NEWARK, Del. — Mike Purvis, founder of Storage Facility Painting Services, LLC, is calling attention to a costly yet often overlooked issue in the self-storage industry: the consequences of inadequate planning and non-specialized execution during repainting and rebranding projects. With over 50,000 self-storage facilities nationwide and frequent ownership changes driving rebranding cycles, the need for disciplined project management has never been greater.
Purvis, whose company exclusively serves storage facilities, argues that many problems emerge before any work begins. "Most failures happen before a crew ever arrives," he said. "If planning is weak, quality and timelines suffer every time." He emphasizes that treating complex, active facilities like generic commercial jobs leads to avoidable delays and rework, costing property owners billions annually in schedule overruns and poor outcomes.
The self-storage industry's growth amplifies these risks. New construction and consolidations mean facilities often need to refresh their appearance while remaining fully operational. This requires careful sequencing, logistics, and coordination — areas where generalist contractors may lack expertise. Purvis contends that speed and quality are not mutually exclusive. "Speed comes from preparation," he said. "Rushing comes from poor planning. Those are two very different things."
Storage Facility Painting Services, LLC was founded in 2017 to address these challenges through a narrow focus on self-storage. The company uses defined systems and standard workflows to reduce disruption and ensure consistency across multiple sites. "Specialization removes guesswork," Purvis explained. "When you understand the asset type, you plan better. When you plan better, everything downstream improves."
Rather than promoting new tools or trends, Purvis advocates for fundamentals: clearer scopes, realistic schedules, and partners who understand the operational constraints of active facilities. "This industry doesn't need shortcuts," he said. "It needs better decisions made earlier."
Purvis encourages facility owners and operators to take proactive steps. He advises asking detailed questions about planning and sequencing before work begins, choosing partners with direct storage facility experience, building preparation time into schedules, and reviewing past projects to identify causes of delays or rework. "Better outcomes are usually the result of simple changes," Purvis said. "Anyone can raise the standard by slowing down and planning properly."
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