From personal experience, the number one benefit to using a subcontractor is you’re using a resource who thinks like a business owner. So their operations are generally strict in terms of how they run their business. They are focused on production, customer satisfaction and systematically completing things. The con of a subcontractor is they have less loyalty to the primary painting contractor.
An employee is the opposite. The benefit is that you can really develop an employee or crew leader. You can exert more control over an employee and mold them to your company values easier. The downside for employees is they may not be as ambitious or motivated or production-minded as a subcontractor.
So when you are setting up your painting company and field operations, you must also be aware of legal ramifications. If you’re using a subcontractor, you have to make sure they are legally a subcontractor in their operations. If you’re using an employee, you have to set them up as legal employees.