Female painter and decorator AIBU to just go for it?

[paintingismygame]

I've done my own house up from top to bottom, painted and decorated it. Helped a few friends and family out with their houses over the past few years, I really like it and think I'm good at it. I have no formal training in painting though, AIBU to just go for it and start my own business? Any female painters here?

Thinking your good at it and being good at it are completely different things.
I think you should you should look into a painting couse at least, they're normally less than a couple of hundred at local colleges!
Other than that, as long as you can afford it, go for it!

I would 100% hire you!

It will be difficult for you to get started with no qualifications or apprenticeships etc.. also generally tough to start as you have no reviews or case studies.
I also don't think being female is really relevant so why only asking for female decorator advice?

Posted before finished..

However if you love it and it wouldn't mess with your lifestyle and finances then go for it!

Sure go for it. Build your base slowly. You may well be good at it, I don't think you need to take a course, and just tackle things you can do to start. For example don't do sanding and refinishing doors etc, or stripping wallpaper or high ceilings if you've not got the equipment or have not done it before.

I'd hire a female, and in fact tried to, but the woman when I called was actually quite rude and told me she had a year waiting list. Don't think I'd call her again.

I've also decorated much of my house, but I can totally see the difference when a professional does it, so my efforts are passable but not professional finish.

i also don't think being female is really relevant so why only asking for female decorator advice?
I think she is trying to gather whether there is a high demand for female decorators because a lot of women would feel uncomfortable letting a man into the house

I would love a female decorator because I always feel a bit uncomfortable with male workmen and it is the type of work where they would be in the house for a long period of time.

I would say to get some formal qualifications though.

Hi OP definitely go for it! There was a couple of female decorators called us who went by 'Painting Ladies'. They had a pink van (minor eyeroll but guess it got noticed) but I think they had a lot of demand from older women. What I would say is, offering small odd jobs as well might help, if you are handy?

I would certainly look into it, take advice ( not sure whom, but there will be some organisations that give such ) Get relivant insurance.
Hope it goes well for you .

Definitely go for it. I know here good painters are in high demand and people usually employ them on recommendations. Best of luck

It's one thing being good and doing your own house up, it's a completely different kettle of fish doing someone elses as a paid job. They will quite rightly expect perfection. It sounds good in theory but seriously, get some qualifications. I was married to a painter and decorator, a shit hot one, and even he found some clients a complete nightmare. Like a pp says, handy woman would be better.

because a lot of women would feel uncomfortable letting a man into the house

Well, given that there are very few women painter/decorators/plumbers/electricians/plasterers, any of us who are female and wanted any of these things done have had to 'let a man into the house' if we couldn't do it ourselves,

I'm sure there is a demand, OP, if you are as good as and charge comparable/cheaper rates to those of experienced professionals. I'm all for hiring women in non-traditional jobs and had a very good female kitchen-fitter when I lived in London, but I would choose someone who was good at their job, punctual, professional, tidy and polite of either sex, over someone whose only experience was decorating their own house.

I'm good at painting, but I can absolutely see the difference in my current house between where I've painted and where the professionals did it.

Go for it. Those suggesting formal qualifications - have your painters and decorators had them?

The main thing in my opinion is to get good at the self employed stuff. Accounts, cash flow and most importantly insurance.

I was looking for a painter last week so checked the local neighborhood site. Loads of female painters and decorators advertise on there but very few had professional qualifications.
Local rate for a painter is around £160 per day and for that sort of money I would expect some formal qualifications rather than a good amateur.
I was not against hiring a woman but in the end have gone for a qualified man with good reviews. Mist coat and two top coats plus gloss work for a newly plastered room around 5m x 5 m at £160 per day for 3 days.

Definitely look into it, but also consider doing the handy-jobs thing as an add-on. Locally a company near us set up as a painter/decorator but ended up taking on so many 'other' little jobs around houses that they added that as part of the company and they're constantly busy and constantly getting rave reviews. They have a female who joined a while back who customers can request if they would feel more comfortable and it seems like a great business model.

I wouldn't care either way if it was a woman or a man I was letting into my house but I would care if they had no formal training, especially if they were just starting out. Definitely look into a training course rather than just starting up with no qualifications - decorating your own home is not the same as being paid to decorate someone else's. But provided you can do some training, then absolutely give it a go.

Those suggesting formal qualifications - have your painters and decorators had them?

Yes.

Well, given that there are very few women painter/decorators/plumbers/electricians/plasterers, any of us who are female and wanted any of these things done have had to 'let a man into the house' if we couldn't do it ourselves

Yes, and given the choice, some women (and possibly men) would prefer a female tradesperson if available. It’s not exactly rock science.

There was a thread just the other day featuring a poster who tried to hire a tradesman only to be hit with sexual harassment almost immediately. The chances of being subjected to that from a female tradesperson will be significantly lower.

Go for it. Those suggesting formal qualifications - have your painters and decorators had them?

I assume the ones I’ve used had them but never actually asked.

I always thought I was good at painting and decorating. Thought I was quick, neat and tidy. However we had a pro in last year and there was a noticeable difference.

He did all the emulsioning in a hallway, stairs, landing, living room, kitchen, back hallway and downstairs loo in one day, including ceilings. Then came back the next and did all the glossing, doors and skirts and window sills the next. He was much neater than me.

It took me 2 days to do a tiny bathroom. So you need to be quick and neat and realistically that comes from experience.

I paid someone so that it was over and done with quickly. I would be a bit dischuffed if they took as long as me.

There is definitely a market for it though, you just need to actually be able to do it.

My mum thinks she's good at decorating, but actually she isn't. She's just done it a lot. Now you might be very good, but in your shoes I would definitely aim for getting trained and qualified. It will have a cost but if you want to make a living it's essential. So is having a commercial vehicle for your equipment with insurances to cover them, and public/products liability insurance to cover you in case you mess up and cause damage to a client's house.

I spent years working as a female gardener and it's true that a lot of people, particularly the elderly, do feel more secure having a woman on their property doing a professional job. But that alone won't carry you, you have to be good.

I think you should go for it, but do it properly, not just as an enthusiastic amateur.

because a lot of women would feel uncomfortable letting a man into the house

There was a woman decorator on Dragons' Den years ago who wanted to start a franchise that employed only women decorators for that very reason. She was told it's illegal, which it is, and also illegal to advertise on that basis.

PS re training - you could apply corvan apprenticeship maybe, and earn while you learn.

Go for it, but also back it up with a college course.
You can pick up lots of additional modules too like plastering and/or specialist applications.
I'd book you but I'd ask for professional experience, references and qualifications.
I ask these to men as well.

I'm not sure about qualifications. My decorator is in his sixties. He started in early teens, has no qualifications and his work is perfect, the finish flawless. He also can hang wallpaper on wonky walls, with uneven ceilings and match patterns, and finish all the other jobs like sanding and varnishing.

No qualifations but years of experience. He also not scared of high ceilings and can get up a ladder thirty odd foot to do hallways etc. He also has the stamina to do ceilings, which can lets face it be difficult depending on height and size.

The op may well be good. Very good. But as said, as much as I've done most rooms in the house, and am happy to do it, I can see the difference where he has done it and I have.

Which is what nearly fifty years of experience gives you.