9 Ways Commercial Powder Coating Can Help Your Building Restoration and Curb Appeal
Learn how commercial powder coating can help your building restoration and curb appeal. Suburban neighborhoods and urban areas across America are being renovated at an astounding pace. And while the type of property upgrades will vary with location, there is a common goal shared by virtually every renovator: to maximize a property’s curb appeal while minimizing restoration costs. A growing number of property managers and remodelers across the tri-state area are turning to powder coating and other types of metal refinishing to breathe new life and beauty into new or aging buildings.
You will also discover the many ways that powder coating can transform a dated looking building while helping property managers retain the facility’s existing features and fixtures.
What are some barriers you may face when updating aging buildings?
The prospect of purchasing and updating an old building can be exciting – especially if you are able to secure the property at an attractive price. However, people sometimes underestimate the challenges that can come along with restoring an aging property. Failure to consider these challenges can cause you to exhaust your budget prematurely and perpetuate the cycle of deferred maintenance. Here are three key barriers you may face when updating an aging building.
1) High restoration costs
Remodeling a historic building in New York is expensive. A comprehensive renovation can cost up to $450 per square foot or more if your building has sustained any structural damage. Between skyrocketing labor expenses and the escalating cost of materials, you can quickly exceed your budget if you are not careful.
2) Missed deadlines
“Many who buy them (historic properties) are willing to invest the money to preserve, but the time element always catches them off guard because of the specialty trades and different types of craftsmen. I’ve seen it frustrate people.”
– Trey Strock, Strock Enterprises Design and Remodel
Housing remodel experts note that many buyers of historic homes and buildings underestimate the amount of time required to restore a historic property. Full-fledged renovations can take months or years to complete, and unexpected hurdles relating to permits and building codes can further delay the process.
3) Loss of income
These challenges outlined above can be particularly painful because you will probably not be able to use part or all of your building to generate income if a comprehensive remodel is underway. Even if you are working with flexible laborers who work at night and on the weekends, your property may not look presentable enough for you to receive visitors.
Why are renovators turning to commercial powder coating?
Seasoned and well-connected remodeling experts in New York are able to quickly assess the condition of your building alongside your budget and recommend a more cost-effective alternative to a comprehensive remodel. Here are some of the top nine reasons why New York’s most savvy property managers and restoration pros are turning to powder coating and other forms of metal restoration as a cost-effective way to improve the curb appeal of old buildings:
1) Fast results
Applying multiple coats of liquid paint is both labor-intensive and time-consuming. Powder coating’s quicker turnaround time allows you to complete a building upgrade faster and with fewer resources than wet painting. This will help you adhere to your scheduled deadlines so you can start generating income faster.
2) Affordable pricing
The upfront cost of metal refinishing may sometimes be a bit higher than liquid paint – especially for smaller projects. However, after factoring in the longevity of results and powder coating’s low maintenance finish, more remodelers than ever are turning to powder coating and other types of metal refinishing.
3) Sustainability
“The most sustainable thing we can do is to not build new stuff. I often say to a client, everything is an asset until we prove it otherwise. A lot of demolition doesn’t make sense.” – Peter Ireland, Architect with AJ+C
Metal refinishing is sustainability in its purest form. Powder coating, in particular, is rapidly becoming known as the sustainable option of the future. Rather than demolishing old fixtures, cabinetry, and hardware, metal refinishing can transform elements of an aging property rather than demolishing them. And because powder coating involves eco-friendly materials and environmentally-friendly procedures, it is no wonder that powder coating is helping remodelers meet green restoration goals while maximizing curb appeal.
4) Pristine results
Powder coating and other forms of metal refinishing deliver a level of precision that is second to none. The process is especially impressive when compared to liquid paint application. For example, the pull of gravity can cause liquid paint to run or drip, creating an uneven finish. Powder coating, on the other hand, offers a finish that is free of drips and runs because the powder is applied uniformly using an electrostatic spraying process.
5) Versatility
Powder coating’s versatility plays a key role in its growing popularity among building restoration specialists. It can be used to restore furniture, fixtures, plumbing components, sculptures, and more. And unlike liquid paint, you only need a single application when you use powder coating. Here are just a few of the many elements of a historic building that can be restored through powder coating:
- Worn stair railings
- Aging fences and gates
- Dated metalwork and metal stampings
- Old light fixtures and lighting products
- Indoor and outdoor furniture
- Worn plumbing fixtures
- Castings and tubings
- Fans and fan blades
- Old sculptures
- Aging cabinetry
6) Low maintenance
New York is known for its high building maintenance fees. For examples, residents living in a modest New York co-op can expect to pay about $1,500 per month in maintenance fees, a figure which pales in comparison to the total monthly cost to maintain an aging building.
As the cost of building maintenance and materials in New York continues to rise, a growing number of property managers are reducing long-term maintenance costs by using powder coating to refinish existing fixtures and furniture. And while they may be curbing maintenance costs, they are actually contributing to their building’s curb appeal.
Maintaining property restored through powder coating is fast, easy, and requires little in the way of equipment or supplies. In most cases, you can clean powder coated furniture by adding a few drops of mild detergent or liquid soap to a bucket of warm water and applying the solution to the surface of the fixture or furnishing. Gently rub the surface with a clean, lint-free cloth and then rinse and dry.
7) Commercial Powder Coating, Recommended by design engineers
“We feel powder coating is superior to paint and is the best choice in terms of price and quality. There are many advantages to powder coating our products over applying regular wet paint.” – Sparta Engineering
Engineers laud the properties of powder coating. Material science engineers, in particular, recommend powder coating for its solvent-free composition, its sustainability, and its recycling capabilities. Engineers also point to powder coating’s broad range of applications, which encompasses fixtures, appliances, equipment, and outdoor furnishings – all items which play a prominent role in restoring old buildings.
8) Customizability
Preserving a historic building’s character requires attention to detail during the restoration process. When you use powder coating and other forms of metal restoration to update an old building, you can request that your technician replicate the level of gloss originally featured on furnishings, fences, metalwork, and cabinetry.
9) Commercial Powder Coating, A luxurious touch
“A subtle sign of luxury is the ability to choose unusual colors for standard items like chair frames, railings, and fixtures. This is what powder coating can offer you, and a price far lower than commissioning custom pieces for your building… The fact that your unique color scheme can follow through several different fixture designs will only enhance the impression of cheerful luxury.” – TLC Metal Restoration
Creating a sense of luxury is often a top goal for remodeling specialists who restore old buildings. Commercial powder coating creates a luxurious environment at an affordable price. Powder coating enables you to create customized color schemes at an affordable price. Here are some of the many ways you can work with your powder coating technician to add a luxurious touch through customized colors:
- Bring a sample panel of the color you like
- Provide a high-resolution photo of a color that catches your eye
- Obtain a color code online to provide to your technician
As the cost of construction labor and materials continues to skyrocket in New York, powder coating and other forms of metal restoration are rapidly growing in popularity. In addition to delivering pristine results quickly, powder coating yields a luxurious, sustainable finish that is easy and affordable to maintain.
Contact the powder coating specialists at TLC to discover why New York’s top property managers turn to us to transform their outdated facilities and historic buildings. We are happy to provide you with a list of area property owners who have used our services and can attest to our results. We look forward to introducing you to our many metal restoration services and helping you maximize your aging building’s curb appeal!