Why Some Contractors Are Winning More Retail Projects (While Others Walk Away)

Today's Retail Construction Requires Custom Artwork

Walk into any new coffee shop or boutique, and you'll notice every design choice seems crafted to make customers pull out their phones. That's because it is.

Modern retailers know that when customers share photos of beautiful spaces with custom murals and hand-painted signage, it's free marketing that actually works. According to City Facilities Management, click-and-collect retail is growing 16.2% this year, hitting $154 billion.

San Bernardino Public School, San Bernardino, CA

The catch? These retail renovation projects need both standard commercial painting AND Instagram-worthy custom artwork.

"Retailers saw an acceleration of existing trends due to the pandemic and I think we'll continue to see rapid change as a permanent characteristic of the market." - Bill Lawrence, VP of Program Management at City Building Engineering Services

‍1. Commercial Painting Profit Margins Increase Dramatically

Traditional commercial painting and retail projects with custom murals operate in completely different profit universes.

Industry data from Turner & Townsend shows typical commercial painting margins around 5%. Painting contractors working retail construction projects with custom artwork regularly see 25-35% gross margins on specialty portions.

Standard commercial painting: $8-12 per square foot
Custom mural work: $25-40 per square foot

The contractor partnership model is simple—you handle commercial painting work you do best, your mural specialist partner handles the high-margin custom artwork. Everyone makes more money.

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2. Retail Construction Partnerships Create Repeat Business

Retail brands that invest in custom murals and signage typically have multiple locations and value consistency. Successfully complete one retail construction project, and you're often looking at opportunities across their entire network.

We've seen commercial painting contractors successfully manage one location (combining standard painting with specialist mural work) become the go-to choice for that brand's future retail renovation projects.

3. Mural Specialists Provide Reliable Project Timelines

Retail grand openings have non-negotiable deadlines. Professional mural artists can provide accurate time estimates based on experience, while attempting unfamiliar custom artwork creates timeline uncertainty for commercial painting contractors.

This predictability lets you coordinate trades effectively and commit to realistic completion dates on retail construction projects.

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4. Clear Insurance Structure for Commercial Painting and Mural Work

Custom murals and hand-painted signage involve different liability than standard commercial painting. The contractor partnership approach provides clarity: mural specialists carry insurance for artistic work, painting contractors maintain standard commercial coverage. No confusion about responsibility on retail construction projects.

5. Less Competition in Custom Retail Construction Market

While many commercial painting contractors avoid projects requiring custom murals, those who can handle these retail construction jobs face significantly less competition. The U.S. commercial construction market reached $177.27 billion in 2025, with retail representing a substantial segment increasingly focused on experiential design and custom artwork.

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6. Professional Quality Standards for Commercial Murals

Retail environments receive constant customer scrutiny. Professional mural artists maintain quality standards appropriate for high-visibility commercial spaces and warranty their custom artwork. This protects commercial painting contractors' reputations on retail construction projects.

7. Growing Demand for Custom Retail Construction

Commercial construction spending reached $2 trillion in 2024, with retail construction showing strong growth driven by:

Social media marketing requiring custom murals
Pop-up shops needing hand-painted signage
Restaurant chains investing in distinctive mural branding
Commercial spaces incorporating custom artwork

Success Stories: Commercial Painting and Mural Partnerships

Custom Hand-Painted Signage for Eccentric Optical

A Pasadena commercial painting contractor partnered with mural specialists for custom signage while handling standard retail renovation work. The successful project led to additional opportunities across multiple Eccentric Optical locations.

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Dr. Dre Mural at Compton High School

The general contractor managed overall project coordination while collaborating with Pulling Paint mural specialists for detailed artistic work requiring specific expertise.

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Dr Dre/ Performing Arts Center Mural, Compton, CA

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Whittier LGBTQ+ Community Center

A large-scale wraparound mural was completed on schedule through clear division of responsibilities between the commercial painting contractor and mural specialists.

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How Commercial Painting and Mural Partnership Works

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Commercial Contractor | Mural Specialists

Project management → Custom murals

Client relationships → Hand-painted signage

Site preparation → Artistic design elements

Base coats and prep work → Specialized mural techniques

Standard commercial painting → Custom artwork consultation

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‍Result: Professional execution across all retail construction elements, higher profit margins, reduced risk exposure.

The Bottom Line: Commercial Painting Contractors Can Increase Profits

Commercial construction spending increased 7% in 2024, with retail construction leading growth. While traditional commercial painting

contractors operate at 5% margins, those using mural specialist partnerships achieve 25-35% gross margins on custom artwork elements.

Your competitors may continue avoiding these profitable retail construction opportunities, but you don't need to.

Ready to Explore Commercial Painting Partnerships?

At Pulling Paint, we've helped dozens of commercial painting contractors expand their capabilities without expanding their overhead.

Our mural specialist partnership model lets you confidently bid on retail construction projects requiring custom murals and hand-painted signage.

View Our Commercial Mural Portfolio →

Contact Us for Commercial Painting Partnership Info →

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