Raising rates on commercial jobs but clients balking at Benjamin Moore prices

Saw this facebook post in Painting Contractors group about starting a painting business and everyone was talking growth strategies, but nobody mentioned the rate hikes we gotta do just to cover premium paint costs. I just bumped my commercial rates to $4.50/sq ft because Benjamin Moore Emerald is the only thing that holds up on those big office interiors without chipping in a year, and half my clients are whining about it like I'm robbing them. FML, how do you guys handle the pushback without losing the accounts?

same here man, every time i try to explain the quality difference they act like paint is paint.

told a client 'you get what you pay for' and he laughed then fired me. worth it tho lol

clients acting shocked at higher rates is the funniest part, like they forgot inflation exists.

itemized the quote so they see the paint alone is $1k more for Benjamin Moore vs generic. worked for me twice now.

use emerald urethane for those jobs, its tougher and justifies the upcharge every time.

bundle it with prep work in the quote, makes the rate increase feel like part of a package deal.

screw these commercial clients, they lowball everyone then cry when the job looks like crap.

tried raising to $5/sq ft last year and lost three bids, had to drop back down. pissed me off.

PE firms buying up painting outfits and jacking rates for everyone, hate how its screwing the little guys like us.

pushed through a 20% hike on my commercial strip mall jobs using duration paint and hit 6 figures easy this year.

sherwin williams duration is overrated for commercial, stick with ben moore and charge what its worth. fight me on that.