Influence of Cost against Area Coverage as Mediating Parameters in Choice of Paint Products

Abstract

In choosing paint, several factors come into play some of which are economic or sociocultural extraneous factors other than technical details. The choice of colour is mostly determined at the design stage while the quality and performance are dictated by the building
type, economic forces and budget. The economic forces and limited options restrict the client's and the architect's ability to settle on the best option for the building type. While many of them see cost as a hindrance to getting better-quality paint, little is known of the ratio of the cost to area coverage. Using Primary and secondary qualitative inquiry strategy, this study seeks to unearth the underlying relationship between the cost of paint products and their corresponding area coverage to help the Architect and Client in making an informed decision with little or no consideration for cost implication. Kano city was used as a case study where paint manufacturers with paint depots in Kano are considered. Out of these companies, four produces and sell special paint products in addition to the conventional paint products while five companies produce conventional paints only. It was also found that some companies produce different varieties of particular paint product. Expectedly, different prices were found for each of the products. The analysis indicates that the price of a paint product does not suggest its economic advantage or otherwise. The costlier paint products were found to have
wider area coverage compared to the cheaper products. Therefore, the cost of paint should be used technically when considered as a parameter in specifying paint and determining its budget.

Keywords: Choice of paint, Cost, Area coverage, Influence