contracting gig in Orangeville, Ontario. The job started on what was a gorgeous sunny day (The second best kind of day to paint on the farm).
This barn had black sides with a bone white roof. It also had some white trim, and white on the barn’s foundation. At the time, this barn certainly stood out as unique. This was the time of bright red and green barns, and not much else.
A Unique Initial Barn Painting Experience
With this uniquely colored barn, we were tasked with refreshing it and making it like new once more. The farmer’s problem was that the barn was now looking older than it actually was. No one wants this. The biggest problem we face as barn painting contractors, is that everyone fears what comes next… What comes AFTER the color of their barn fades…
Deterioration, degradation, collapse. Let’s avoid that.
Anyways, in regards to this first paint job of mine. I recall under pricing it. I wanted to get the job, heck I needed to get the contract. However, the beauty of doing this, was that once we secured the barn painting contract, we set out to do SUCH a great job. Because we did an excellent job, the farmer had referred us out to 3 other farmers in the area.
And do you want to know what he said to us:
OVER PRICE THEM
See everything for Kitchener Waterloo barn painters here:
https://www.raystewartbarnpainting.ca/kitchener-waterloo-barn-painting-and-farm-equipment/
I thought it was incredible advice. Looking back, it is very sound business advice, and set me on a cascading journey of referrals. It all boils down to people and reviews. Even after all of these years in the barn painting contracting business, you still see it. Do a great job, solve a big problem, and you will thrive.
The problems come when people try to take advantage, or do a terrible job just to try to achieve scale. You will not succeed in the long term if that is your approach. Trust me, I’ve been playing the long game with my family for my whole life, and the benefits are amazing. You feel great, you sleep great. When you know you’re a great painter, you do every job great.
Not just because of where it could lead, but because it’s the right thing to do.
Never Forget Your First Paint Job 🙂
I’ll never forget my first barn painting job, and I hope the lessons learned from that initial introduction to my father’s business will last a lifetime, and will be something I can pass down to many future generations of Stewart men.
It’s a family business, it’s my business. Ray Stewart Barn Painting Service from Port Rowan, Ontario, serving all of Southern Ontario for traveling barn painting service and general farm painting and barn roof painting. Another nice article on barn painting here.
