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When Painting Means More...Our Recent Facility Manager/Charity Organization Job Experience

Updated: Oct 22, 2024




Learn more about OFILD here: https://www.ofild.ca/


Last month, September 2024, our teams completed a 2 project job for the exterior houses of Options for Independent Living in Hamilton, in the downtown core area off of Ray Street, near the Scottish Rite. Our experience was fantastic, and the team and I learned a lot in the process. 


We painted a large portion of the exterior trim, soffits, eaves, windows, and a deck. Full power washing, scraping, sanding, mudding, insulating foam, caulking, spot priming, and 2 coats Dulux and Sherwin Williams Exterior Paint, and more in some areas, was applied to the designated areas. With 6 various painters on the Hamilton site, in a continuous fashion, we were able to battle the elements and complete the project on time for Mike Power and his team. 


But it wasn’t just about the painting on this one…


Mike is a founder, facility manager, Executive Director, all hands on deck kind of client, and a style of client we love to do work for. Someone who manages an extreme amount of tasks just  talking with him, and does it truly for the people of the homes. The people of OFILD have disabilities, and the foundations mission is to help foster an environment for its occupants to live independently and have productive lives. I had a chance to chat with 2 of its tenants, and said hello to multiple caregivers and workers coming in and out of the buildings. What I noticed was just a lot of smiles, a lot of warm hearts, and a great respect for Mike around the buildings. Paint is just coloured glue on walls as I like to say, but it means so much more when we are able to tie in and finish work for people with warm hearts. A place where people who need it can feel safe, and comfortable to live in Hamilton. And I believe, this work will last years for the homes because of our detailed prep strategy. My hope is the thorough prep will save OFLID money down the line. 


How This Changes Us…


Well, on a technical level, this site was a reminder of painting safety. We were 40 plus feet up with an inability to get booms in, and we made it work, safely with high placed ladders. We were able to work on a fair price to be able to tackle these areas slowly, and methodically so the wood of the building can get the most life out of it. 


On the clientele side, it was a reminder as to why efficiency with our large crews matters in these commercial style settings. This is a place of solace, and development for people who need it, and our crews efficiency I believed contributed as to why we got the job done, and why our client was happy at the end. 


But that strategy happened because we spent roughly 4-5 hours pre job, post estimate, getting the correct colours, samples, and step by step site plans to tackle each area with the right ladders, to ensure our experienced site lead had all the necessary tools ready to get the work done. 


The last way in which this changes us is our hopeful impact from this article, to donate to OFLID. Places like these need funding, and care, to be able to run, and grow, as the needs of our community expand. Big hearts like Mike and his team need the support. So, with my highest recommendation, I have added a link at the top of this article, and here, to give a contribution to OFLID. 


Thanks for reading, and expect more to come from us. 


Chris, Monarch Finishing Director. 


Phone Number for OFILD: (905)-540-1903

Website: oflid.ca


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