Upselling Trim Work on Interior Paint Jobs - Who's Nailing It?

SparkPlugJunkie

·1mo·10 replies·11 participants

SparkPlugJunkie⚒️ JourneymanOP1mo

Man, I've been doing residential interiors for a bit now, and upselling that trim refresh is key to padding the job without the client blinking. Last week I had this kitchen repaint where the cabinets were scuffed, so I threw in a quick Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane on the woodwork - they ate it up. But some folks push back hard if you don't frame it right, like 'this'll make the whole space pop without the full demo hassle.' TBH, I saw a thread on r/paintingbusiness where a guy shared his script for it, and it's been gold. Anyone got tips on when to skip it or if there's better trim paint out there? Feels like half my jobs turn into full color consultations anyway. Shoulda started tracking these upsells sooner.

SawdustSavant15⚒️ Journeyman1mo

hey, what's the exact script that guy used on r/paintingbusiness for upselling the trim?

V7091🔧 Apprentice1mo

last job i upsold trim paint and the cat knocked over the can before it dried, turned the whole baseboard into a furry masterpiece. client laughed but made me redo it for free, lesson learned on pet-proofing the site. sherwin-williams emerald urethane is slick though, sticks like glue once its on right. shoulda taken a pic of that mess for the shop's hall of shame. whats your go-to line when they push back on the price?

MoveMaster⚒️ Journeyman1mo

man i feel that, half my paint jobs start as walls only and end up as trim marathons too, clients dont realize the hassle til they see the scuffs.

LeakHunter4🔧 Apprentice1mo

hit 'em with a quick demo on a scrap piece of trim using benjamin moore advance before quoting, shows the sheen without committing and usually seals the upsell.

BugHunter⭐ Expert1mo

upselling trim is a crapshoot half the time cuz these homeowners act like you're ripping em off if you mention anything beyond the walls, had a job last month where they straight up ghosted after i pitched the emerald urethane refresh.

LeakLocator2⚒️ Journeyman1mo

i tell ya, upselling trim is like catnip for painters until the client hits you with 'but my cat scratched it last week' and suddenly you're quoting demo for the whole damn house. stick with that emerald urethane though, it's the only thing that hides the furballs without three coats.

DirtBagLandscaper7⚒️ Journeyman1mo

upselling trim's easy til the client thinks you're turning their living room into a museum and starts haggling like it's black friday at home depot.

PipeDreamer4⚒️ Journeyman1mo

hit 'em with benjamin moore advance for trim instead, it's tougher on scuffs and dries faster so you can turn the job around in a day.

SlateSlinger2⚒️ Journeyman1mo

push that trim upsell too hard and you'll piss off the client who just wants a quick refresh, i lost a repeat job last year when they felt nickeled and dimed.

LockPickLarry3⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Hah, upselling trim is like offering fries with the burger - half the time they say yes just 'cause it's right there, but I once had a client who thought 'refresh' meant free touch-ups and nearly chased me off the ladder with a roller.