Most small businesses begin with some mixture of a grand (but poorly devised) plan and the simple belief that there’s a better way to do something. Floor Works was no different.
Yes, we said Floor Works. In 2007, founder Marc Ringel was wrapping up three years working with a wood-floor contractor he had met while teaching math at the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan. After those three very interesting years with an old-school Manhattan contractor, Marc felt that there was a better way to serve up the New York City contracting experience. He started in his specialty of wood floors but quickly expanded the company’s services to painting when the economic climate started changing, and Paint Works was born.
Like almost everything in life, the company that is now Paint Works has changed significantly since its inception in 2007. One thing that has stayed the same are the principles upon which it was founded, or our core values. All decisions made in the company are based on these tenets:
Exceptional People. We employ, as well as collaborate with, only the most exceptional people in our field. This can mean creative thinkers bringing interesting projects to the table or a tradesperson with an unusual skill set and eye for detail.
Evolved Spaces. Crafting (and changing) beautiful interiors is what we do, but refining ourselves and evolving as people (and a team) is equally as important. This could be trying a new application/installation technique or just giving one of our part-time college students more flexible hours so they can study a little more and get that A in chemistry.
Enduring Relationships. Bill Clinton is famous for saying “it’s the economy, stupid.” We feel that “it’s the people, stupid.” We’re in this for the long run, and we think the numbers speak for themselves:
+ 92.6% of our projects come from referral or repeat clients.
+ On average, our full-time employees have been with us a little more than 5 years.
+ The specialty subcontractors we use have worked with the company for 7+ years and some since its inception in 2007.
The Team
To provide extraordinary service, you've got to hire extraordinary people. Meet the Paint Works team.
Marc Ringel, Founder and President
Why is Paint Works such an organized, detailed-oriented business? It just might be Marc's background as a computer science and applied math major. When he's not working with our clients, you might find Marc doing a sun salutation on his yoga mat or rock climbing. Ask him about what he's reading (he devours everything from the Tao Te Ching to the latest business book) and about when he lived in Maine and made snow.
Support Team
Our support team members successfully complete our 25- point training program. They take care of tasks like packing out projects, finding specialty items in a bind and providing support for our field team so that they can get projects done on schedule.
We’ve found college students are a perfect fit for our support team: They appreciate the flexible hours that can accommodate a full class schedule. Since part of our company’s mission is helping our employees constantly learn, we’re pleased that working with us helps them pay their way through school. We’ve even given bonuses to help pay for books.
The team includes students like James, who studies business at Brooklyn College and loves snowboarding and music festivals, and Alex, an English major at Queens College, who’s a serious weightlifter and heavily involved with his fraternity’s projects.
Field Team
With over 100 years of cumulative experience, our field workers stick with us for the long run. All of our full-time crew members have been with us at least five years, and some have been with the company since its inception 10 years ago.
Each team has a crew leader who runs the project and attends to any details that might arise. Teams are always in touch with the office via our project management software.
We realize most projects are more complicated than just putting some paint on the walls. That’s why we keep people with other specialties on staff. While all of our members are highly trained painters, most of our crew members also have a sub-specialty:
Walter - sub-floor repair and wood floor installations
Jaime - plaster and trim restoration
Luis - tile installation and finish carpentry
Jorge - framing and brushed finishes
The newest addition to our team is Eric, who’s going through our training program for residential interior painting.
How We Work
We have a well-honed process to not only deliver outstanding quality, but also to give you peace of mind throughout the entire job. When you collaborate with Paint Works New York, you can expect:
Transparent Pricing
Our estimates break out every component of the location being painted — walls, ceiling, doors, windows, etc. You’ll always know where our numbers are coming from.
A Focus on Your Goals
At our first meeting, we’re totally focused on understanding what you want to achieve. We’ll cover your big-picture goals and make sure we have all the details worked out.
Pre-Project Meetings
Before we apply one drop of paint, you’ll walk through your project with the crew leader to confirm all plans.
Real-Time Collaboration
To keep complicated, longer projects on track, our team communicates using Trello, a free, cloud-based project management software.
Awards & Affiliations
