I have not bought paint in 10 yrs with 70 units..

[Peter B.]

Well I thought I would share this to see if it could help other do it your self investors..

So I have worked commercial construction for the last 20 years as a carpenter my dad worked in the trades as a painter for 40 plus. 

The thing I noticed at the end of these large projects there is always large amounts of one of a kind colors left over usually light pigments.. The painting contractor leaves some behind for attic stock. The rest gets sent back or right to the dumpster...

At first I went dumpster diving and brought home a couple 5s...Now I just talk to the foreman..  Then my dad told his boss we would take all returns in light colors. In no time we had literally hundreds of gallons of paint...(once a year their shop guy calls for us to pick up, and dads been retired 3 yrs)

So we then would mix say 50 gallons up in a large vat... Then we would pump it back into the 5s and seal them up..DONE!  50 gallons of an off white!

I think if you find a large contractor in your market this could be replicated. The key would be your approach and communication with the contractor. Don't act like a big shot investor. Just let them know if they have any light colored paint returns you could find some walls to put it on. 

Hope this helps someone out there.

Peter