What usually goes wrong in a painting business
Three things, over and over. The first is scope. A homeowner asks you to do the trim too, you say yes in the driveway, and there is no change order, so you painted trim for free. The second is licensing: painters often work across several towns, and many of those towns want their own business licence from anyone working inside their limits. The third is crew. Painting is seasonal and labour-heavy, so helpers get paid cash, which quietly turns into a tax and insurance exposure you cannot deduct.
None of these are about painting. All of them cost money.
What we set up for painters
Your LLC and EIN, so commercial clients and property managers can actually hire you. Licences in every city on your map, with renewals tracked. A service agreement, estimate and change order set so additions get priced and signed instead of absorbed.
Then the ongoing side: books that tell you your real margin per job once materials and drive time are counted, payroll for your crew with the right classification and sales tax on materials handled where your state taxes it, and an HR kit for when you take on your first full-time painter.
What painters businesses specifically need
- A city business licence everywhere you work, not just where you live
- Change orders so extra work gets paid for
- Crew payroll with correct employee or contractor classification
- Sales tax handled on materials where your state taxes them
- Job-level costing so you know your real margin per job
- General liability cover a commercial client will accept
Where we start
LLC Formation & EIN Setup
Your LLC, EIN, operating agreement and business bank account, set up properly the first time.
Licensing & Permits
Every license and permit your trade needs, researched, applied for and tracked for renewal.
Contracts & Trademark Search
Service agreements, estimates and change orders for your trade, plus a preliminary name and trademark search.
Payroll & Sales Tax
Payroll run on time, payroll and sales taxes withheld and filed, W-2s and 1099s issued at year end.
Everything else we handle
- Bookkeeping & Monthly Close
- Compliance & Registered Agent
- HR Setup & Hiring
- Business Plan & Projections
- Quarterly CFO Review
- Funding Readiness
Frequently asked questions
Do painters need a contractor licence?
It depends entirely on your state and sometimes on the size of the job. Some states licence painting contractors directly, others only require a general business registration plus local licences. We research your state and your service area and give you the written list.
How do I stop doing free extra work?
A change order template, used every time, and an estimate that states what is and is not included. It feels awkward the first few times and then it just becomes how you sell. It is usually the single fastest margin improvement a painting business can make.
Can I pay my painters as 1099 contractors?
Usually not, if you set their schedule, direct the work and supply the materials. That is employment regardless of what you agreed. We look at how the work actually happens, document it properly, and get them onto payroll if that is what they are.