Old Time Quality Painting Company Profile

n 1976 Dan Murphy and his partner were in their early twenties when they first started Old Time Quality Painting . The moniker drew some derision from some of the more established painting contractors in the area at that time; they laughed at the two young pups starting something called Old Time Quality Painting.

But that name underscores the vision they had for their young company: old-fashioned workmanship, old-fashioned quality and old-fashioned customer service. "I've always been a detail-oriented person," said Dan, who bought his partner's share of the company in 1981 and has been the sole-proprietor ever since. "To me, the way to do something is to do it right the first time. It's about keeping my customers happy and delivering quality on each and every job."

Old-Fashioned Quality and Customer Service
For the most part, Dan Murphy and his crew really do work in an old-fashioned way. While many paint jobs are undertaken with paint sprayers, the vast majority of Old Time Quality Painting's work is done with brushes and rollers. Over the years Dan and his crew have cultivated higher-end clients who want more than just a spray-and-go job. In fact, most of their jobs involve multiple color schemes, precluding the use of sprayers. "We do a lot of houses with multiple colors," said Dan. "We take our time, working with the clients and sometimes with their designers. Often I work as the color consultant with my clients. I've been doing this for 30 years and I have a good eye for color."

Color Consulting
Dan Murphy lets his clients choose their colors, then consults with them-guides them might be a better way to put it-when he can see that certain palates might not work. "When I see something that might work better, I suggest it to them," said Dan. "And if I see something that isn't going to work at all, I try to help them find a better combination of colors that will do what I think they're trying to do. Ultimately it's their decision, of course, but I am often able to help a lot."

A Neat, Clean, Respectful Crew
Dan Murphy has anywhere from two to four employees at any given time at Old Time Quality Painting. His crew is "well-presented," wear clean clothes and offer an overall neat, clean appearance. "My guys have to be conscientious, reliable, not use foul language or listen to loud music on the site; they need to be able to communicate with the client if I'm not there. I only hire the ones who fit all these things," said Dan.

After 30-something years in the business, Dan still takes great pride in his good relationships with his clients. "When I get a referral, that means the client who referred me trusts me and that always feels good," he said. "I'm very particular and I tend to draw that type of clientele. I have clients who have called me to paint their homes two and three times over the years. That kind of trust and feeling of safety is what we've always been about. We're very customer oriented, with a great deal of personal touch and respect for our clients' homes. We plan the job in a way to have the least impact on their lives. Sixty percent of what we do is interior work, so we have to be very careful of their homes. We always leave them clean."

When he's not painting, Dan Murphy coaches girl's softball leagues and sponsors teams as well. He has volunteered his time and expertise to helping paint a home for an elderly person in need as a part of the "Rebuilding Together" organization.

Old Time Quality Painting: The name says it all.


---Jim Brumm
Staff Writer
The Prime Buyer's Report