Strata Painting in Richmond
Richmond's strata stock is a mix that reflects how the suburb has changed: 1960s and 1970s walk-up brick blocks, warehouse and factory conversions from the 1990s onward, newer infill apartment developments, and a large number of small townhouse complexes of four to twelve units. That last category is the one most often underserved, because small schemes are too small to interest a large commercial contractor and too complex for a domestic painter who has never worked to an owners corporation scope. They are a substantial share of the buildings we work on.
Small schemes are a different job
A six-unit townhouse complex has all the decision-making structure of a tower — an owners corporation, a committee or at least a set of owners who must agree, common property boundaries, insurance and compliance requirements — and none of the budget. A domestic painter will often quote it like a large house and miss the boundary questions entirely.
We scope small schemes properly but keep the documentation proportionate. A six-unit complex does not need a forty-page pack; it needs a clear scope, an explicit common property boundary, insurance evidence and a price that can be compared with two others.
Walk-up brick blocks
Richmond's 1960s and 1970s walk-ups are typically face brick with painted timber or steel windows, painted eaves and soffits, a shared entry and an open stairwell. The brickwork often needs nothing. The painted elements almost always do, and the balcony and stair steelwork is usually the real job.
This is the case where a whole-building repaint is frequently the wrong recommendation. Repainting only the elements that need it is a fraction of the cost and, on these buildings, achieves most of the visible improvement.
Warehouse conversions
Richmond has a lot of converted industrial stock. Solid masonry, original steel-framed windows, exposed internal structure and large volume common areas. The steel windows are the recurring issue — they rust from the frame outward and are often the single largest remedial item.
Newer infill developments
The recent small-to-mid apartment developments through Richmond are approaching their first external cycle. On these the useful conversation is usually about what actually needs doing now versus what can wait, because the answer is frequently less than the owners expect.
Parking and access
Richmond's streets are narrow and parking is constrained, which affects scaffold and vehicle access more than owners expect. We check it at inspection rather than discovering it on day one.
Common Questions
We are only a six-unit complex. Is that too small for you?
No. Small townhouse and walk-up schemes are a large part of what we do, and they are the ones most often quoted badly — either priced like a house with no regard for the common property boundary, or loaded with documentation a six-unit scheme does not need. We scope them properly and keep the paperwork proportionate.
Do we need to repaint the whole building?
Frequently not, especially on face brick walk-ups where the brickwork itself needs nothing. Repainting only the elements that have failed — eaves, soffits, windows, stair and balcony steel — is a fraction of the cost and achieves most of the visible improvement. We will tell you when that is the better recommendation.
Our building is a converted warehouse. Is that different?
Yes, mainly because of the steel. Original steel-framed windows and exposed structural steel corrode from the frame outward and are usually the largest remedial item, while the solid masonry may need little or nothing. The scope on a conversion looks quite different from a purpose-built block of the same age.
Other Areas We Serve
We also service these areas and offer these specialised services:
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