To get online painting contract jobs in Australia, you need to stand out from the competition.
This is because while there are many contract jobs up for grabs, plenty of good painters are out there bidding for the work.
So, how do you set yourself apart as a professional painter? First up, take care of the basics.
1. Register With a Professional Body
Every profession has a set of requirements you need to fulfil before you can get contract work. The painting industry in Australia is no exception.
In many Australian states, you need to register with a professional body before you can get painting contract jobs. This gives you credibility as a professional and makes you seem more trustworthy to individuals and businesses seeking your services.
If a professional body hasn’t endorsed you, your bona fides are far less likely to hold sway next to accredited professionals, no matter how good a painter you are.
The National Institute of Painting and Decorating is the body that registers painters in Australia.
There are some licenses and certificates necessary for painters to have in Australia, including:
- Certificate III in Painting and Decorating.
- Painting Contractor Business Management Course
You will get a painting certificate after undertaking a painting apprenticeship or an assessment of your skills.
Although not all states in Australia need a painting license to work, it still helps to get one. Acquiring a licence differs from state to state in Australia.
For example, in New South Wales, the Department of Fair Trading is the authority that deals with licensing for all painting contractors.
In South Australia, Consumer and Business Services issues licences for building work contractors.
Ask the relevant authorities in your state about the process of getting a license. Here is the list of authorities to contact in your state for accurate and relevant information about licensing:
2. Protect Yourself by Using a Professional Contract Template
Your work does not end once you get a contract painting job. It ends when the client approves the job and makes the payment.
A common problem that plagues every tradie is getting paid. Protect yourself using a professional painting contract template. Don’t accept a verbal agreement; in case of a dispute, it will be difficult to prove what the two parties agreed to.
A professional contract template must contain the following relevant information:
- All parties’ information. State the names and addresses of persons involved in the contract.
- Scope of work. Give a detailed description of the work to be undertaken. In case more work must be added midway, ensure you write it down, as it may affect the cost.
- Deadline. Define the date, month, and year that work starts and ends.
- Payment details. State the amount agreed upon and the terms of payment. Always ask for a deposit. Don’t wait until you have completed the work to ask for payment; instead, opt for progressive payments.
- Roles and Responsibilities. Outline all the duties of the parties involved.
- Date and Signature. Both parties must append the date and their signatures on the document to be considered binding.
- Terms and conditions. State the terms under which either party can cancel the contract.
Always hold up your end of the deal. Shortchanging a client will only hurt your business in the long run.
3. Meet Australian Industry Standards for Painters
The industry standards for painters describe the proper way of doing a painting job.
According to the Australian Industry Standards for painters, any qualified painter MUST meet the following key specifications:
- Apply three coats to any bare plaster or timber surface.
- The first and last coat must have a roller finish when spraying paint to a plasterboard surface.
To get regular contract work, you should be able to meet these standards.
4. Specialise in Particular Painting Contract Jobs
You will gain an edge over other painters if you specialise in specific types of painting jobs. That way, you will carve out a niche in the market. Let me explain this with an example.
Let’s say there are currently 5,000 painting contract jobs in Australia. These jobs include interiors, exteriors, private buildings, office buildings, and other paint jobs.
There are around 19,000 registered painters in Australia. This means that if you are a general painter, your chances of getting a job are few because there is far more competition than available work.
Now, suppose that you choose a painting niche. You specialise in painting historic and antique homes. There may be only 1,000 jobs available in this market. But, there will also be far fewer painters specialising in this type of painting contract work in your area. This increases your chances of getting work. Don’t be a generalist. Be a specialist.
Before choosing a niche to specialise in, do some research. Find out what the demand is like in specific markets and choose a marketable area with the potential for growth.
5. Build an Online Presence
Use the internet to market yourself. It takes time, money, and patience to build a good online presence but at the end of the day, it pays off.
You can begin by creating a social media account free of charge. Create your profile on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Use these accounts to display images of your work and share them with your networks. Once you have built a solid network, you can take out paid adverts of your work to reach a wider network.
Take part in online conversations related to your niche. You will build a wider reputation in time as an authority within your industry.
Build a simple website that will work as your online portfolio. Market yourself by including your contacts and accreditation. Also, include before and after photos of your projects and a few testimonials from previous happy clients.
Have a reputable and strong online presence. You will attract new clients, keep existing ones, and differentiate yourself from competitors. With this solid foundation, you will soon have regular contract jobs.
6. Check Online for Contract Painting Jobs
There are many online opportunities for contract work in Australia. You need to know the right online sites to get painting work. These are two sites that consistently post new contract work opportunities:
- AusTender: This is a website created by the Australian government. It publishes the majority of government tenders which you can bid for online.
- Australian Tender: This is an online database of up-to-date tenders. You can browse tenders and set up alerts for when new tenders in your industry pop up, so you can bid for online painting jobs.
Keep in mind: before you bid for work on these sites, you need to have a license.
7. Get Painting and Get Paid
So let’s summarise. You’ve:
- Worked out what accreditation you need as a contract painter in your state or territory.
- Armed yourself with a process for using a written contract.
- Gotten a clear understanding of the standards you need to meet (and exceed) as a professional painter.
- Chosen a niche to specialise in so you can set yourself apart.
- Made a to-do list of steps to take to establish yourself with an online presence.
- Got an eye on all the tenders advertised online.
But the easiest and simplest step you can take right now that will get results pretty much immediately is to list your business on Service Seeking.
Last year alone, we sent 360,000 new jobs to Australian businesses. Make yours one of them.
