SIGN UP FOR A TASTE OF COACHING HERE 👇👇👇 Get coaching with SCOTT LOLLAR here Get coaching with RICK HOLTZ here ******************************General contractors often get a bad reputation in the painting industry. Many painting contractors have dealt with slow payments, unrealistic schedules, disorganized jobsites, scope creep, and pressure to do extra work without approval. But does that mean GC work should be avoided altogether? In this episode of Success Beyond The Brush, Scott Lollar is joined by C4C coach and Holtz & Son owner Rick Holtz for a practical conversation about how painting contractors can build profitable relationships with general contractors. Rick shares how his company began working with remodelers and builders as part of a broader strategy to protect territory, create year-round work, and serve high-value neighborhoods more consistently. He also explains the hard lessons learned along the way, including a costly $11,000 mistake that reinforced the importance of reading plans carefully and clearly defining exclusions. Scott and Rick discuss what makes GC work different from residential repaint work, why communication and trust are essential, and how contractors can avoid getting trapped by unclear scope, rushed timelines, and delayed payments. In This Episode Scott and Rick discuss: Why not all general contractors should be stereotyped as bad clients How GC work can help painting companies smooth out seasonal peaks and valleys Why trust is the most important part of the GC/subcontractor relationship How to find and develop relationships with good builders and remodelers How to vet a new general contractor before agreeing to bid Why jobsite cleanliness and organization reveal a lot about a GC The importance of clear inclusions, exclusions, and drawing dates How scope creep happens when teams get caught up in jobsite momentum Why touch-up work can become one of the biggest gray areas How to train field teams to stop and request approval for extra work Why GC projects require the right project manager and the right onsite lead How to support younger crew leaders so they are not left on an island How to break large projects into smaller, manageable sections How to handle accelerated schedules and overtime requests Why cash flow planning is critical when doing GC work Why painting contractors should discuss payment terms before accepting the job Key Takeaway Working with general contractors can be profitable, but only if painting contractors approach it intentionally. The right GC relationships can create steady work, open doors in valuable markets, and support year-round employment. But contractors need strong estimating, clear scope language, trained field leaders, active project management, and disciplined cash flow practices to make it work. GC work is not something to jump into blindly. Start small, vet carefully, set expectations early, and protect your company before the first crew ever arrives on site. 🔗 Links from This Episode ✨ Free Discovery Call with Scott Lollar 👉 https://consulting4contractors.com/discovery-call/ ✨ Free Discovery Call with Rick Holtz 👉 https://calendly.com/rick-fjo/60min 🏗️ Consulting 4 Contractors Website 👉 https://consulting4contractors.com/ ⚙️ Operations Module Demo Video (YouTube) 👉 https://youtu.be/0IUmPWk4GRI ✌️ Operations Module 2.0 Update Video (YouTube) 👉 https://youtu.be/JTHtbLXyMBI 📲 C4C on Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/consulting4contractors/ 👥 C4C Facebook Community 👉 https://www.facebook.com/consulting4contractors/ 💼 C4C on LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/70241567 📧 Want to Be a Guest? Send us an email → info@c4c.team 🎧 Credits 🎙️ Hosts:Scott Lollar — Founder, Consulting4ContractorsRick Holtz - President, H.J. Holtz & Sons, Inc., Richmond, VA 🎵 Production:Siren Mastering — Original music, artwork, transcripts, show notes & audio engineeringhttps://www.sirenmastering.com (00:00) - Taste of Coaching Offer (00:43) - Hard Lessons on Scope (01:23) - Welcome to Success Beyond The Brush (04:11) - Can GCs Be Profitable (05:46) - Finding the Right GCs (07:24) - Territory and Year Round Work (09:06) - Bumps Bruises and Red Flags (11:10) - Vetting New Contractors (12:52) - Jobsite Checks and Communication (16:16) - Touch Ups and Change Orders (17:05) - Training Crews for GC Work (19:27) - Check Out "A Taste Of Coaching" from C4C! (20:49) - Segue Into Bidding Contracts (21:04) - Exclusions Save You (22:28) - Avoid Vague Scope (23:38) - Track Drawing Revisions (25:07) - Scope Creep Reality (26:14) - Project Management Roles (28:04) - Soft Skills On Site (30:26) - Handling Schedule Crunch (31:34) - Standing Up To Bullies (33:12) - Support Young Leaders (34:56) - Break Big Jobs Down (36:32) - Cash Flow And Getting Paid (38:19) - Payment Terms And Cutoffs (41:21) - Start Small And Scale (41:57) - Final Takeaways (43:08) - Thanks For Listening To Success Beyond The Brush!
