Estimates are one of the most important tools to help you land the next job. During our most recent webinar series on estimating, Fred Yarur of PEP (Painter’s Estimating Program) outlined 10 foundational principles to support effective estimating procedures. Use estimate tools. These enhance your ability to make informed decisions. Estimating is the process of […]
I am very pleased with this book. I think it has very good information. It seems to be written by an expert and I wanted expert advice. I know it is an older book, but I think his knowledge is very helpful. I needed advice. I have had work done on my house that did not work out well, so I needed to try to inform myself. I think this book has been very helpful.
When the homeowner is at the point of hiring a painter, they generally will have colors selected or at the very least a color in mind. I always ask for the colors before I bid a job. Dark colors, high sheen colors and specialty finishes require more labor, this drives price. If its not a color change or I'm going over a similar color I give the pricing option of one or two coats. The best advise I can give based on 25 years in the business is to put it all in writing,colors, brands of paint preferred, when the work can be done, who moves furniture and how payment will be handled. I never get up front money. BTW you most definitely get what you pay for with paint. Higher quality products results in and better looking job. Don't be a cheapskate when it comes to paint or the painting contractor.
A fresh paint job has the power to totally transform the look of your house in less time and for less cash than any other remodeling project. That thin skin of resin and pigment also protects your investment, shielding it from sun, wind, and rain—until the paint begins to crack and peel, that is. Then it's time to button up with a couple of new coats. Properly applied, new paint should last for a good 15 years, provided you use top-quality materials, apply them with care (and with an eye on the weather), and, most important, clean and sand every surface first. Here's what you need to know to get a first-class finish on your home's exterior.
When the homeowner is at the point of hiring a painter, they generally will have colors selected or at the very least a color in mind. I always ask for the colors before I bid a job. Dark colors, high sheen colors and specialty finishes require more labor, this drives price. If its not a color change or I'm going over a similar color I give the pricing option of one or two coats. The best advise I can give based on 25 years in the business is to put it all in writing,colors, brands of paint preferred, when the work can be done, who moves furniture and how payment will be handled. I never get up front money. BTW you most definitely get what you pay for with paint. Higher quality products results in and better looking job. Don't be a cheapskate when it comes to paint or the painting contractor.
Spills and spatters happen, regardless of how careful you are. It’s a lot easier to pre- pare for them than to wipe them out of your carpeting or off your wood floor later. All it takes is canvas drop cloths in your work area (a 4-ft. x 15-ft. cloth costs $15). The thick canvas stays in place, so you don’t need to tape it, and you can use it to cover any surface. Plastic drop cloths are slippery to walk on or set a ladder on and don’t stay in place. Even worse, paint spills on plastic stay wet, and they can end up on your shoes and get tracked through the house. Canvas is slippery on hard floors, so rosin paper ($10 for 400 sq. ft. at home centers) is better over vinyl, tile and hard- wood. Tape the sheets together and to the floor to provide a nonslip surface.
Hi Donnie, Thanks for your comment! We would be happy to help you connect with a fencing pro to give you an estimate on your project. You can submit a request to our pros here: www.homeadvisor.com, browse a list of local pros here: http://www.homeadvisor.com/c.html, or send your info to [email protected] and a project advisor will reach out to assist you. –HASupport
The companies with the best paint products are Benjamin Moore, Dunn Edwards, Sherwin Williams, and Vista Paint. As a painter I don't recommend Berh from Home Depot as much because it's quality is just marketing. Flat paint has no sheen and it shows its true color, but is not easy to wash or clean. Satin, eggshell have low sheen and is washable. Semigloss ang glossy has a high sheen and these paints are recommended for bathrooms and kitchen or where there's high humidity and steam.
I have been using housepaintinginc for more than 16 years. They have painted inside and outside for me. Always professional, always clean and respectful, and the best paint jobs I've ever seen! Recently, they painted my entire interior for the sale of my house. A well painted house sells houses! My house sold in 1 day! I couldn't be happier and I'm sure the professional painting was the reason! Thanks again!
The only time it's acceptable to mix water in the paint is when you're using a deep or ultra deep base paint to reduce its stickiness, which is rare with new paint technology. Dark primary colors are composed almost entirely of tint that makes it very hard to work with without adding water. (You never use a sprayer and need to thin paint.?) If i was still in the industry I'd take the time to make a better article than this. Take this for a grain of slat. Use a reputable painter or someone you know you can trust or has been referred to you by someone you trust. I wouldn't hire anyone I had to watch like a hawk to make sure they're not screwing me.
My son Owen and I thank you for the truly wonderful, informative and entertaining experience provided by the TOH staff, crew and trades-people at the Pro2Pro Brookline event. From Elizabeth - who welcomed us to the event, to Chris, Kevin and others who were wonderful during the orientation session (answering questions that I'm sure you have heard dozens of times before), to Charlie, Kevin, Richard, Heath (the electrician) and Thomas (the program director), you helped us Insiders to understand and appreciate the pride that you take in your work. It was refreshing. I loved the pictures and accompanying text of the event that you posted. I have to say in closing to Chris, Kevin and Thomas (in particular) you gave my son, a budding landscaper, the impetus to continue his pursuit of the trades. Kudos to you all and keep up your great work!
Consider purchasing supplies personally to save money. Ask the painter for a bid that separates labor and materials. Then explain that you'll purchase the materials and ask for a list of exactly what will be needed to complete the job. Caulking, for example, is an extra supply commonly used to fill any cracks or damaged areas in your walls -- and one that might be overlooked in an incomplete list.

If you talk with a painting contractor long enough, you’ll inevitably hear; “There’s no good help out there.” It’s easy to hide behind this excuse, but it’s not true. There are plenty of reliable painters out there, business owners just don’t take the time to find them. It takes TIME to find good people, time you wouldn’t have if you were busy painting.

Stucco is a specialized material that requires extensive preparation work (cleaning, caulking, filling in cracks, etc.). Additionally, paint suitable for rolling or brushing over stucco varies greatly depending on location and climate conditions. Some stucco paint varieties will chip and peel away in certain climate conditions, so painting professionals won't recommend them. These factors make stucco one of the more expensive siding materials to cover. You can expect to pay anywhere from $900 (~500 sq. ft.) to $3,000 (~1,500 sq. ft.) to have stucco revitalized with paint, depending on how much is needed to cover the home exterior.
When the workers came they took care of all the stuff I'd seen other reviewers mention, removing old phone lines, some stucco work, but one thing I didn't expect is that one of my awnings had some dry rot that I'd planned to get fixed. There was slight language barrier but the workers took it into their own hands to saw off and repair the awning before painting it. Wow!
I had the interior of my home painted (kitchen, & cabinets) the final product looks AMAZING!! Theresa in the office was very helpful and quick to schedule my project. Nick, the owner came out to give me an estimate he was very professional, on time, and very knowledgeable in his trade he also had great design ideas and wonderful taste in colors the workers were very polite, respectful and clean daily on the job. I highly recommend this company for any project big or small!!!
If you talk with a painting contractor long enough, you’ll inevitably hear; “There’s no good help out there.” It’s easy to hide behind this excuse, but it’s not true. There are plenty of reliable painters out there, business owners just don’t take the time to find them. It takes TIME to find good people, time you wouldn’t have if you were busy painting.

This company painted my house about one year ago. We have paint peeling off the exterior of the house now. We have left many messages for him to come out and fix the problem, he gave us a warranty incase this type of thing happened. We bought the best paint and primer the problem was in the prep work, that's why its peeling off of the house. Basically 3500 bucks down the tube be aware his warranty is worthless...
The cost to paint metal siding -- most commonly aluminum and galvanized steel -- will depend on a variety of factors. In some instances, a simple cleaning will suffice to prepare metal siding for painting. In worst cases, painting professionals will need to repair metal that is rusted, damaged or missing pieces due to climate conditions. In the case of severe damage, a professional will have to remove the old finish and paint to get to the original layer, which will add on to the final price. When you add the actual painting of the metal siding, you might be looking at a final bill between $400 (~250 sq. ft.) and $1,500 (~1,000 sq. ft.).
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Welcome to Repairs and Paints! We are your Top Rated Local® interior and exterior pro painters. In fact, we were voted the best residential painters of 2017. For over 15 years, we have been providing homeowners and business owners with top of the line interior and exterior painting. No matter how large, or small your professional painting needs are, Repairs and Paints has got you covered. Our professional painting staff is reliable, timely, experienced, and affordable. Simply pick your color(s) and watch our experienced staff strategically paint your home interior.

Safest way to ensure that everything is fair is to get it ALL in writing , signed by both parties. Specify each item that needs repair. Also, BUY the paint YOURSELF. That way, there is no incentive to water it down, and you KNOW that you are getting the grade/quality you actually purchased. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish; if you are paying to hire a painter, buy the best paint that you can afford, to ensure maximum life of this home improvement.
The materials of the home’s facade should be considered before painting your home. When painting flat surfaces like siding or wood, you can opt for standard outdoor paint. When painting a textured surface like stucco or brick, “elastomeric” paint is a much better choice. This type of paint can stretch more than normal paint, which allows it to bridge over small gaps and crevices, painting smoothly over texture.
Watering down the paint 50%? It will not cover. I am a contract painter and found that most people that I make a contract with immediately try to change the deal and get more than they are paying for. Sometimes, I let them cheat me as they may have other work that I wish to do but other times I put my foot down. I try to get the client to look at what I have done each and everyday if I am going from room to room. I cannot do this If I spray the entire project at once. Even when I have them inspect my work, they often just do not tell the truth and wish to scam me the contractor for more and more while paying the same as the original contract. Most people have not a clue how much work is involved in painting a house and just assume that the painter rolls out the work with no prep, sealing off the place to protect things that are not painted. All of my contracts state that if anything is in the way like babies, dogs, cars, plants and furniture that I cannot proceed and that it is their responsibility to move this stuff. I always seem to be turned into a furniture mover and never get paid to wrench my back. Fact is most people try to rob the contractor and this article tries to make it seem that the contractor is robbing the homeowners. My sister is a prime example of this as she always goes for the lowest bid yet expects a world class job. This means if you pay $500 for a two day paint job do not expect the contractor to live at your home for two weeks and make only $500.
Because of our wet/cold weather, another painter was booked out through August as of May 7th, 2016. Anyone even thinking about a VA loan refi should get estimates for painting and pest inspections BEFORE starting on the loan paperwork, otherwise you will have difficulty getting painting and inspections done in a timely manner (and it is my understanding this is common with VA loans.)
12/27/2018 Excellent! Thank you for taking the time and effort to share your experience with Lighthouse… Excellent! Thank you for taking the time and effort to share your experience with Lighthouse Painting. We are committed to meeting / exceeding our customer's expectations. We are pleased to hear your comments. It was a pleasure working with you on your home improvement project. Best wishes for the coming New Year 2019.
Painting the exterior of your home is an essential maintenance task that can be challenging, time-consuming and extremely messy. The fastest and safest way to get the job done right is to hire a professional exterior painting contractor. A pro will have the right tools, equipment, and experience for the job, will be able to recommend the most effective paints for your particular project, and can handle the necessary prep work to ensure a lasting finish. They will also select the best time to paint your home to keep the project within your timeline and budget.
The Painter Guide was created by Eric Barstow of PaintingBusinessPro.com and Chandler Zieg of PaintingLeads.com. We come from a vast background in house painting. Our national painting company produces over $4 million in revenue each year and our education and advertising service for painters sells over $1.5 million per year. We’ve literally helped thousands of painters grow their businesses.
I called House Painting Inc. for an estimate and the Owner James Lee called me back within minutes to set up a time to come see my house. He came the very next morning and then did a walk around of my property and told me he would have a bid prepared and emailed to me by the end of the day. As promised, this bid showed up around 4:00 p.m. I called several other painters to get estimates as well, always checking that the reviews were not fake (Like all 5 star reviews grouped within a month of each other, as if they had all their friends give them great reviews). I also checked with the California Contractors board to verify current Licences and if in fact the painters were working under their own license or working under some random contractor's license that wasn't even a painters license, (Some had no license at all!), I checked to see if the companies I interviewed were listed with the BBB, and if they were, if they had any unresolved claims against them. Only one Company, House Painters Inc. Passed the test. Current Licence in James Lee's name, continuously in business for decades with no infractions. CHECK Bonded with workers comp to protect me if someone got hurt on the job at my home. CHECK A-plus rating with the Better Business Bureau with no unresolved issues. CHECK Hundreds of 5-Star reviews on yelp dating back to 2011. Check An address list and phone numbers of willing, former clients' homes for me to view in my area. CHECK To top it off, the best price of all the bids! CHECK I hired House Painters Inc. and set up a date for them to come. The whole operation took about 5 and a half days from start to finish. Sung and his crew were extremely conscientious of all our belongings and took great care preparing the house. They showed up on time at 8:30 everyday, and were completely unobtrusive with our comings and goings during their week here. They repaired some dry rot, repaired cracks in the stucco, installed some flashing on trouble spots on my eaves, scraped, sanded, power washed, dug trenches, protected plants and addressed every need I knew about, and they even pointed out, then fixed some things that I was unaware of. Everyday Sung and his crew worked clean and stowed everything away, every night except the protective sheeting. I was thrilled with the outcome and quality of their work. I painted my home the same color as I did 20 years ago, and I am ecstatic with how fresh and clean it looks again. I would hire these guys again in a heartbeat!
As you walk through your lighted rooms (preferably day light) see if the new coat has light spots showing the precious paint. This is call "bleeding through". This means that there's only one coat of paint or the paint was diluted or the trasition of colors were from light to dark (or the other way around) and primer was not use or the painter is inexperienced.
I started my young life as a yacht painter in my grandfather's boat shop at 12 and have been painting and house building all my life. We built boats of wood because we had nothing better, we built homes of wood because we had nothing better. I grew up putting wood siding (cedar, redwood) on houses, it was the best we had. Now I tell people use cement siding, paint it once every thirty years if it needs it or not.
Did you even read the article? It was specifying UNSCRUPULOUS painters! And, by the way, the photo at the top was not identified at all. How would anyone know whether it was done by a homeowner or not? Also did you ever stop to think that if a consumer has the knowlege to spot a dishonest contractor then by default he also has the knowlege to identify an honest one as well? And, pardon me, but just because you've never seen something has absolutely nothing to do with whether it has actually happened to someone else. Why would any honest business person be so defensive about the publishing of such useful information? If any painters/painting contractors object to a consumer having this kind of information maybe they are the dishonest ones!
CertaPro Painters® provides a range of custom interior and exterior painting services, allowing for a smooth, seamless experience and exceptional results in every home. Whether you’re having your two-story foyer updated or refreshing the paint in your home’s bedrooms, the CertaPro Painters® team approaches every painting project with an eye for detail.
If your home was built before 1978, there is a good chance that lead paint was used in its construction. Scraping, sanding, or removing old paint can release toxic lead dust which can cause serious illness in children and pregnant women. Special handling is required when working with lead-based paints. If lead paint is present in your home, you will need to hire a lead-certified painting contractor or lead abatement contractor. Before getting started with your exterior painting project, consult your local building authority or visit www.epa.gov for more information.
The BBB isn't a painter-specific group but rather an organization that is dedicated to ensuring that consumers can access information about anyone they do business with. The BBB also rates companies based on a Standards of Trust scale, which goes from A+ to F. A company doesn't have to be a member to get a grade, and it's a good idea to check to see how your contractor is scored as well as its membership status.
I totally agree with this as well. I think every time I have read Angie's List reports, they are inaccurate and not researched enough. I had COMPLETE faith in Angie but lately I am hesitate on reports. I would check your local hardware store or even your neighbors to get a recommendation for painters. If you liked what you saw, you can be stress free with your results. I live in Texas and I have borrowed my hardware store opinion bc that seems to be the place most of the contractors or painters come to buy stuff for the jobs. If your neighbors painters, contractors, electricians and plumbers have shown good results, stress free you. I have been stress free with results, glad I asked for other opinions.Don't forget, the Hardware Store knows if that person is trustworthy and honest, their accounts would be shut down.
Nick came out promptly to my house and gave me a quote for the projects I had in mind. When I decided to have them do the job, his crew came out on the agreed upon date and time. They did a thorough job. With an eye to detail (I'm very particular). And I can say I'm happy with work they did on my guest bedroom and bathroom. And will have them come back to do the master bedroom/bath.
Day-to-day tasks can consume too much time when there is little or no automation. Countless cloud-based productivity tools are available to streamline and automate your tasks. These tools can usually be put into place with little disruption to your current practices. Ultimately, integrating new automation tools will increase productivity and help you make the most […]
A fellow (actually lives in the same neighborhood) by the name of Wayne Hickey (843-655-0366) painted the ceilings and most of the walls of our house in February 2017. He got paint all over my light fixtures, all over my trim around the doors, and had visible lap marks everywhere on the walls. He came back and rectified some of the problems, but not all, as I have noticed as I have had time to look more carefully at the work he and his assistant did. His assistant had no idea (not a clue) how to roll paint on a wall or ceiling. Some places were not covered. He said he would pull nails for pictures and then re-insert the nails exactly where they were. This he did not do as he promised. He painted over the nails. His assistant had no idea how to use a paint roller. I have painted all my life, and would have done this work myself, but I just had a full knee replacement and the other knee is in bad shape. I just could not do the work. Wayne is a pleasant and congenial individual, but he can not cut in a ceiling or wall to my satisfaction - not even close. He should have a putty knife and wet cloth with him all the time to correct any paint that might get applied where it shouldn't. That is something I always did as a painter. I would not recommend Wayne to paint anybody's home.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of cases where a painter has stolen items from a home or caused damage to the house or injury to the homeowner. Subcontractors may not be as skilled as employees, and the contractor you're hiring may not have much experience working with them, making them more of a risk. Additionally, ask if the painters are employees or subcontractors, and what the screening or hiring process is like.
Upon first impression they were amazing and gave a great quote to paint my house in Pacific Palisades. We settled on a start date of December 3rd. The date came and went and they did not show up. I had to follow up with them and they said they would come the first week of January. I have put two calls into them today and they have not returned my call.
