Since moving to the Capital District from New York City about 15 years ago, local proprietor Chris Tobin said he’s enjoyed upstate life and operating his business, American Painting.
“I wanted my son (Kevin) to be raised upstate, and my whole life I came upstate and spent my summers up here,” said Tobin. “I always looked forward to coming upstate to the Catskills.”
Tobin was an elevator technician when he lived in New York City, but he said he always dabbled in painting houses.
“When I moved upstate, I started the painting business because I was always painting. I’d been painting houses in the city since I was 16 years old,” said Tobin. “In my heart, I always wanted to start a painting business.”
Tobin said his business has “gotten a lot bigger” over the years, through the most simple means of advertising, word of mouth.
“Very good, honest reputation,” said Tobin, who credits a hard work ethic, quality products, and punctuality as the basis behind his success. “That’s very big for me, honesty and punctuality.
“When I say I’m going to be there, I’m going to be there,” said Tobin.
Tobin said the secret to performing a high-quality painting job is preparing the work site the right way and using a particular brand of paint.
“I believe it’s all in the prep work. I power wash everything I do, especially outside walls,” said Tobin. “And I believe in using Sherman Williams paint. It’s the elite paint. They last a long time, and they have a lifetime guarantee.”
Tobin also said he carefully selects the crew he works with on any job.
“The people who work for me have a lot of experience … and they’re trustworthy,” said Tobin. “I have two main guys and myself, but on a lot of jobs I usually have at least one more person … sometimes two.”
Tobin’s field of clients range from your average homeowner to churches to commercial developments. Local real estate agencies commonly trust him and his crew with projects to spruce up properties for re-sale.
American Painting addresses the needs of clients for both exterior and exterior projects. In addition to painting, Tobin’s crew can do sheetrock, power washing, deck work and flooring.
For a free estimate or for more information on American Painting, call 966-4238.
