Paint Spills: The True Cost of Trashing the Floor

Are you doing enough to protect your customers’ floors while you renovate?

Sure, you might cover them with a drop cloth. But is that enough to cover your a** should anything get dropped or dragged and damage the floor?

That’s what insurance is for right?

Well yes, insurance might cover the cost of any repair work, but it’s not always that simple!

Let’s get hypothetical, what if...

Paint gets spilled on carpet

• You kick over a bucket of paint. Dang!
• You try to clean it off but can’t. Bugger! (20 min)
• You have to explain the situation to the homeowner. Sorry! (10 min)
• Then you need to deal with the insurance company, get quotes, make other arrangements. Grrr! (2 hours)
• Probably can’t get an exact match so a larger area has to be replaced.
• Carpet gets installed. (1 week - 6 weeks delay to project completion)
• Lots of inconvenience for the homeowner, your customer (or ex-customer!).
  

Concrete floor gets chipped

• You drop a tool and the polished concrete floor gets chipped.
• You have to explain the situation to the homeowner. Terribly sorry! (10 min)
• The floor needs to be re-ground and re-sealed. Argh! (days)
• You deal with the insurance company, get quotes, make other arrangements. Grrr! (2 hours)
• Grinding is a messy job! Thought: must not drop tools next time
• Project delays and re-work
• Huge inconvenience for the homeowner, your customer (possibly not any more).
  

Will builders insurance cover floor damage?

Not really. The insurance excess will be $400 - $1000 depending on the policy. You’ve wasted about two and a half hours of your time (conservatively).  The project is delayed by a number of weeks which creates an opportunity cost somewhere down the line (for you and any other tradies on the job). The owner, your customer, is angry and the inconvenience will over shadow your good work.

And, you’re wishing you had special powers to go back in time and not kick that bucket or drop that hammer!

Protect the floor (and your reputation)

Now you’re probably thinking more seriously about protecting your floors...

Ovaboard temporary floor protection offers the best level of protection from liquid spills and impact damage. It’s easy to handle and safe to work on and most importantly minimises your risks and re-work.

This pearl of wisdom brought to you by Ovaboard. Ovaboard temporary floor protection protects floors while you work. Learn more about us.

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