Would You Pay for This? - Akron,OH

Updated on September 01, 2011
H.V. asks from Akron, OH
28 answers

This is in NO way an advertisement or promotion of any kind. Just a curiosity question.

I've been thinking about starting a business for designing and painting kids and baby rooms. I've been putting together a "portfolio" of sorts filled with all kinds of custom critters and designs.
I did it before for friends of mine. Like designed a teddy bear room and painted them on certain walls.
What I'm curious about is if anyone would actually pay for this to be done. I'm wondering if this is a smart decision to get into doing this, or If I'm not going to get any work at all.

So, for curiosity sake, Would You pay someone to come into your house, with their own supplies, and paint your kids room?
And the design could be anything, cartoons, vehicles, themes etc

To be honest, I've been wanting to do this for years, just been distracted with kids. I wouldn't even know WHAT to charge or how to get started, lol

Well there is a LOT I would have to think about. I wouldn't know what a "fair" price would be. I could do flat rates, could do it where the customer pays for supplies. So MUCH to think about, this is still in the "thinking" phase

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So What Happened?

@ Riley: I was thinking about doing that too! I did a HUGE sun painting for a friend of my mom. She lived in a condo and wanted it to be able to travel with her. So voila HUGE canvas haha.

Featured Answers

H.G.

answers from Dallas on

Yes I would. I don't have a artistic bone in my body. And I love how that looks. My favorite thing is to see the child's name painted all pretty on the wall. Love me some razzle dazzle!

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A.W.

answers from Kalamazoo on

Yes! People pay other people to paint their homes all the time! One of my friends is a painter (he doesn't do themes :) I would see what the going rate is to just paint a room and then charge more on top of that depending on how elaborate the design they want is, time involved etc.

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L.L.

answers from Rochester on

I do custom painting and yes, people pay for it. I haven't been able to do a big job in years because of young children and time restraints, but people pay for those, too.

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J.S.

answers from Jacksonville on

If we weren't renting and it wasn't ridiculously expensive, then yeah. I have always wanted a great big mural of the Winnie the Pooh cast in and around a big tree. Instead I got the wall stickers. Which is still really cute, but not what I had in my head. :)

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

If I had the money, I would certainly pay someone to put a mural on my child's wall. I have a very artistic friend who did her own son's room and it's fantastic. I don't have her talent.

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C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

YES!!! I had wanted my cousin, who is a wonderful artist, to come and paint my son's nursery - 100 Acre Wood Theme...unfortunately, we couldn't get timing worked out (she lives in Montana and I'm in VA!!)

But yeah - I would pay to have someone do this!

GOOD LUCK!!

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J.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

My SIL is an artist and has done this before. She did murals for a daycare, too. You will get work if you advertise and market yourself. There are a lot of people who want an artist to to this kind of thing but don't know one or how to find one. Create an ad and contact local daycares, preschools, pediatric offices and such with a flyer and card. You should advertise in the paper and have a listing in the phonebook and online. This gets pricey, but that's why people take out small business loans. I hope you go for in! If I had the talent, I definitely would!

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S.M.

answers from Kansas City on

I think it depends on a few things. 1), I rarely have a lot of cash at one time. I would think that a design could take time to create. So would you be willing to have people pay you by the day and paint it over a few weeks so that they can make payments? I imagine a lot of people are cash poor like me :)

2) Can you give some aprox prices? I'm really just curious. I don't live near you. But if I ever did something like this, it would be nice to have an idea of what it would cost.

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S.Q.

answers from Los Angeles on

No I wouldn't. I couldn't afford such a frivolity, as nice as it may be.

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E.T.

answers from Albuquerque on

Yes, I absolutely would. We're trying to figure out right now how to paint the things our girls have asked for on their playroom walls (trees, animals, etc.). If I knew someone who could do that for us and not charge a fortune I'd sign right up!

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Myself? No. Because I can do it myself. Paint isn't my favorite medium, but I can do murals.

HOWEVER; Almost everyone I know would be thrilled to be able to hire someone to do the same. Most people hire painters for even just basic color; much less biplanes and dragons and lady bugs and fairies. Those things are just *scary* for so many people even if they can do them, but most can't.

HINT: There are soooooo many people in apartments. Something I've been toying with for awhile is something I did for my son's room (we spent his first 5 years in apartments). I went out and bought a ton of unstretched canvass (not literally). Measured the walls, and did a mural on canvas as an "accent wall". Then I just nailed it up. When it was time to leave I just used spackle in the nail holes. Voila.

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J.T.

answers from Chicago on

Yes! You should definitely go for it!!!

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S.J.

answers from St. Louis on

I so would!! Where were you nine months ago!?

Good luck!

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B.

answers from Augusta on

I totally would , my daughter wants a rock and roll room, that's going to be an adventure to do.

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R.F.

answers from Dallas on

I probably wouldn't be able to afford it, but LOVE the idea. And don't limit yourself to houses - almost all pediatric doctor offices have some sort of mural on their walls!

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

There is definitely a market for this.
Personally, I'd do this type of thing myself, but I'm sure there are parents who would pay for exactly what they want.
The most important thing for YOU is to find your "niche" market.
Leave info at baby boutiques, places that moms frequent, etc.
A "must read" for anyone seeking to promote or advertise their business: Guerrilla Marketing website! Jay Conrad Levinson
Best of luck!

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A.G.

answers from Houston on

Doing murals on kids bedrooms was how i supported myself in my late teenage years. My murals were under priced i would do a whole wall for 350, a character for a 100, and little designs all over for 150. I used to paint restaurants and other parts of peoples houses too but kids bedrooms were most of my business. I never made the customer pay for supplies i just added it in. If i did it now i imagine id advertise on f/b and twitter and have a digital menu of possibilities showing all my work. Back then it was only word of mouth, i didnt even have a cell phone or business cards, but i paid rent on it for over a year before i gave up and worked at bars, lol. So someone older with better advertising techniques could certainly pull in a little cash flow id assume.

You can save money on supplies by buying "oops paint" at lowes or walmart or home depot (its paint that gets mixed that the customer decides they dont want, it is put aside and marked 50 to 90% off)

I used to use empty ketchup and mustard bottles to hold my paint and carried baby wipes for easy cleanup.

Now i just paint my own kids rooms and art. I also paint for money but its just bar-room art and restoration.

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K.K.

answers from Dallas on

I know in this neck of the woods it was popular a few years ago. You can could possibly contact some pediatricians to do their walls, and get the word out that way.

S.R.

answers from Kansas City on

Yes!

It would have to be reasonable though, like under $500ish.

Also ince you said you would be going with your own supplies I would assume that we wouldn't be paying you for the paint, brushes, rollers and things like that. Just paying you for your painting and time.

T.L.

answers from St. Louis on

I did pay someone to do this for our new nursery. We have two huge paintings on the walls. I love them and it was worth every penny.

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S.B.

answers from Savannah on

I would if it was affordable. I know my stepmom & Dad paid to have someone come into their house to paint my girls bedroom in their house (and this lady had done all their friends houses for the grandkids rooms).

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J.C.

answers from Cleveland on

I wouldn't, because I can do it myself, and my sister is an artist, also.

And I doubt that anyone is going to pay to have something like this done at this point in the economy. But once the economy picks up, I'll bet there are people who would pay for it. Though I suspect it's one of those things that you wouldn't be able to charge enough for the amount of time and effort it would take you.

Good for you for doing your market research first!

J.F.

answers from Cleveland on

I'm not in the market for this but if I were I'd buy for the right price. I'd also refer you out. I run a daycare and also have a diaper wreath business so could do referrals. I think putting together a great portfolio of examples of your work would be a must that I'd like to see if I were a potential customer. Also would like to know specifics on the types of paints, etc you use (make sure the murals would last well). And I also think you'd be wise to supply all your own paints and supplies. Easier to keep track of financially for yourself and also then you KNOW the quality being used.

R.B.

answers from La Crosse on

Yes people will pay for this, especially first time parents getting thier nurseries ready.

My husband has painted 4 rooms for friends of his and has charged them barely anything thing other than the supplies as it was for friends. Through words of mouth he has gotten other requests from people. In thier painting prices he included the paint and charged $10 an hour. In the estimate he always estimated 2-3 hours more in case of difficulties and explained that to them... the just in case.

Good luck!! Once you get your name out there Im sure you will do just fine :)

another option for down times in rooms have you thought about widening your options to create other things? Like right now my hubby is painting a sandwich board sign for where I work with their logo and other designs on it. He is going to paint a design on thier fence and along one wall inside. My boss was thrilled to have him do it. As it looks "professional" and he is getting it and 1/2 the cost.

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

Yes, If I were able to afford it. Meaning... if your rates were reasonable. I am not someone who would pay $500 for wall decor in a baby room. I have no idea what sort of time/expense would be involved on your end, so what rate would make it worth it/profitable to YOU.
I know I considered trying that myself for my son's room (I wanted to paint a tree on a corner wall, trunk starting at the baseboard, then going up to green branches---like Pooh Corner..his room was Pooh)...but I was afraid. Very afraid... lol. I wouldn't have paid more than $100 or so for it though. Because I would know that it would only be there a short time then be painted over, and it isn't something I could ever take with me or reuse somewhere else, or sell.

A.!.

answers from Detroit on

I would! A few years ago Iwas looking for someone to paint my daughters furniture.

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A.F.

answers from Fargo on

Absolutely! I think it's a smart decision. There is a man in our area that does custom painting and he has business backed up for months!

Good luck!

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L.M.

answers from New York on

I wouldn't pay for that kind of service, but that's just me. Unless there are unusal circumstances, I just won't pay someone to do something I can do myself.

However, I believe that there are many families who would pay for this type of service. You just have to make sure your in the right neighborhood and marketing to the correct people.

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