Over the winter, Gene Firn realized he had to diversify his painting contractor business to survive the slow economy. His inspiration came from a class he taught homeowners on painting faux finishes.

Firn expanded the idea, offering do-it-yourself classes on the proper way to paint interiors or exteriors. His business, DIY Painting Instructors, has become the complement he needed for his contracting business and is slowly generating customers via word of mouth.

“Basically it would cost about half for me to come in and teach them as opposed to me going in as a contractor,” Firn said.

Firn’s class focuses on prep work, painting technique, project management and product knowledge.

“If it’s not done right, you can tell,” Firn said. “You’ll go back into that room for the next five years and see your mistake. You either live with it or try and get better.

“There’s a market for people who want to learn to do something in the right way to have it look the way they want it to look.”

The class was what Renee McKeone wanted. She and her husband hired Firn previously for a faux look paint job in their home, so learning how to handle her own painting projects appealed to her.

“I’m a teacher and I respect the theory of knowing how to do something well and have someone show you how to do it right instead of just fumbling through it,” McKeone said.

The McKeones have been in their house for eight years, and Renee decided it was time to spruce up some of her children’s rooms. Instead of waiting for her husband’s schedule to clear for painting, she decided to learn and handle the project herself.

“I also like to learn this type of thing with someone showing me,” McKeone said. “There’s plenty of other things I’m comfortably reading directions about, but something like this I’d rather be shown.”

Firn’s idea has blossomed into a collaboration among other skilled workers who teach basic do-it-yourself repairs and contract for larger projects.

“The whole do-it-yourself market is something that I as a contractor can’t get into because they’re not going to hire me,” Firn said. “I talked to some painters and told them what I was doing, they said, ‘Well you’re taking business from me.’

“Well, not really because these people were going to do it themselves anyway and they were not going to hire you or me. It allows me to expand my business into a whole new market that I wouldn’t be a part of.”

Brian Vernellis is a reporter for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-4617 or brianvernellis@annarbor.com.