The Painting & Decorating Show

Joel Bardall and Todd Von Joel look back at the decorating jobs that went wrong, became a nightmare, or simply turned out to be far more trouble than they were worth.

They’re joined by decorators Ashley Woodcock and Heather Isherwood to hear about the jobs they’d never want to take on again, the challenges they’ve faced on site, the moments they’ve come close to giving up, and the worst things they’ve experienced with customers and projects.

Joel and Todd also share some of their own examples - both within the trade and before they got into Painting & Decorating!

Todd Von Joel and Joel Bardall tackle the paperwork, admin and other jobs that come with running a trade business.

Todd admits he’s been struggling with a mental block when it comes to keeping on top of the back end of his business, so they speak to fellow business owners Chris Ordinaire and Danny Webb about how they manage everything from invoicing and quotes to bookkeeping, emails, ordering materials and keeping records.

They share the systems they’ve developed, what they’ve learned through trial and error, and some of the common traps that can make business admin even more difficult.

From dealing with customers who want to watch you work, colour-matching between different brands and damaged dust sheets, to awkward cancellations, cash payments, van damage, negotiating discounts and accidentally sending a message about a customer to the customer themselves...

Joel Bardall and Todd Von Joel discuss what they would do in each situation, drawing on their own experiences and debating where they would draw the line.

Joel Bardall and Todd Von Joel are joined by Jason Savage of Novitas Decorators, a successful South East London-based painting and decorating business.

Jason talks about growing his business, taking on and managing a team of decorators, the challenges that come with running a busy decorating company, and the positives of bringing other people into the business.

The conversation also gets into Jason’s specialist work, including Lincrusta, high-end wallpapering and spraying, as well as the courses and upskilling that have helped him develop his skills and take on more specialist projects.

Finally, Joel, Todd and Jason discuss reputation — from word of mouth and social media to Google reviews — and how building a strong online presence can help generate new business and attract the right kind of clients.A great episode for decorators looking to grow their business.

Joel Bardall and Todd Von Joel look into some new products, tools, workwear, materials and ideas that are on the market, that some in the trade might not be aware of.

Wayne De Wet, who is well known for his honest reviews and product testing joins the show to give an exclusive on workwear and shares an insight into good uses of new materials and finishes. 

Ryan Painter from Rocket Decorating shares some paints that have surprised him recently and more.