MPDA specification Services inc.

MPDA Specification Services Inc. is an independent Paint Quality Assurance agency that provides services based on MPI Industry Standards and has the only fully certified MPI Architectural Coatings Inspectors in British Columbia. These inspectors each have a vast knowledge and years of experience in the coatings industry.

Some of the services that we provide:

• Specifications - a paint specification custom designed for a specific project. This can be for large-scale commercial property to a private home based on the MPI Industry Standards. These specifications document the preparation procedures for the various substrates including the requirements for cleaning and priming of  each surface. They also specify the best coating system to be used and the number of coats to be applied.

• Inspections – When identified in a written specification or requested by the owner, an MPDA SSI Inspector will be with the project through its entirety. From reviewing the specification, to Inspections along the various stages, to ensuring the Painting Contractor has completed the project to both the Specification requirement and also the industry standards. They ensure that the surfaces have been properly prepared and coated as specified under the proper conditions.

• Consultations – are a general, independent review of projects with a coatings related problem and an unbiased, detailed written report is provided. These consultations can be done on a variety of project types. 

• Site Tours - Owners may require a select group of painting contractors attend a site tour prior to tendering bid documents. The MPDA SSI inspector will facilitate the meeting on site to eliminate any misunderstandings that may exist with the specification and the project prior to the submission of the bid documents. This ensures that the painting contractors are bidding on the same requirements.

Our inspection services are provided to architectural and engineering firms, school boards, parks boards, city governments, Provincial and Territory Governments, and the Federal Government (National Defense, Public Works, Canada Post, Port Authorities, etc.) as well as Commercial contractors, Strata properties and Individual home owners.

Master Painters and Decorators Association (MPDA) is a non-profit association of quality paint and coating contractors. It is dedicated to the establishment of quality standards and quality assurance in the painting and coatings industry. 

The association was originally founded in 1899, was regularized in 1911 and was formally incorporated as a society in 1927. The operations of the society are to be carried on throughout the province of British Columbia and our offices have been located in the greater Vancouver area since inception.

Our members are active primarily in the ICI (institutional, commercial, industrial) sector and in Residential (high-rise, townhouse and larger) developments.

The purposes of the society are to:

- Promote the interest of the paint and coatings industry.

- Establish the best relations within the trade industry by: 

• Providing information and assistance to individual members, 
• Formulating and establishing ethical business standards, 
• Instituting a program of education and public relations within the industry.

With these mandates, the society produced the first Architectural and Repainting Specification Manuals in the mid 1960’s. These manuals have been used throughout the world for many years and form the basis for many training programs. 

By 1967, an Inspection & Guarantee program had been developed (MPDA Specification Services Inc). 

The MPDA's standards were the basis for the former CGSB's (Canadian Government Specification Board) National Painting Specification. That organization evolved into the Canadian General Standards Board, and the 'core' of that standard continues to be based upon the MPDA Architectural Specification Manual. Both of the original MPDA painting specification manuals are now produced by Master Painters Institute (MPI Architectural Painting Specification Manual and the MPI Maintenance Repainting Manual). See www.mpi.net for further information.