How to take the pain out of getting a painting estimate

How to take the pain out of getting a painting estimate.

Let's face we all need painting at one time or another, that wood outside is rotting, the deck needs staining and the siding needs freshening up. Or perhaps you're having a graduation or birthday party and the interior hasn't been freshened up in ten years.

This is where we come in but if you're like me and have had to call around to get estimates you know as well as I do you can call ten people and maybe two call you back if you're lucky.

So what are you supposed to do? For one, don't forget who didn't return your calls in a timely manner, when I say timely please give people a reasonable amount of time to return a call, this for me is 48 hours, if I don't receive a call back typically I will move on. 

I had to get some work done around my home and we called numerous other contractors for things we do not do and trust me it was hard to get anyone to return calls, show up or give a price. So when you find someone who gives you great communication now wouldn't be the time to attempt to get them to lower their price.

When I find someone who can service me, of course, I look at the price, however, I do keep in mind, do I really want to go through this estimating process two more times? I may end up with someone who I regret hiring and I already have a proven contractor I have worked with and trust.

I am probably one of the easiest clients a contractor will have, I let them do their work, I don't micromanage them at all and I don't shop around. If I trust you, you were referred or have done work for me before that's all I need. You have a customer for life.

Now, will people make mistakes along the way? Sure they will, but when they do you let them correct them. I had a driveway company reseal our blacktop and they sprayed it all over the garage doors, I tried to get it off that morning but none of my cleaners would work, so I didn't yell or scream at anyone, it was a mistake, I emailed and asked what I can use to get it off. No one ever answered but when I arrived home it was already done. That is impressive to me, I would recommend them to anyone even after a mistake.

SO long story short, when you find someone you trust and they deliver, what's the sense of dragging out the estimate process? be open and honest about your budget, remember you trust them enough to come into your home, you can certainly trust them enough to have a real conversation about the budget.

Interior Painting is about prep and who is in your home.

Interior painting is very personal.

You have people inside your home you don't know and never met, this is one reason we background check everyone and make sure they do an initial meeting before our projects start when possible.

The days of selecting the lowest price to do your work are long gone, you should feel secure and comfortable with who you choose to do your work.

We work very hard in selecting the right people to work with us, not just the best painters.

Our values must be upheld which are accountability, commitment, dependability, and relationships.

Without those, you cannot work here. We all want to be around people we like, heck we even do this when we select the clients we work for, just like employees some bad clients may slip by us and they are usually the more difficult jobs of unreasonable people.

Interior work is about the prep work and the order and cleanliness of the job, keeping a nice tight order to your project and a clean shop area, cleaning up each day goes a long way.

Are we always perfect? No way but that is always our goal and if something happens we are right there to be accountable for it and correct it and move forward.

We offer a full array of interior painting from wall covering install and removal to painting trim, ceilings, spackle work and full interior repaints. Should you need anything check out this page for more information.

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Staining and painting decks, what to know

Returning to a clients home year after year is a great feeling

When we return to a clients home year after year for additional work or to recoat things we have done in the past is a great feeling for us.

They have put trust in us to maintain their home, decks, sheds, and fences and to have that trust means a lot.

Even when everything is done perfectly there may be a coating issue or an area that gets more abuse than others and the stain or paint may wear. Remember it is only a coating protecting these areas and they can only take so much abuse

This deck, in fact, we have done three times now I believe, it gets hit with the tremendous weather, sun, rain, ice, snow which means shoveling, expansion and contraction and it's also the main entrance so lots of foot traffic and dog traffic as well/

We like to explain that decks in the northeast and in our area will certainly need to be maintained and possibly every year. That doesn't mean you have to recoat the entire deck each year but most likely the floor and top rail.

Now if you expect a deck to last forever and have zero future maintenance on it you will never be happy with the work no matter what product is used or what company does it.

With proper preparation, and good products used and some maintaining of the surfaces this deck can last many years but remember that means some work, cleaning each year, recoating when needed and possibly replacing a board here and there if you see any rot.

With the proper expectations, you will be thrilled with the work and have a deck your neighbors will be jealous of.

Tell them Amato Painting did it

Painting makes a difference in everyone's daily life

Every day we enter a business, a home or our workplace. Imagine if there was no color?

We take it for granted but the colors we see every day affect our moods, our productivity as well as the people around us.

Colors can dramatically change a space and alter the "feel" of a space very quickly for the good or bad.

This is why there are color consultants who are trained to not only choose colors that compliment each other but also make the space have a certain feel depending on the goal of that area.

It is amazing what a paint job can do to a home or business, trust me the real reason most painters take up a career in painting and stay in it is they love to see that look when someone sees the area they just completed.

I know when I am out driving I like to show off the things we painted to my family and I know the other painters we have do the same thing.

For most of us, it is our life, not just a paycheck

Painting, why do it?

Top three reasons people have to paint.

Protection: To protect metal, wood and other surfaces from decaying and having larger expenses to replace things. Rust and rot can be devasting to any surface and if left go too long correcting will turn into replacing. On metal surfaces, rust also is very corrosive and can quickly turn a normal repainting project into much more.

Safety: making surfaces safe either by color coding to know what pipes are what such as gas, sprinkler lines water lines which you may see in factories. Anti-skid coatings for floors and ramps, safety lines for pedestrians, the lines on the highway etc. There are many reasons to paint for safety, without that we would have disorganization and many safety issues.

The last reason is simply beautification, you want things to look better, a store wants their facility to look great for their customers, you want your home to be beautiful for your family and friends to see.
This list is never-ending.

Painting any surface can have multiple reasons at the same time why it should or can be painted.
Our painters love to paint, it is always a way to help someone no matter what reason they are choosing to paint a surface. That is the best thing about our trade, when we're done we can step back
and take a look at the work we have done and the happiness it may bring whether for safety, protection or beautification.