Awards roll up

By Bridget Brady
A HAMPTON Park pair who started their own painting business will brush shoulders with some of the country’s most respected painters at an awards night in Tasmania tomorrow.
Attila and Amanda Szabo’s business Prestige Painting has been nominated for the seventh annual Dulux Accredited Painters of the Year Awards to be held in Tasmania on 21 August.
The husband and wife team started the business about 12 months ago.
Mr Szabo, 30, has been a painter for 10 years and said he was nervous at first to start his own business.
“We did consider it a risk and it was a bit nerve wracking but I bit the bullet and just jumped into it,” he said.
Mr Szabo is an accredited painter and said it was important to support the professionals in his field who competed for business against unqualified painters.
“There are very few accredited painters around. I spent four years at trade school… there are a lot of us who have done the hard yards,” he said.
Mr Szabo said he was excited about the awards and delighted to be nominated.
“I can’t wait. It’s a great opportunity to meet up with other accredited painters.”
Mr Szabo said the appeal of working at different sites was part of the reason he loved his job.
Dulux accredited painter of the year spokesman Mark Phillips said he was confident this year would be competitive.
“There is no question the reputation of the awards is gaining momentum with each year and we’re expecting 2009 to see our most impressive submissions to date – painters around the country take these awards very seriously,” Mr Phillips said.
The awards are designed to acknowledge and foster best business practice.
Painters will be judged on several criteria including their business plan, financial management, and occupational health and safety.