HomeCo Mackay expansion
Grant Painters was engaged for the extensive paint works on the HomeCo Mackay expansion, a major retail precinct development that added over 12,000 square metres of floor space – almost doubling the site’s existing footprint.
The new facility was designed to accommodate high-profile tenants such as BCF, Petstock and Anaconda, requiring careful coordination, high standards, and strict adherence to branding and timelines.
Working in with other trades: The soon-to-be painted panelling goes up.
Challenges and Solutions
Tight deadlines and trade coordination
With tenants eager to occupy, timelines were compressed. Grant Painters operated under considerable pressure to meet milestones before fit-outs, flooring, and other internal works began.
Coordination with other trades was critical – particularly around floor polishers and plasterers -requiring constant communication and flexibility.
Neat finish: Grant Painters painted the large new extension inside and out.
Bright colours and multi-coat systems
Bright corporate colours posed a coverage challenge, requiring a minimum three-coat system to achieve the desired opacity and uniformity.
Access and site constraints
The project was technically a single-storey structure, but large internal volumes and high façades demanded specialised access. The team used three large scissor lifts externally and two internally, along with static lines and roof access to reach the tallest sections of the building.
Variations and documentation
Approximately one-third of the final project value came from variations. Grant Painters highlighted the importance of robust documentation and tight logistics management to remain on top of these changes without affecting delivery timelines.
According to Grant Painters owner Stuart Grant: “With an extensive list of variations, thorough documentation was crucial in keeping on top of the project.
“Working around other trades on site as well as to deadline meant a lot of long days as well as weekend shifts.
“In addition, this was a Green Star project requiring use VOC paints to achieve compliance.”
Grant Painters foreman Nathan Booth says: “Although a lot of the project was straightforward, achieving consistent coverage with bright corporate colours can be challenging.”
Clean lines: The internal finish pictured above illustrates Grant Painters’ high standard of work.
Outcome
Despite the intensity of the schedule and complexity of the site, Grant Painters delivered a high-quality finish across all tenancies, as illustrated by the internal work above.
Their proactive communication, deep trade coordination, and commitment to meeting environmental standards ensured the project’s success. The team was praised for staying ahead of challenges, particularly in working seamlessly with other trades to meet fitout-critical milestones.
The results
Dewcape Site/Project Manager Peter Jones praised Grant Painters for their professionalism throughout the project in delivering high-quality work and on time.
He also gave a nod to our communication skills, which was vital to the success of a job of this magnitude .
“Grant Painters were very accommodating and very professional.
“They took direction and change well – which was important due to the variations on this project.
“Wet weather also played havoc with work they had just completed on at least four occasions, but nothing was too much trouble in rectifying those sections.”
“They kept a clean, safe worksite and always returned any phone calls in a timely manner.”
The Project at a Glance
Client: Dewcape
Location: Mackay, Queensland
Project duration: January – September 2024, using a consistent five-strong team
Contractor: Grant Painters
Scope: Full internal and external painting of new retail build for major tenancies including BCF, Petstock and Anaconda, logging over 3000 hours of labour
Highlights:
- Delivered high-quality internal and external paint finishes for a range of retail tenants
- Applied corporate colour schemes, including vibrant hues such as BCF blue and Anaconda orange achieving precision opacity and uniformity
- Completed the works in line with fast-moving tenant fitouts and operational deadlines
- Ensured environmental and compliance standards through the use of low-VOC paints for Green Star certification
Key Outcomes:
Successfully managed significant project variations through thorough documentation and planning
- Overcame prolonged wet weather delays without impacting final delivery
- Achieved consistent, high-coverage results with challenging bright-colour systems
- Maintained excellent coordination with multiple trades on a tight construction schedule
- Recognised by both the site manager for professionalism, responsiveness, and adaptability