Choosing the lowest prices painter can be a huge mistake

 Why choosing the lowest priced painter can be a huge mistake

Choosing the lowest prices anything can be a huge mistake, I get it, you want to save money, expenses are tight and many people love the art of the deal.

By saving some money or asking "is this the best you can do?" or "is this your lowest price?" for some is a thrill, but remember the service industry is typically smaller companies, some family owned and some single person companies who, their families depend on a fair wage to survive.

By always hiring the lowest price your risking a few things

• Will they stand behind their work if something goes wrong?
• Will they be in business in a year or so from now?
• How much experience and training do they invest in?
• Are they actually paying taxes and are they insured (and their workers)
• What is their relationship with the manufacturers of the products they use

Will they stand behind the work if something goes wrong?

This is a big one, anyone can buy a few paint brushes and say they have a business but a lot more goes into this than that. The big one is mistakes happen, paint does sometimes peel or chip off among many other things.

Some of these things may be warrantied and some not, will they be able to be found when tings go wrong, if they are continually charging less than they should to sustain a business, there will be nothing left when these things occur, how many companies do you know will come back a year later to fix something? I have been in the painting business a long time and I can tell you not many, they are hard enough to get a hold of when you are paying them, imagine when there is no money in the game for them?

Will they be in business a year from now?

By routinely under charging and under valuing their work, they are leaving no investment or money left to maintain and sustain a business, they are living check to check or cash to cash and there will be nothing available when things go wrong, and things will go wrong from time to time. They are not investing in any training typically or the training of their workers.

Are they paying taxes and are they insured?

This is a huge one, if you have to pay taxes on the earnings you make, why should others not have to? 

Paying taxes helps fund the towns we live in, if someone is so quick to skirt these responsibilities, what happens when your not looking on the work they are doing for you?

Insurance is the big one here, if someone under or uninsured gets hurt working in or around your home what do you think will happen? They will sue you and your insurance company and most likely win, do they have workers? If so they need workers compensation or the same thing will happen, it will just roll downhill back to you and your home. It is super important to know who is in and around your home and are they adequately insured.

What is their relationship with the manufactures of the products they use?

You would be surprised what a great relationship will get you from Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams, sometimes paints fail or other issues come up, without having support from the manufacturer to correct these issues, your on your own. Trust me when I tell you the companies that buy more paint get different treatment whether anyone admits it or not. I can call up right now and get things other contractors may not be able to get such as very quick support, products and more.

This also helps with new products, the paint industry is ever changing and you have to be ahead of it to stay current and aware of all the new products and applications

 

So You Want To Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets

Painted kitchen cabinets are great assets to kitchens and can refresh their looks and make the space more productive. Unfortunately, painting is often a hassle and can cost a lot of money that homeowners do not have to spend on such a project. Luckily, there are ways around the problem that can guarantee individuals the kitchens that they want without destroying their bank accounts in order to get them. At Ryan Amato Painting, we are dedicated to the customer and know a couple of things about doing the job right. 

First of all, getting a painting estimate is important for people who are looking to get their kitchen cabinets painted. Knowing how much a company is going to charge makes the choice of whether or not to go through with painting much easier. In addition to getting a painting estimate, homeowners should make sure they know what they want their kitchen to look like before they begin the process of painting. Proceeding with a project without a proper road map makes things much more difficult than they must be. Without a goal in mind, or an idea of what colors the kitchen should host in the end, homeowners will end up spending a lot of money for no reason. Know what you are hoping to accomplish! 

Research-Research-Research

Another necessary thing to do is research the companies that are going to do the job. There are many companies that use paint that is not correct for kitchen cabinets or that do not provide services for the right price. The best companies are those that can provide a painting estimate and that can continue to refurbish and tend to the existing cabinets. Even the best paint is susceptible to ware over time, especially in a space as well used as the kitchen. The thing that separates good paint from lesser quality products is its ability to be retouched with ease and simplicity. 

It is also important to remember that kitchen cabinets are challenging to properly paint without damaging the exiting surface. They must be cared for by those who know how to deal with them. There are, too, many people who worry about the pairing of their cabinets. Often, homeowners worry that their homes will be covered with dust or grime from the job, but painting is actually a very organized and clean process and will not produce dust or unwanted substances. Many people also wonder if homes will smell or if paint leaves an order. The answer is, it depends. Some paints do but again, if you are using a reputable company, they will utilize paint that is water based and unscented. 

Expectations

Also, as covered above, paint can chip over time when in an environment that is harsh on the cabinets. As stated above, however, good companies will use paint that can be reapplied and maintained so that even if chipping occurs, it can always be fixed with relative ease. This means that there is never a reason to fear for the kitchen cabinets or their possible damage. Everything is repairable and simple to maintain, and people should certainly not shy away from painting their kitchen because of possible chipping. 

Dedicated

Ryan Amato Painting practices every business technique mentioned above and more. By being dedicated to our customers, we ensure services of the highest quality are provided time and time again. We make sure to give customers estimates to tailor the price to them, working with our clients to craft the best experience possible for their home. We keep homes clean and do not produce dust with any of our products, because we know customers want the smoothest experience possible. Our paint is odorless as well, ensuring that customers have a beneficial experience. In short, we follow all of the practices that guarantee the best outcome for customers. 

We Work Hard

Our high ratings and accolades did not come without hard work and dedication to customers. We have worked tirelessly to provide successful services that leave customers in a better place than they were before. We hold ourselves to high standards and are always striving for even higher standards of excellence. We understand that painting is an important and surprisingly difficult part of maintaining a home, and we are happy to help. We also use our techniques to deliver a strong, quality paint that will last and look great for years, especially with our touch ups on areas that require it. We know that people cannot live in the same home under the same circumstances year after year, and change is good for the mind. That’s why we take our job so seriously and are committed to being the best we can be for our clients. 

Painting Can Be Difficult

Painting is a difficult job, even without the extras provided. Especially with kitchen cabinets, which can boast intricate designs, painting becomes a matter of patience and skill that cannot be properly done by just anyone. It requires trained professionals to work in the most efficient way possible. Without knowledge of the correct techniques and access to the correct tools, painting becomes exponentially harder. Luckily, there are businesses like ours, Ryan Amato Painting, to help people with their homes and their desires for a better space. Our staff is fully prepared for any situation and ready to do an excellent job for all clients. In addition, our business is armed with many extra services to help customers get prepared for the job. Our estimates are always genuine and realistic, helping households achieve their perfect outcome. Our products are the best used for the job, ensuring a quality result that will stay quality as long as customers are will, without debris or odor. Our services are provided with speed and precision, and our staff members are all equally passionate about our work and our customers. None of this is said in boasting, but instead to help struggling customers understand that our business is a home for those who need home maintenance. Our painting services are provided with the customer in mind. 

Do It For The Customer

Not all companies are dedicated to the customer. Not all services are provided with care. Not all paints are used in the proper manner, and not all businesses try to afford the customer the best price. These practices are against our business values, and as a company we want individuals to know that our care and tact will ensure a great outcome and smooth business experience. We work for clients and we take pride in the services we provide. For those who are looking for the best possible techniques for their kitchens, even without our business, keep the above principals in mind and strive to find companies who meet those standards and who are willing to go above and beyond for their clients, just as we are. 

Timing, Quality Or Timing

 Today we want to talk real quick about the old price verse quality or timing. Pyramid, if you just go and google that you're gonna find a bunch of different graphs and ah, a bunch of other things that that will make all this makes sense.

So basically, price, quality or timing there, things that you have a choice on your project to accept or not accept. And it is actually one thing that we ask when you initially first call us.

So when you call up ryan amato painting at 484-821-7112 there's my cheap plug. You will get somebody on the phone. Ah, either my daughter or carry or tanya or somebody will answer the phone and go through a series of questions, basically trying to determine what you want for your project.

The the one thing that we're gonna ask is what's most important to you. Price, quality or timing? It's not a trick question. It's not.

It's not a sales person type of question. It's a really serious question that could help us style in to get you the project that you want now what most people say when we asked what's most important to you? Price, timing or quality?

They say all three. So let's think about that one. Let's let's break it down. Price obviously means what is this project worth to you to pay?

So for some people, that's that's different. For some people, expensive is not expensive. Expensive is normal for other people. 

Um, a lower priced, inexpensive job is standard, so prices is very different for every person that you talked to. And that's why we like to offer different options for every job.

So you could get the top of the line project. You want the top of the line job. Well, guess what. You need to have a top of the line job you need. Top of the line painters.

That's where your quality comes in. If if quality is not important to you, um, you could get a less expensive job. Now, if timing's important to your timing, meaning when do you want your project completed?

If timing is super important, you have a graduation party. You have a some kind of party coming up and you need you need your epoxy floor done. I need my epoxy. Florida actually just had a customer like this. I need our epoxy floor done by the middle of next month on a thursday because I want to start setting up for the party on friday.

Is that possible? Well, sure, that's possible. But with that timeline, if it's not a normal timeline comes an increased cost.

And you say why? Why would it cost extra toe have the time frame that I want? Well, um, you need you have a definitive time frame timing. You have quality that you want.

So you take all these things. The time frame is gonna cost you a little more. We gave the kind frame to you. You want quality. So we gave you the quality.

Well, guess what comes along with those to the price. So we keep the price you can. Only you can only pick two out of those three. And we're taking the 3rd 1

If you would pick prices. Most important, you want a really cheap price really inexpensive price to fit a budget because you're painting your house just to sell it.

And you have a definitive time frame. You gotta paint it quick because you got to get it on the market. The quality is not going to be there. So you're gonna have to accept a little less quality.

Why? Because all those those top of the line painters for top of the line jobs get paid top of the line money. You're not gonna find a a highly experienced painter who could do top of the line work making low grade.

So we want to give you the best quality. You want the best quality you a very good job. Then timing comes into play. So, yes, we could give you a really good price, really good quality.

As long as you're okay with us getting to when we can, it's not gonna be on the schedule. It's going to be. Maybe we have rain all week long, and now we can come to your house. So you've given us the flexibility to put your project in anywhere we can.

Do you understand? So far, so we're talking price quality and timing. Timing again is is the amount of time that you need this project done in.

If you have no time frame, there is just no time. Friend, you don't care. It could be done any time that you want. That's great.

So we'll take that and we can fill you in on a day that it's raining when they we don't have work. Um, on a day that may be one of the better painters finished up a job early, and he's got he or she has three days to do a project we can fit you in.

But if you're looking for the lowest price, the best quality and you need it done next week, it's not gonna happen. It's just not gonna happen. So we want everybody to have realistic expectations and goals for your project that we can actually meet.

We're in. What are we in right now? We're at the end of july. Painting business is booming. Even though we're in the pandemic and covic and all that stuff, people are still busy.

A lot of people don't want to come back to work right now, so if you're finding a painter who claims to give you the best quality that you can ever imagine and they gave you an unbelievably low price, I would question that right now it's not going to happen when can this happen?

It could happen in the winter when people are slow cos air slow and they're looking for work to fill for those those top of the line high quality painters. That's the only time that you're generally going to be able to get all three of those things price, timing and quality.

Or if a company is just totally slow, there's no work that again. I would question that because I know most companies I know and most really good painters I know are super duper busy right now.

I want to run through it again. So you want you want you don't care about quality. Quality is not important. You're just putting a coat of paint on. You don't care. You don't have to hit every little spackle hole. You don't need every little surface done right.

 Timing is important, and price is important. So we can do that, because again, you gave us the quality. We don't have to send the top of the line painter into your house. Who makes top of the line money.

We can send a very good painter in who can give you a pretty good job and we can give you a good price for that. So that's where we talk about price quality and timing, and hopefully that makes sense and we'll talk to you guys soon.

You Want A Painting Estimate Now

You Want A Painting Estimate Now

You want a painting estimate now but are your prepared for what you may hear?

Do you know what type of company you would like to hire?

What? You didn't know every company is different?

Remember the painting industry is not robotic, every painter, every company does things differently and each will have different costs associated with "their way"

Before you send that email or call that painting company you chose from facebook or Google, make sure you know what is important to you and your family for the work you want done. 

This can included

• The time frame
• How much preparation of the surface you want ( it is not standard from company to company) 
• The type of paint you want to use vs your budget, remember you can go from $15 a gallon of paint all the way up to and over $100 PER GALLON
• What will make you thrilled once the project is over, what will you remember about the job
• Have you had issues in the past with other companies

The Time Frame

The time frame is very important, most companies will surely be 4-6 weeks out with scheduling, please plan your projects ahead of time when possible, there is always a chance a project can be done ahead of that time frame when time and schedule permits. But if your time frame is less than a week, you will have an issue securing a highly sought after professional painting company or painter.

Let them know right away on the phone, a good company will ask this BEFORE coming out so they can avoid wasting anyone's time for a time frame they could never meet.

Preparation

No two companies will prepare your walls the same and it doesn't mean any one company is right or wrong, some companies do high end work where every inch of the surface is perfect and budget is not an issue for that client while other companies give you a general patching , hitting small dings and dent, maybe not all of them will be done but the majority and than there will be companies in between. 

Without explaining what you want your project is ripe for missed expectations and trouble, the experience will be miserable if you think your getting one job but receive another.

Don't be afraid to have an open and honest discussion with the contractor you're going to select because it is certainly a relationship. With any type of relationship if there is no communication there will be issues.

Paints Used

Paint prices vary so greatly, you can get a lower grade paint for a quick color change for an apartment for $15 or less in some cases or you can go all out and spend over $100 for a custom hand made paint from Benjamin Moore. Somewhere between those two options are many, many other choices depending on the performance you wish for your home or business.

Here are some questions to ask yourself

• Will you wash your walls?
• If so will you scrub them?
• Do you have children and pets?
• What type of sheen (shine) or lack of do you wish?
• What colors are you choosing?
• How often do you repaint
• Do you want a zero voc paint?
• Do you or anyone in your home have asthma or allergies?

The Vision

When your project is over a good company should know and meet what your vision is for your project.

We all have a vision, whether you got it from Houzz, Google, saw a friends home, a picture on Facebook or simply came up with it on your own, that is a vision and we want to know what that looks like so we can meet and exceed it.

A picture, drawing, link or video is a great way to share this vision, having a working relationship with any contractor will surely make your painting project a great one

The Customer Is Always Right?

The Client Is Always Right?

If you go out anywhere you're gonna run into people that are plain and simple jerks right? 

You know as soon as I said that you had somebody in your mind that you've come across in the last month. 

 You know when things aren't going good you see people's true colors and for the last three months or so we've all been kind of locked up in the house. It's no different in business 

 It all starts with that first phone call , you get people who are just difficult , all of a sudden they have no email address or they won't give you their phone number and sometimes they won't even give you their address.

You have to manage it on the first phone call, this should be  the first litmus test on whether that it's somebody that you can work with because  it's not getting better after that phone call.

 If they won't give you their information, if they won't give you their email address ,  if they won't supply you with the basic information you need to do your job how are you going to do it and it's only gonna get worse once the project starts.

 The second one is, what do they expect on their project? If they only want pricing, that's all they're looking for from you , to compare it to another company.

We recommend having that budget conversation from the beginning ,  knowing somebody's budget budgetary range is a good thing that's not a bad thing ,  ask on the phone .

You know if they're looking to get a full exterior paint job and only want to spend  four hundred dollars that's a conversation to have right there.  

 Do you have a written process for everybody that answers the phone? 

So now let's assume you've actually got the information and you went out to give an estimate or you did a virtual estimate 

The customer has to be on site, if you go out and they're not on site  it's another opportunity for missed expectations.

 If a client is expecting something but never tells you throughout the whole process until you're halfway through the job,  you're in for it and it's happened to us.

 I'm going out to estimates and everybody's just says we just wanna paint job,  we want to change the color we want this and that.

 Never did they mention that they are expecting the wood to be completely smooth,  that's a totally different paint job.

This is a totally different pint jobnow than what now and a different price but try to explain it to them now when you're halfway through the job and they think that you're screwing up.

 So  it's important to say what's on your mind , it's important to ask questions when you're on the estimate,  it's important to get the expectations no matter how dumb you think the questions are.

You need to ask how much prep did they expect?  what do they want it to  look like at the end of the job? What will make this job an awesome job for them when they step back?  I want to know that have they had other jobs that went bad , I want to know that what's most important to them.

 I want to know that,  because if you can ask and get the answers to all these questions you're gonna be a step ahead of the game and you're gonna be on the road to success

Fake Epoxy Floor Warranties

Good afternoon, everybody. It's Ryan, Amato, you know, from ryan amato painting and Amato Media.

So we're gonna talk about warranties today. The good, the bad and yup the ugly. I've been around this painting business for a long time. So warranties there always a hot topic, but I didn't know. How hot until we got involved in the epoxy floor business.

And then you start to see some really crazy things with warranties. So I want to jump right into that. We're gonna talk about long term warranty, short term warranties, no warranties.

And you know what's best for your company? What's not best for your company. And we'd love to hear some feedback on whatever what everybody else is offering out there. So, um, we'll go right into it for our painting company.

It's pretty basic, and I bet you the warranties are probably the same. We offer a one year warranty off of labor. Just saying that we've we've applied the products correctly as per the manufacturer.

If if it required two coats, we put two coats on. If it was one cut, we put one coat on. If it was a bear service and be primes, we primed it accordingly.

And as per the specifications of the topcoat. So it's important guys to make sure that you're applying the products correctly because what will happen is if you have a paint failure. Obviously the customer's gonna call your first because they don't want to pay for it to be fixed.

But the paint manufacturer is gonna come out, and they have the means to figure out what you did. So if you're out there trying to cut corners and skimp on materials or prep, just know that, yeah, you may get away with it one time two times three times, but eventually somebody's gonna call you out on it, and they're gonna come out and take some samples of the paint chips and send it back to their to their lab.

I mean, I know sure when williams does this, and I know benjamin moore does it. I'm sure all the other companies do it as well. They can take a look at things and know if you sanded properly.

If you primed what other coatings were on there? So they're gonna know right away. There's no lying about it. So do the right thing and make sure everything's good. Typically, most warranty issues aren't gonna be because of the labor. Anyway, it's gonna be other issues moisture expansion and contraction on the outside the buildings.

So don't worry. You're not gonna have the huge run on people claiming warranties against you, even for us. We've only had a few over the years, and some of them we don't even question. We just go out and fix them. It's not worth it.

It's not worth having to go out. Take a look at it. Take your paint manufacturer out there. By the time you're going back and forth, you've spent 34 hours trying to figure it out and the touch ups only an hour.

So just do the touch up. Now there's other companies. I know that offer. Um, you know, free touch ups for life. They offer lifetime warranties. They offer three year warranties seven year warranties for commercial painting. Typically, you're going to get a one year warranty, and that's it.

And I know sherwin williams in many cases, doesn't warranty commercial work or the commercial coating, so just keep that in mind. But what we really want to talk to you today about are the epoxy floors and the craziness that I see doing epoxy floor estimates.

So i'll be honest. I wasn't aware that other people were offering these astronomically long warranties on floors, and the reason I never even considered it is because they're they're absolutely ridiculous.

Anybody who does coatings in general, especially concrete coatings, knows that again, as long as you did the proper preparation. Most issues that are going toe happen on concrete are not gonna be covered under a warranty.

So let me say that again. Most issues that happened to concrete will not be covered under a warranty unless you messed up on the preparation. So when I started doing estimates for epoxy floors and people would say, oh, what your warranty and would say, oh, it's, you know, one year, whatever it was one year, three years and they say, boy, I just had another company out here who who's national, and they're offering a lifetime warranty on their coding.

Well off. Of course, they're offering a lifetime warranty on the coding because it's not going to be the coatings fault. When the floor fails, it's gonna be your concrete.

So they're gonna find every way to not warranty that floor for you. Trust me, there's going to be moisture issues. Warranties don't cover moisture issues.

There's going to be, ah, adhesion issues because of moisture. Again, there could be other vapers pushing up through the concrete there. There's most certainly can be movement of concrete.

What happens with epoxy floors is the epoxy is not flexible, like a typical acrylic paint that you use on your house and the epoxy cracks. And there you have a failure. And guess what?

It's not covered under warranty, so it's a big, huge sales pitch. Guys, you're going to see lifetime warranties number one, these companies air coming in from out of the area.

I would hope that everybody would try to use a local business, um, whether you they use you or they use me or they use somebody, you want to keep that money local.

So it's going and flowing through the local economy. There's no reason in our area or in most areas, unless you're very rural, that you need to use a nationwide company to do almost any service.

There's no need. So, you know, if a company's traveling 60 miles away to come do your epoxy floor, i'm sure you have another company locally that can do it, because think about it again. Guys. There six through an hour away.

Something happens to your floor. Do you think they're coming back out? Honestly, because I can answer it for you. They might eventually get out there to you, but they're not coming out any time soon.

So again, back to the warranties. It's all a sales picture. They're gonna come out there with their fancy binders and samples and show you all these different beautiful floors they've done. No matter what type of floor you're looking for, they're going to show you all their nice little samples.

They're going to give you a price right on the spot. They're gonna try to give you a discount if you sign up right away. It's very much like a used car sales person they're gonna show this this great, wonderful warranty that if anything ever happens to this floor, they're gonna take care of it for you.

And you sign on the dotted lines because you want this great deal. They they set you up. They come in with the beautiful vehicles. The job's done in one day and they're out so that hopefully nothing happens to the floor because i'm telling you the warranties air bullshit.

The warranties are not going to cover what you think they're going to cover. But let's say that it does cover. Let's say they didn't prepare the floor correctly.

I don't know how they're never going to admit that, but you have a spot on your floor that the tire sits on that maybe failed. So look at the warranty again.

It doesn't say they're going to redo the floor for you. They're going to, and this is the same for us. They're not going to redo the whole floor for your they're going to fix the area of failure only so if that area is a circle you know the size of maybe a hockey puck, that's the area they're going to fix on the floor, not the whole floor.

So, yes, it's possible that you could get a fix. But again, not the whole floor. You're never gonna have a whole floor fail. I don't know if i've ever i've seen one i'm looking at right now. It was a commercial floor that the contractor never grinded properly or grind it at all. So that means higher coating had to be pulled up.

But guess what? It wasn't a warranty claim. They hired us to come in and do it. We just had another one. It was a puppy. Daycare, beautiful building.

Just had the floor done three years ago. As soon as I got there and pulled up the piece that's peeling up, I could see the floor wasn't grinded again. So but guess what?

It wasn't a warranty claim again. It was pay for the whole floor again from a different company. I see it all the time. I see people who use the products that are from home depot and lowe's thea pox ease the poxy kits. There really nice and fancy boxes.

He open him up. Everything's in there. Probably some gloves and everything. An applicator and guess what they don't last when something seems too good to be true. It certainly is usually so remember, with all these warranties, you have to open up your eyes. I have thinks it's it's very much like going to buy a car, the's sales person or professional that are better than I am.

They're coming out there to sell you something. That's all they do all day long, and they're getting bonus for it. They're getting commissions for trust me, they're not the local business who may be the owners on site doing the flora's well, who is not getting commission, who's just trying to make his little business run properly and be successful with all these hard times that everybody's going through the's air? Very large corporations and companies who who have trained professional salespeople looking to just get you to sign that contract and get you into a long term warranty that means nothing.

So I appreciate you guys listening. Remember, it's ryan amato, d amato podcast. Www dot amato podcast dot com.

Check us out on youtube at Ryan Amato Painting l l c. We have a ton of information on there. I appreciate it

Price Alone Does Not Make A Great Epoxy Floor

Why Simply Getting A Price Is Wrong 

When getting information and pricing for your epoxy floor project we sometimes simply have people tell us " I have a two car garage"How much will my floor be?

While we wish it was this easy and many companies will simply throw pricing around this is not a professional or accurate way to give a proposal for your epoxy floor.

There are many factors such as what's currently on the floor? How much patching will you need on your garage floor? Thue products and look you want? 

This is not your typical paint job , anyway even if everyone used the same products, same application the prices would never be the same. Your forgetting about level of service, a real warranty for your epoxy floor. Are they local?

You have to answer many questions and much more than how much will the floor be.

Please listen to our weekly show where we went deep into this topic

Listen Here

So you would like an epoxy floor

Getting an epoxy floor is not an easy task, finding the right painter, epoxy company is hard to say the least. Doing it yourself is possible but not probable using professional products.

So what does a homeowner do? Watch our video above for more information on getting an epoxy floor for your garage or business.

If you are looking for an experienced Northampton & Lehigh County painter then please call (484) 821-7112

Ryan Amato Painting Adds Covid 19 Disinfecting Services

Ryan Amato Painting adds commercial disinfecting services to it’s line of expert services throughout the Lehigh Valley and parts of New Jersey

To help protect small and large businesses it has become vital to keep surfaces clean around facilities, businesses now more than ever.

Not only are you expected to provide these services it may become mandatory to remain open. Having a single or recurring service is something that can easily be added to your facilities maintenance plan and from a trusted company you may already be using for your painting needs.

Without adding any disruption to your business Ryan Amato Painting can come in and quickly decontaminate entire facilities or high risk areas such as bathrooms, lunchrooms and common areas quickly and safely with products approved and able to kill Corona Virus within 10 minutes on contact.

Please call us for more information and to begin your service at

484-821-7112 or email us bidrequests@ryanamatopaintingllc.com

So You Want An Epoxy Floor For Your Garage

You walk out to your garage each morning, stepping on oil, a dirty floor and concrete that is cracked and decide you would like a shiny new epoxy floor installed but have no idea where to start.

Maybe you had a friend or family member had theirs done or you have seen them on YouTube or Facebook and now you want one too.

But how much are they, how long will it last and where do you start?

Where To Begin

Finding a reputable contractor you can trust is your first step, this is not a project for your typical painting contractor so that should not be your first step. A reputable epoxy installer or a painting company who has a dedicated epoxy department is the way to go. Epoxy can be very tricky, no two applications are the same, epoxy is very finiscky with the surrounding temperartures, moisture in the air and also surface temperatures. Only an experienced epoxy installer will know what to do and make adjustments along the way.

Even a slight difference in the normal dew point can drastically change cure times, dry times and recoat times of a floor. Not knowing these and what to do can be disaterous for your garage floor. What could go wrong? The sheen could be blotchy, the color could be off, the epoxy could eventually fail and peel off not to mention the cosmetic issues you can have.

Finding Your Contractor

Finding your contractor won't be an easy one, there are not that many fully trained and experienced companies out there or some only do commercial epoxy floors. Steer clear of a painting company who says sure we also do floors, if they are a painting company they should have a totally seperate crew who only does floors to be assured they are trained on new applications, products and the issues that come along with them to fully get the results you want. 

The Right Products

Everyone will look to Google as their go to source of information and see buzz words such as high solid, polyaspartic and more but remember even though a company is using those "type" of products there are many inferior formulations from one epoxy manufacturer to the next. You could be using all the "right" products but they could be cheap brands giving you a much lower quality epoxy floor.

From thinner applications due to poor training of the crews or thinner coating due to low quality products you won;t know this until its too late and you are recoating your garage floor way to soon.

Stick to a professional epoxy floor company that can manage all of this for you.

The Application Process

Most professional epoxy installers will be grinding your floor, this does not mean it needs to be done each and every time but to achieve the proper surface for your concrete and the new epoxy it is usually determined it needs to be diamond grinded. The company should have a full seperate hepa vacuum attached to the grinder sucking up all that nasty concrete dust leaving your home and their workers safe.

Proper set up of the area should be noted, keeping all other areas clean that are not being done is professional and important, it is not easy to get cured epoxy off surfaces it should not be on.

After cleaning all the grease off of the floor with specialized products, the company will most likely be grinding and cleaning once more. After cleaning there are a couple routes a company may go.

If it is determined you don;t have a vapor barrier a liquid (primer) vapor barrier may be used.

If you do have one already they may go direct to the concrete with the epoxy, remember each and every step costs money so any added coat or step will be additional costs to your final bill.

After the epoxy is put down now is the time to add flakes or anti slip additives, this can be a very unique and custom installation process and you may get a different look for whoever is installing (throwing) the decorative flakes. You want one installer applying your flakes to make sure it is uniform.

The Clear Coat

Another term you will hear so much is polyaspartic, this is a type of coating that is not vulnarable to the uv light like epoxy is, is hard and a terrific top coat.

However it is difficult to apply, the life once mixed is very short and it is not inexpensive.

This is what I would choose for my house though.

You do have some other options, but they will effect the longevity of the coating, the amount of time you have before having to coat it again.

Depending on the use of your floor will also determine what type of clear coat you will be using.

Expectations

At the end of the day the proper expectations are needed, if you have concrete that is moving or water pressure coming up from underneath your floor you could have some issues, this would not be a failure of the coating itself. If you drop something very heavy it could chip the coating no matter what you have down on the concrete. Remember the floors are extremly tough but nothing is bulletproof.

Proper Maintenance

Properly maintaining your epoxy floor and coating is important but not hard at all.

We would love for you to use just a simple combination of dawn and soem warm water, this is all you should need to fully clean anything off of your floor if you get it right away. Do not allow solvents to sit on your floor and wipe those up right away just to prevent any discoloration.

It's that easy, do this and you should have years to come of your new epoxy floor.

Proper Expectations When Painting The Exterior Of Your Home

 

Its exterior painting season and one of the main things that are important to an ex terior painting job is proper preparation of the surfaces. 

When planning to paint the exterior of your home or business it's very important to check and inspect every surface around the house whether it's siding wood trim aluminum or other materials

Painting on top of damaged wood or metal can significantly lower the long Gemini of the paint job however  Sometimes a budgetary restraints can significantly reduce the preparation of a surface

It's a balance between budget and proper preparation on some projects especially historical homes.

 What is proper preparation of a service proper preparation of a surface for a paint job is clean dull and dry notice I did not say smoothed a surface does not have to be smooth to be properly prepared and paint it especially on older homes were you've have many many layers of painted surface chipped paint paint the has been painted over over the years and multiple layers of other a paints.

When we discuss these types of jobs we like to give clear expectations on what the customer is going to receive what the customer wants and what the customer can pay for again it is a fine balance between budget and a properly painted surface.

When preparing a surface it's very important that the customer clearly explains what they want the surface to look like after the job is done because the number one issue on any paint job is failed and missed expectations.

The few issues we've had on paint jobs have been surfaces where a customer thinks that a home that has been painted countless times over should be completely smooth where in the real world that service needs to be completely stripped and that is a whole different job than a repaint

A properly painted surface for us at a normal job is preservation techniques with preservation techniques we one remove any failed paint that is clearly chipping we want a feather sand that area notice I did not say fill it in or make it smooth we want a prime any bear would typically using an oil based exterior primer and then a top quality exterior paint on top of that 1 coat 2 coats it depends on the job itself.

As long as the customer has clear written expectations that are also put into their contract and proposal and you fully walk them through the job and explain what can and what can't be done 

You should have no issues on your painting project.

Why does a customer feel a surface should be smooth even if it has not been for the last 50 years these are questions that we ask ourselves all the time and I guess that's that's part of the issue now with Google with Yahoo with being able to go on to YouTube and watch other preparations and home shows.

The issues with the shows are their perfect conditions and there are very compressed video where a job may have taken weeks they put it down into less than an hour of show.

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In the real world these types of preparations time frames and applications are impossible, Although maybe I shouldn't say impossible it is certainly possible with the right budget.

In our area Pennsylvania we're lucky if we get a few days a year with ideal conditions to paint from rain to snow to sleet to to Hi of humidity the dew points never correct we have very limited time to actually paint if you went by the specifications from the manufacturers.

The manufactures are very aware that these conditions can never be met so they do give broad ranges and better explanations on the local level with your sales rep.

Knowing that if you have an area that is currently peeling or failing that it is likely it could peel and fail again what we see are issues with moisture expansion and contraction causing pain failures locally correcting these issues and putting the new coat of paint on May not correct the the moisture or expansion and contraction movement issues.

Doing your best diligence to properly prepare these surfaces goes a long way in making a great paint job.

Polyaspartic vs Epoxy Floor

Polyaspartic Vs Epoxy

Garage Floor Coating:

What is the difference?

We are asked this question all of the time in our daily epoxy floor estimates, on the phone, by new technicians and it is a great one, so let's dive into epoxy coatings and get some of the mystery answered.

Both options offer a durable and cosmetically pleasing result and you will hear different opinions on each from almost everyone. let's weigh the pro's and con's of each.

Durability

   A polyapartic coating is a hard, flexible finish that is durable, wont chip or 

scratch.

 Epoxy is a hard finish but it is rigid and vulnerable to abrasion

Polyaspartic is the clear winner here

Cost

Polyaspartic is certainly more expensive and requires increased installation costs due to the short cure time in the bucket, it needs more people to apply it

Epoxy is the more affordable coating here. 

Dry Time

Polyaspartic, One layer can dry in an hour or less

Epoxy can take up to 16 hours to dry so polyaspartic is the better choice here

Diy Installation

Polyaspartic is not for the new painter, even an experienced applicator can have issues with it

Epoxy can be done with some experience , the proper tools and help but when things don't go as planned is when you need an experienced contractor

Non Slip

Both can be made to be non slip with additives, we do not or recommend not adding non slip additives to any floor.

Uv Stability

This is the big one, polyasaprtic coatings won't fade or yellow while epoxy can lose its sheen and color very quickly when exposed to the uv.

With our floors we like to use an epoxy undercoat and a polyaspartic top coat for the ultimate benefit from both

You can choose almost any color flake to make your floor your own creation and something to wow your neighbors.

Proper Prep

It goes without saying the proper prep of your floor is the most important thing you can do.

Without the proper knowledge, equipment and products your floor will be doomed to a coating failure. 

We have seen many floors fail, even ones that we were told we grinded by other companies.

The proper concrete surface profile (CSP) is key to a good coating.

All epoxy and polyaspartic coatings will come with specifications needed to apply them and there will be listed the minimum csp needed.

We like to have our floors feel like sandpaper before we coat them, this usually cannot be done properly without a diamond grinder. As you can see you need more and more specialized equipment to do your epoxy floor correctly.

By the time yiu would rent all of this, buy the materials and risk applying them and mixing them correctly, you could of hired someone to do the floor professionally in most cases.

Pro's and Cons Of Each Floor

Pro's of an epoxy floor

Affordable: if your working on a budget, this may be the way to go.

Longer pot life: A longer pot life makes it a bit easier to use

Chemical Resistant: Can withstand almost anything

Durability: Dries very hard and can withstand traffic

Cons of an epoxy floor

Not Uv Stable: Epoxy will change color and lose it's shine 

Dry Time: Takes longer to dry, takes a few days to complete installation

Rigid: Will not expand or contract along with the concrete, can chip, less durable

Pro's Of A Polyapsartic floor

Versatile: Can be applied in may conditions and temperatures, even exterior

Durability: Dries hard but remains flexible which increases it's durability

Quick dry time: Cures within 30 minutes, making jobs go fast

Colorfast: Will not fade or yellow

Cons of a polyaspartic floor

Expensive: This will be your most expensive floor, extra skilled labor is needed due to the quick cure times

Hard To apply: The hardest to apply even for a skilled crew

Possible failure: If your concrete gives off moisture, polyaspartic may lose its bond and peel

SO what's your pick? For us it is a combination, an epoxy undercoat with a polyaspartic top coat

                                         

It's Exterior Painting Season

It is that time of the year again, the flowers are coming up, trees blooming, allergies are back but the best time of the year is exterior painting season is upon us.

There are a few things to deal with this time of the year, weather is the biggest concern as temperatures will greatly fluctuate as well as the humidity and rain. Managing all of these things takes patience and experience on your part and your contractors. 
You will need to understand some days it may be impossible to put a paint coating on due to humidity or rain on the way. Your contractor will (should ) have vast knowledge and experience dealing with these issues and have his or her tricks of the trade ready to go when things arise.

Weather

Weather plays a very important part of every exterior project, we do not want it to rain on the paint coating we are putting on for a few reasons. One we "may" have to do it again, rain can cause marking on an uncured paint coating , that is the moisture being mixed into the coating, not the end of the world just added time and expense.
Number two is we certainly do not want our surfaces taking on even more moisture then it needs to. Moisture is a big cause of paint failures, have your contractor do some moisture testing around your home if you have bare wood or decks your about to paint or stain. However be prepared for the bad news you may not be able to have your project done right now.

The Schedule

It never fails, we all wait until the last minute to plan our projects around the home and then expect contractors are standing by to tackle these and have no other work to do or an unlimited amount of painters to do these projects.

You snooze you lose

You snooze you lose is never more true when you need something done, you haven't planned ahead and all the good contractors are booked solid. Repeat A GOOD CONTRACTOR SHOULD BE BOOKED

I would tread lightly when someone is available right away unless they perhaps had a cancellation or surprise opening, it should not be out the question that a qualified contractor is booked out 4,8,12 weeks or more. It is not worth it to me to get someone to do it now who may not be the most qualified of contractors.

Plan Ahead In The Winter

The winter months are the best times to plan and schedule your exterior work, contractors are usually more than happy to get you competitive pricing and know the schedule a bit better at this time before the chaos of the busy Spring and Summer months hit. It is not uncommon to see specials, discounts and deals at this time.

If you need exterior painting please reach out to us at 484-821-7112 or email bidrequests@ryanamatopaintingllc.com

Top Mistakes To Avoid With Epoxy Floors

When Having an epoxy floor done in your garage, home or business there are many things that can go wrong.

Top mistakes with epoxy floor install

A few issues are untrained technicians, this is not a job for the normal painter as epoxy has all different curing times, application methods and must be done correctly and as per the manufacturers specifications.

Lack of knowledge on the preparation of the surface is another huge issue and where we usually see failures such as peeling, blistering and more. Not knowing what the proper csp (concrete surface profile) should be for the product and surface your are applying the epoxy to can be a recipe for disaster.

I have seen countless times contractors grinding floors or after inspecting failures facilities and businesses tell me “I saw them grinding” that are not even close to being correctly prepared, in actuality they polished the floors and made it worse through improperly grinding the floor.

Just because you see or hear someone say they are grinding does not mean they are doing it correctly, ask them what csp profile they are achieving and see if they know the answer.

What products are being used? Again if you go out to dinner and order a steak, you know there are many different grades, suppliers and they way it is cooked, this all affects the taste and price of that steak dinner. The same goes with epoxy, when you hear buzz words like polyaspartic, 100%solids that can mean anything and any grade, you can certainly buy a cheap and worthless 100% solid epoxy that just is not the same quality as another.

A typical homeowner will not be able to tell or see a difference until they have to re do their floor much, much sooner than expected. Heck you may not see any difference at all. It is hard to tell one floor from the next and the internet doesn’t help much with the proper information of real world epoxy floor installation.

The kits from the big box stores are just not the same high grade epoxy used by professional contractors, they are made to be easier to apply for the normal homeowner, with some professional epoxies and urethane’s, once mixed we may only have 15 minutes to get it on the floor. So when purchasing those kits remember cost vs value, yes it will be much less expensive to do it yourself now, but the time it takes you to do it you could of spent doing other things and the matter of having it last will certainly cost you more in the long run

If you are looking for an experienced Northampton & Lehigh County painter then please call 484-821-7112

Exterior Painting Expectations

Exterior Painting Expectations

Deciding to paint the exterior of your home is something most everyone has to do at some point.

Even if you have vinyl or aluminum siding, wood or other there will be a time you need to paint that dull or faded siding.

Expectations are the most important thing you need to express to the estimator who comes out to your home. Not every painting company will prepare and paint your home the same way just as each restaurant you go to doesn't prepare your food the same way.

There is a level of service for every different person and budget. To expect that to be the same from the company top company can be ripe for disappointment.

First things first preparation of the surface

Here is an important area for any paint job, with aluminum siding or vinyl siding there isn't too much for confusion, make sure it is cleaned, any damaged pieces should be replaced by a siding contractor and then properly paint it. 

What about wood 

Here is where differences will come into play.

In our area, we have a mix of new and older homes that have been painted countless times already.

Without contracting with your painter to completely strip your surfaces it will not be completely smooth like new if you have many old layers of peeling paint. We believe this is the number one area of confusion with exterior painting

Preservation

We use the preservation method of preparation of the surface. This would include scraping loose paint, not removing old layers that are sound, caulking gaps and voids where needed and typically overlaying the caulk. Spot priming any bare wood and lightly sanding (feather sanding) the surfaces.

You will still see the old layers of paint however you will have a protected sound surface that will last for years. This is acceptable for 9 out of 10 people but if they are expecting a stripped smooth surface you will be disappointed. The issue is, that type of service is expensive and not many people would want to go that costly route but do want those results. It's comparable to having the budget for a used car but expecting a brand new BMW.

Restoration

Restoration is the total restoring of a surface, we do not offer this service personally. It is costly because it takes a long time, very expensive labor and top of the line materials usually matching historical trim pieces. Not many people would go this route but some do expect it.

Be At the Estimate

It sounds simple but to avoid any missed expectations, be at the estimate and have a real conversation with the estimator. You would not believe how many people call for an estimate and either will not be home or not walk around the home with me. Those jobs have a 50/50 shot of going bad in one way or the other. Be at the estimate and take the time to walk around the home, point out areas that are concerning to you, remember it's your home and you know it's in and outs. An estimator is only there for maybe an hour. The more you can tell us, the better so we can prescribe the correct paint job and meet or exceed your expectations.

If you would like a free no-hassle consultation please call us at 484-821-7112 www.ryanamatopainting.com