Raising rates on exterior jobs in Chicago - pissed at the pushback

I'm in the Chicago area, been painting residential exteriors for 10 years now, and I'm done charging $4500 for a full house paint job with two coats of Sherwin-Williams Duration. Clients act like the sky is falling when I quote $5500 this season, but paint prices are up 20% and my crew's gotta eat. Anyone else dealing with this BS from homeowners who think we're still in 2019?

Don't raise it without updating your Google Business Profile first - clients see old quotes there and freak out.

We hit $200k revenue last year by niching into historic home restores in the midwest.

Man, I feel that. My last exterior in the burbs, guy haggled me down to $4800 and then complained about brush marks.

Bump your profile reviews, mention the rate increase due to quality paints like Emerald - clients pay for what they see.

Never undersell exteriors, had a callback on a cheap job that cost me $2k in fixes.

Insurance rates for painters are insane now, especially after that windstorm season - pass it on or go broke.

Same crap, my crew and I were finishing a trim job when the HO started negotiating like it's a flea market.

Use GMB posts to announce the change - 'New rates reflect premium materials for lasting results.' Worked for my buddy's crew.

Target commercial gigs instead, schools and offices don't bat an eye at $10/sq ft for interiors.

This is why I left residential, too many cheapskates who DIY and ruin their own siding.

Ugh, just quoted a two-story in Evanston at $5200, client ghosted me after seeing the number.

List competitors' rates vaguely on your site, makes yours look reasonable by comparison.

Sucks, but yeah, material costs killing us all. Sherwin-Williams up 15% again.

In the Painters Lounge FB group, everyone's venting about this - time to unionize or something.

My rates jumped to $150/hr for cut-ins, no more lowballing.

PE firms buying up supply chains, jacking prices on everything from drop cloths to rollers.

Solid advice, I'll tweak my GMB tonight.

Hate these clients who comparison shop on Angi then cry poverty.

We made bank on a neighborhood referral chain, all exteriors at new rates - no pushback.

Insurance hikes are the real killer, $15k/year now for my small op.

Same boat, quoted $4800 for a ranch style and got called greedy.

Haha, had a guy offer me beer instead of the full $5000 - cheers to that.