One of the easiest ways to change the look and feel of a place is with paint. You can dramatically change a room in a matter of even a few hours and refresh a space which may be looking a bit worn around the edges. This month we’re talking with Aaron Roche, President of Roche Painting LLC and Roche Epoxy Floors (rochepainting.com) to get his take on ways to spruce up our interiors.  Aaron has been in business for the past 15 years and was born and raised in the Lehigh Valley. Over that time, they have worked with residential and commercial customers, real estate management companies, and custom home builders and contractors. They are currently in the process of building a 4,200 square foot headquarters in Allentown to better serve their customers.

WHERE SHOULD PEOPLE BEGIN WHEN WANTING TO REVIVE OR SPRUCE UP THEIR INTERIORS?

“Those looking to update their home or business should look at painting and flooring as the biggest visual impacts and best bang for their buck. Homeowners looking to provide a unique look in their homes can look into having custom woodwork and moldings installed which can give a room a nice pop from the ordinary,” Aaron says. Businesses that have concrete floors looking for easy to clean, seamless, low maintenance options can look into epoxy floor coatings.

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN HIRING A PROFESSIONAL PAINTER SUCH AS YOURSELF?

When hiring any professional company, it is important to understand not all companies are the same. “As an example, all of our tradesmen are company employees that are covered under workers’ compensation insurance and our liability insurance umbrella. Even though these items increase our overhead, it’s a smarter investment in the long run as we get better employees,” Aaron shared. Some of his staff have been in the painting trades their entire life and grew up with their fathers and uncles in the trade.

Aaron also added that it’s very important for people to know there are gray areas as to Pennsylvania state laws which come into play. Some companies consider anyone who works for them as a sub-contractor, which reduces their obligation and liability as a way to reduce cost and increase profit. One of the main problems with hiring these companies is the customer may not realize who is in their home—are they a company employee or a subcontracted one? Someone who is acting as a sub-contractor can bring anyone they want onto a project, regardless of criminal history or their experience to work the job. Another problem which most customers don’t think of is: what happens if someone working at their home is hurt on the job? If someone gets injured at your home and the company they hired doesn’t have worker’s compensation insurance, the customer can be held responsible. Be sure to ask these important questions as part of your hiring process.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE QUALITY OF THE PAINT?

Aaron says that paint quality is important if the customer is looking for longevity and durability with the finished product. However, consider a customer who owns rental properties—in that case, paint quality isn’t a huge concern because they have to repaint every time the units turn over. Knowing the proper materials to use on specific surfaces being coated is also a huge deal. If the wrong products are used you will ultimately be guaranteed failure of the coating. This is where having a professional can help the job get done right the first time.

ANY TIPS FOR HELPING READERS EVALUATE ESTIMATES/COSTS FOR HIRING A PAINTING PRO?

When customers are going through the process of getting quotes, Aaron says customers need to consider the following things: They should be clear in what they are looking for (scope of project, which rooms, etc.). They should have a budget in mind and share that with the contractors. Get quotes from similar companies—pricing will vary greatly if you get a quote from a company that has multiple employees vs. someone who operates as a solo painter. Another difference would be the speed at which a project would be completed. Do you need this project completed in a few weeks, months, or just a couple of days?

CONSIDER AN EPOXY COATING TO FRESHEN UP YOUR GARAGE, LAUNDRY ROOM, OR BASEMENT

There are many misconceptions about what an epoxy coating is. First, it is not simply floor paint! These coatings are complex thermogenic material which involves a lot of chemistry and training so it’s applied correctly. Epoxy coatings are durable and stand up to heavy traffic, they are also stain resistant, easy to clean, very low maintenance, and can make your concrete floors even stronger. Aaron said that once the construction of their headquarters is completed customers will be able to schedule an appointment to view all of these different epoxy floor coatings in a real-world setting.