- Register as a sole proprietor or incorporate with BC Registries (~$40–$380)
- File your Richmond business licence ($150–$350/yr)
- Get general liability insurance
- Set your rates ($50–$85/hr, or room/project rates from $350 to $5,000+)
- Build a brand, website, and online booking
- Set up card payments and simple bookkeeping
- Launch a Google Business Profile focused on Richmond
A painter's market is their housing stock, and Richmond's is large single-family lots, newer estate homes, and a rapidly densifying City Centre. Estate-scale homes mean multi-week interior contracts — one Broadmoor repaint can anchor a whole month's revenue. The skills are the easy part; the business wrapper — registration, a Richmond licence, insurance, a real brand, and online booking — is what wins the job.
Why Richmond specifically
Richmond's estate-scale homes turn painting into project work: staged, multi-week interior contracts that anchor whole months, sold through a referral culture that rewards visible professionalism.
For a painter, the practical read is project-scale work: staged multi-week estate repaints that anchor entire months.
Where the work is: Estate-scale homes mean multi-week interior contracts — one Broadmoor repaint can anchor a whole month's revenue. Neighbourhoods like Steveston, Terra Nova, Broadmoor each have their own client base — your Google Business Profile and local pages should name them.
What it costs to start in Richmond
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| BC business registration (sole prop) | ~$40 |
| Name request fee | ~$30 |
| Richmond business licence | $150–$350/yr |
| General liability insurance | $500–$1,200/yr |
| Equipment & supplies | $800–$2,000 (sprayer, ladders, drop sheets, brushes) |
| Branding, website & booking setup | $0 DIY – $3,000+ agency |
Government fees change — confirm current amounts with BC Registries and the City of Richmond. Richmond's business licence fees run a little higher than neighbouring cities ($150–$350/yr depending on category) — Prontco prepares and files the application as part of every launch.
What you can earn
Expect to charge $50–$85/hr, or room/project rates from $350 to $5,000+ in this market. Solo operators who stay booked commonly reach $6,000–$12,000+ per month solo in season; the spread comes down to niche, area, and whether you look like a business worth premium rates. No trade certification required for residential painting in BC.
Let's name it
Here's the worry that stalls more Richmond launches than money ever does. “What if a client disputes the finish, or I damage floors or furniture?” A written scope, photo documentation, a liability waiver, and insurance handle it — every Prontco launch ships with the agreement and waiver professionally written.
Talk it through on a free callPainting Pricing Calculator
Work out what to charge before you quote your first job in Richmond. Set the job size, condition and the hourly rate you need to earn, and get a defensible number in seconds.
Open the calculator →Your first clients in Richmond — the painting playbook
- Quote estate homes by project phase (main floor, upper, exterior) — multi-week Broadmoor jobs land easier in stages.
- Offer scheduled maintenance repaint programs for large homes — Richmond owners keep properties pristine.
- Ask satisfied clients for a lawn-sign week; big-lot visibility on one street generates the next three quotes.
The shortcut
You can do all of this yourself over a few weeks of evenings. Or Prontco does the whole thing in about 10 business days — registration, your Richmond licence filing, brand, website with booking, payments, accounting setup, and 30 days of launch support. You own every account. From $997.
Related guides
How to start a painting business in BC · How to start a business in Richmond · The complete BC startup guide · Free calculators & checklists