Parking is a part of the car infrastructure that we rarely think about. However, parking lots are crucial because many of our car trips begin or end in a parking lot. It seems easy to draw a lot, but you will be surprised how much money you can make doing this job.
Colin Patterson, who makes his living maintaining and painting car parks, is responsible for planning all the work that needs to be done. He posts videos of his work on YouTube, covering everything from repairing residential driveways to complex commercial car park layouts. The channel specialises in engaging videos showing how paint and adhesive are expertly applied exactly where they need to be.
Use professional equipment to paint those straight white lines. Colin’s video shows off his skills with his nifty wheeled spray cart or “striping machine” and it’s a joy to watch.
In just one pass, the striping machine lays down a thick layer of paint that contrasts beautifully with the dark asphalt underneath. The same tool is used for other colours, such as blue for handicapped spaces and green for electric vehicle charging points. Colin also recommends the entry-level striping machine for beginners – he calls it a “money-making machine”.
Regardless of the color, road marking paint only needs to be applied in one thick layer. Applying one layer allows you to complete the job quickly and avoid costly mistakes that can occur due to unevenness when applying multiple layers of paint.
Sure, in most jurisdictions, marking city streets is the responsibility of local transportation departments. But when it comes to parking lots near shopping malls, stadiums, warehouses, or other businesses, that’s a personal matter. That’s where companies like Colin come in.
But what’s really interesting about Colin’s channel is the money. Sometimes Colin likes to go through each task one by one, explaining how much money you can make if you do a good job. He used to work as a pizza delivery driver. However, judging by his videos, he makes more money painting parking lots.
He described how one job paid $28,000. This included sealing 100,000 square feet of parking (at 20 cents per square foot), sealing 3,000 feet of cracks (at $1 per foot), and laying 4,000 feet of 4-inch line (at 75 cents per foot). Also included was a general layout and drawing templates for several reserved spaces ($2,000).
It sounds like a lot of work, but Colin and his team completed it in three days. With the cost of materials ($7,328) and labor ($2,688), the profit on the job was $17,984. If you can do that, great.
Colin’s work involves more than just painting car parks. An important part of the business is also sealcoating driveways and filling cracks. All of this is part of providing customers with a practical parking infrastructure. And that’s what they ultimately pay for.
Much of the work also involves taking the needs of the client into account. Commercial painting jobs are usually completed after hours. Large jobs are also often broken down into “stages,” where some areas are left empty while crews paint other areas.
Overall, making money painting parking lots isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. You need the right equipment, the right skills, and the ability to find and do high-paying work. However, as Colin shows, maintaining the nation’s parking infrastructure can be extremely rewarding if you know what you’re doing.
It seems like something I could do to make good money, but I’m afraid I’ll paint myself into a corner
Post time: Mar-03-2025