According to point-of-sale software provider Vend, independent retailers globally earned an average of USD 28,094 per month in 2019. This average went up or down depending on geographic location (the retailers in North America made more than the retailers in the United Kingdom) and industry (furniture stores earned more than electronics stores).
This is not a discussion of how much stores earn, however. The point is if you are a retailer and you close your doors so your painting contractor can apply textured concrete paint on your walls, you will lose money.
An average retailer stands to lose USD 936.47 every day its doors are closed. Meanwhile, a furniture store that makes an average of USD 42,478.98 per month will suffer a loss of USD 1,415.97 per day of closure.
Revenues are far from linear, too. Stores make variable amounts per day. What if the day the furniture store closes for repainting is the day it would have made USD 10,000 in sales?
Moreover, repainting never takes just one day. Painters need to strip the walls of old paint. Next, they have to repair holes, gaps, and cracks with putty and sand over the repaired areas. Finally, they must apply primer, and at least two coats of interior paint finishes for walls. There are drying times in between coating applications, too.
All in all, it can take three days or longer to finish an interior repainting project. That's three days or more of lost revenues.
This is why you must try to keep your doors open while repainting your interiors. Read on for tips on how you can do that.
1. Check Local Regulations
Check your municipality's local building regulations. Does the law allow you to remain open while you repaint your interiors?
If your local government prohibits repainting work from proceeding in the presence of customers and employees, you will have no choice but to stop operations. If the law makes no such prohibition, you can continue operating while your contractor applies decorative wall finishes on your interior.
Even then, you must be careful to check if specific building guidelines apply to your interior wall repainting project. You may have to get a permit before you can repaint your walls. There may also be minimum air quality and ventilation requirements that you must follow to ensure the government will not shut you down.
Tip: Entrust your interior wall design and painting project to an experienced contractor. A professional provider can help you obtain the required permits, ensure your project complies with existing regulations, and provide a satisfying outcome.
2. Choose the Least Busy Season
To minimize potential fall-out from your repainting project, do it during the slow season.
Track your store's rhythm to know when business is brisk and when it is slow. For instance, sales in apparel stores can be particularly sluggish in January, June, and July. If that's the case, you can time your repainting project to coincide with a slow month.
You can be even more precise. If you have been tracking your sales data for years, you will know when your slowest week is. You can schedule your interior repainting plan then.
3. Take the Segmented Approach
You should divide your store into small sections and work on one area at a time. For instance, you can begin repainting the wall opposite the entryway, the farthest wall. You can move to another wall after the back wall has been completed.
The same rule applies if you're working on decorative concrete floors. Divide the floor into segments and work on one section at a time.
The contractor must complete the work on a section before beginning work on another area. In other words, the wall must be stripped of old paint, treated, prepped, primed, painted, and finished all in one go. Only then can the contractor move to the next section.
4. Rearrange the Space and Designate a Buffer Zone
However, before applying wall paint or decorative epoxy flooring on any section, you need to rearrange your space. At the very least, you have to remove your merchandise from the area scheduled for renovation.
To minimize the inconvenience to customers and employees, set up a buffer zone between the section being renovated and the rest of your store.
5. Protect Your Employees and Customers
Make sure to go above and beyond regulations to ensure the safety of your employees and customers. The least you can do is provide ample ventilation so that your customers will not be subject to unhealthy levels of paint fumes. You should also use odorless products and wall finishes that comply with the strictest environmental standards.
Keep Your Business Running While Repainting
Does your store need a new look? Dressing your walls with decorative paints or giving your floors a unique design and finish is a quick way to do this.
You can even continue operating while your interior walls and floors get a fresh coat of paint. Just follow the tips above.
We provide a range of decorative wall paints and floor finishes that comply with the most rigorous safety and environmental standards. Contact us for our recommendations.