PROFESSIONAL house painting services are being utilised by an increasing number of upscale customers and foreign residents, sources from the construction industry said last month.

“People are coming to appreciate the durability and smoother texture of paint applied by professionals,” said U Thura Aung, an assistant manager of the Thu Kha Construction Group Co., Ltd., which provides painting services.

U Thura Aung said the use of skilled labour and quality paints has contributed to the increasing demand for professional painting services.

“We have engineers who supervise us to make sure the right steps are followed to ensure good quality, otherwise the paint will fade within a few months and the buildings will not look good,” he said.

Although people in Myanmar previously considered house painting to be unimportant, exposure to foreign trends has made many realise that the colour of a house can reveal the owner’s state of mind, he said.

U Thura Aung also highlighted the importance of technique and skills in the application of paint.

“Even though we choose the best paint, it would be of no use if we didn’t know the proper painting techniques,” he said.

He said when he first started the business a few years ago there were not many people who hired his firm for painting jobs.

Most of his customers are expatriates who appreciate the quality service his company provides, he said.

Some up-market customers have their houses painted every year so the colour always looks good, U Thura Aung said.

“We import high-quality paints from Thailand for our customers, but most people in Myanmar just use the most reasonably priced product without considering the quality,” he said.

Some customers leave the choice of colour to architects, who are generally more aware of modern and popular colour trends.

Ko Thet Naing Soe, the site engineer at a downtown construction project, said it was natural for architects to choose the colour of a building.

“But developers decide which brand of paint should be used, and most developers choose United Painting Group (UPG) products,” he said. “It is common for homeowners to buy paints for themselves, but now we are also seeing professional painters come and choose colours,” said one shopkeeper.

“It is significant that customers are starting to use professional painters and good-quality paint,” he said.