Our Other Services

 Did You Know We Also Offer These Other Services?

Many times we are called out for interior or exterior painting estimates and people do not realize we also offer many other services.

We of course offer all of your residential painting such as

• Interior painting of small and large repaints 

• Small projects start at $650 and go up from there. We typically do interior repaints of already painted homes
• Our minimum interior project starts at $650
• From one bedroom to entire interiors and prices ranging from $650 for one bedroom and $9000-$18,000 for an entire interior painted depending on the size of the home.
• Of course these prices are examples and can vary greatly up or down.

• Small and large exteriors
• Typically these are homes with small to minimal preparation
• Repaints of existing surfaces such as siding, shutters, doors
• Fences, pergolas, decks, pool decks and pools and concrete surfaces
• Our exterior services typically start at $1000 and go from there
• Pricing varies greatly up or down depending on the request, amount of preparation and difficulty involved

Here are some of the other painting services Ryan Amato Painting offers for our clients

1) Epoxy Flooring

For your garage, basement, home, exterior surfaces and businesses

Epoxy floors can add safety in a non slip surface, protect your concrete, they are anti microbial , easy to clean and many have unique one of a kind looks.

With most projects starting at $2000 there is a floor for almost any budget.

You can expect to pay for a partial flaked or fully flaked  epoxy floor between $5-$8 a sq ft in most cases

For a solid top quality epoxy floor you should expect to pay between $4-$7 a sq ft

For a one of a kind metallic floor you most likely are starting at $8 a sq foot and going up from there .

All of these are example prices and it varies greatly depending on the amount of patching needed, the existing coating and many other factors. They can be more or less than these example prices

Using top of the line professional epoxies we can deliver a solution that lasts.

These are not your thin epoxy kits from the big box stores that last one year at best.

By offering only the thickest, high quality epoxy you can be assured you will have a floor that you dreamed of

Visit here for more information

2) Kitchen Cabinet Refinishing 

If you have looked into replacing your kitchen cabinets or refacing them your aware of the huge expense that comes with that.

With kitchen cabinet painting you can achieve that same amazing , long lasting look for a fraction of the cost of replacing or refacing.

With our touch ups for life on most projects, there is literally no risk.

A professional kitchen cabinet project from us has a minimum of $2500 with your typical kitchen costing between $2500-$6000

It all depends on how many doors and drawers you have, do you want them all done onsite or brought back to our shop?

Pricing will vary greatly depending on the factors mentioned above

Do you have glass fronts, would you like the insides painted and many other factors.

With our team who only does kitchen cabinets you can be assured your receiving a top notch job, not one from a painting company who also paints some kitchen cabinets here and there.

Visit here for more information

3) Epoxy Countertops

Have you looked into how much it costs to replace your exiting countertops with quality materials such as granite or marble? 

If you have, we have the perfect less inexpensive option for you

Epoxy can go on almost any surface, whether Formica, wood, concrete, granite, marble , you name it we can coat it.

For a one of a kind look that is food grade safe, high temperature tested and easy to clean look no further.

You can expect to pay for a professional high end epoxy countertop project between $2500-$6000

Again the prices vary greatly depending on the desired look, colors and the amount of preparation needed and size of the project.

But we can assure you it is less than replacing them with top quality materials

Other services we offer

• Full commercial and facility maintenance and industrial painting

• Off hours work for facilities
• Safety coloring of pipes for all commercial and facilities
• Preservation of steel and concrete surfaces
• Safety with anti slip surfaces and coatings
• Office painting, hallway painting, door and trim painting 
• Hoa, Churches, Apartment turnovers
• We can handle projects from $650 all the way up to well over six figures
• Power washing of surfaces

4) Turf Painting

Yes it is a "thing"

Many people outside of turf management industries are surprised by the notion of painting their lawns as if painting their home walls.  However, turf colorants have long been used in sports industries, especially golf course management.

When compared with many other lawn care practices, applying green grass paints can be the most efficient, economical and water-conserving way to achieve green grass.

Whether a lawn is relatively healthy or is facing disease or pest challenges, green grass paints provide a way to attain a great looking healthy lawn quickly, inexpensively and without harmful chemicals.

 This can be a quick remedy for event preparation, such as an outdoor wedding, BBQ, party or picnic. 

It’s also a helpful way to get a quick boost in curb appeal when selling a home or when dealing with challenges such as drought or water restrictions.

Safe for pets and people

Non toxic and organic

Dry in two hours and fully cured in 8

Typically lasts 6-8 weeks

Does not stain

As you can see we offer a lot of services that can help with almost any painting need.

With an expert staff with many years in the painting industry, dedicated project manager and office staff and a trustworthy staff of painters, we have every need taken care of. 

We also will match almost any price that is offering the same level of service, same level of insurance and workman's compensation and also offers free touch ups for life on most residential interior and kitchen cabinet projects.

Please see your proposal for more information or call 484-821-7112

Kitchen Cabinet Painting Changes Your Kitchen

Kitchen Cabinet Painting

Have you wanted to change the look of your kitchen and do it without having to renovate your entire kitchen?

Painting your kitchen cabinets can dramatically and affordably paint your kitchen cabinets using a professional painting contractor who has experience painting and refinishing cabinets and has successfully done so many times.

This is not the type of job to take lightly and hire the cheapest price that comes along, sometimes looking for that low price will equal low quality.

Types of products

The quality of the products you use  will make or break your project, using low-quality products will have a direct effect on washability, longevity and the quality of the finish itself (how it looks)
using low-quality paint products can make a surface impossible to be scrubbed or washed when dirt and oils get on it. Remember you're going to be using them every day and they will take heavy use from you and your family. It is important to take this project seriously

Can I do it myself?

Yes, you may be able to do this project yourself if you have good experience painting and repairing surfaces, you still may not be able to achieve the finish a professional would be able to offer not to mention the time it will save you so you can do what you do best. I would take every precaution if you decide to take this project on yourself and do your homework. One wrong move and you could have peeling paint or runs and sags in your finish. A professional will have the experience should somethign go wrong and know how to correct it

How to get a kitchen cabinet estimate

How to get a kitchen cabinet estimate

We are asked all the time how to get a kitchen cabinet estimate and this process cannot be easier.
I have attached a video below explaining this entire process.

Gone are the days of having to wait around for someone to show up, give you a song and dance on how great their company is and then they try to usell you on other services.

All we need is for you to fill out our information form along with a few pictures and the count of the door and drawers and we can have a price over generally the same day.

How much easier can it be?

Once we send the price over, all you have to do is click accept, we will send a deposit request over and get your project scheduled as soon as possible.

If you're having other work done we suggest you get that work done first to avoid any damage or added costs touching up other people's work.

Top ways to get a good painting estimate

The top ways for you to get a good paint estimate

You have decided it's time to paint inside your home, maybe it's a few bedrooms or possibly the trim or maybe your just going to paint your entire interior. 

So now what?

You will find out quickly when you start calling around, many companies will either not call back or it will take a few days if they call back at all. Once your lucky enough to get someone either pick up the phone or call you back now your issue will be them showing up at all. 

One of the comments I receive all the time is "wow you showed up on time just like you said" Sounds crazy right? People are in business but won't call back or show up.

If your lucky enough to have someone show up now the issue is they won't be honest and tell you they are not either interested in your project or capable of doing it, so they will never send a proposal over or price it very high so you never call them.

So this is why it is very important on your end to be prepared when your ready to call a painting company or any trade for that matter. Here are some things you should be prepared with.

1. Know your budget and don't be afraid to share it, when asked. A good company can generally work within any budget but without having an idea of what it may be you may receive prices all over the place. With painting there are varying levels of quality, no two companies will paint a residential project the same. 
2. Know exactly what you want to be done, are all the ceilings being done or can they be left out to help reduce costs? Is the trim being done? Again by not having all these details, your pricing will be all over the place and you may be surprised with the end result
3. What is important to you? Is quality most important or is the cost? You typically will not be able to get a low priced job with top quality work but if you're real about your expectations and budget missed expectations can be avoided
4. Be at the estimate, the person who will interact and "judge" the work should be the person at the estimate. I can't tell you how many times people don't take this seriously and leave a parent or babysitter home to show the work or even the other spouse who when the job starts isn't the person judging the work, another area where you will have missed expectations
5. Be realistic, it will rain, people will call off or be sick, other things will come up. Every company does it's best to make sure everyone works each day all year long but we will all be disappointed with workers who are not responsible, all anyone can do is make it right and move forward. Remember things can always be worse, have patience and understand everyone has a story and things going on in their life.

There are no apples to apples

When you say you want to compare apples to apples what you're really implying is every company does the exact same thing, the same quality, the same training and the only thing separating them is the rice they are about to give you.

Let me let you in on a little secret, you could put 5 painting estimators in a room, using the same paint, same application and you will get 5 different prices, don't assume each company knows what they are doing and certainly you cannot compare this with price alone.

Don't forget about the things not said, communication, the extra value they bring, will they be around if you need something down the road? Or once they are paid are they gone and forgot your name. Trust me I am involved heavily in the painting industry and there are some very questionable workers and companies out there, just as there are some great people and companies out there, but if a bunch of estimators cannot agre on a price what makes you think you're qualified enough to be able to compare them?

Things may still go wrong

Even after all of this, you may have some things go wrong, they may spill paint, or have drips or not prep as you think they should or the color may be wrong. The mark of a good company is just to correct these things if it was their fault. There is no need to yell and scream, no one wants to work for anyone like that, the painters end up trying gto go faster to get out of there, the client is upset and the office is tired of those "phone calls" Remember it's a team effort that includes the painters, the office and the client. Everyone must be on the same page for a successful project

Ryan Amato

www.ryanamatopainting.com

484-821-7112

Why are church doors painted red?

Why Are Church Doors Painted Red?

Why are church doors painted red?

The tradition of painting doors red goes back many centuries.

There are a few meanings of a red door.

Red is a reminder of Passover and a sign of the Holy Spirit, doors began being painted red as a way of remembering the ultimate sacrifice others have made for their faith such as martyrs.

Red signifies the blood shed by Jesus

Red doors also signal a place of sanctuary, refuge and safety. 

In Feng Shui red means a warm welcome and hospitality. The red door promotes the awakening of positive energy and drives evil forces away.

In Cincinnati,OH a church has actually taken the name Red Door Church as their official name.

Choosing and matching colors

Choosing and matching colors

Choosing and matching colors can be the best and worst part of your painting project.

Some people love and look forward to choosing new colors for their home while others this process brings great stress and anxiety.

With the investment of getting your home painted and feeling the pressure to get it just right can make for a miserable experience for some, typically for us this can delay some projects, we like to have the colors to our office at least two weeks before the project starts to properly prepare for your job. This certainly doesn’t happen all the time and this process has delayed the start of jobs.

It is a lot better to be prepared for your project then show up the first day not having any paint, having to run to the paint store, the delays could cost you more money in delays.

Choosing colors doesn’t have to be a difficult or frustrating experience at all. In the grand scheme of things it’s only paint, nothing in this world will be perfect although we try like heck to make it as close as possible. For these people that need that perfect color, a color consultant is exactly what will make this process go smoother.

Open floor concepts

With today’s open floor concepts,  can see multiple rooms at on time when your standing in one room, color selections are vital to create a smooth transition into each room.

Benjamin Moore does make this quite easy with there Affinity color chart, it is exactly what I used in my home, any color  in this color fan deck will coordinate with any of the others. However even with this chart , I would of probably chosen other colors after I was complete.

Colors will change from wall to wall, room to room even when using the same can of paint, we have had clients swear up and down we used a different color in the same room and it was the light, depending on the type of lighting you have in the room can dramatically change the outcome and look of your paint colors. We know this is hard to understand but it is in fac the case, we recommend bringing a sample of your colors home and put samples on boards in the room they are going, pleas do not put them on the wall as they can change the app rearrange of the top colors as we try to cover all the samples you did on the wall.

At Ryan Amato Painting we are here to make this a simple process and can help in anyway possible, we highly recommend commend our color consultant for the more choosier of clients, for others you can certainly select your own colors and create an awesome space that match’s your style ,taste and personality.

Painting in cold weather

When is it time to stop painting in the Lehigh Valley?

The Fall is on the way and that means leaves changing colors and falling, Halloween, Thanksgiving and yes cold weather.

We are asked each year when is it too cold to paint and that is a great question and it depends on a few different things.

Typically in years past you would need to stop painting around 50 degrees which really limits the season in the Lehigh Valley to paint exteriors but with the new paint formulations Sherwin Williams has many pints that can be used down to 34 degrees. This means we can extend the exterior painting season possibly months ahead. We actually painted well after Christmas a few years ago.

We do have to remember a few things, when we say the temperature needs to be 35 degrees we are referring to the surface temperature of the material you are attempting to paint. So if that is metal such as aluminum siding the surface temperature may be a lot lower thence  the air temps. 

We use the information from the local weather channels and temperature and surface temperature gauges. This is very important to know, you may be able to push it a few degrees but much more than that and you could risk paint failures such as peeling, flaking, discoloration and more. Plus you would void your manufactures warranty from any of the manufacturers and trust me they will go back and look at the dates and local weather reports.

So what happens in the Fall is there is no guarantee an exterior painting project can be done, so we typically tentatively schedule these projects with the risk it may need to be done in the next Spring.

For instance we had approximately 10 projects push into 2019 from last Fall, although they are the first projects to be done it still takes time to go through those jobs, not every person can be the first job.

The Fall can be a great time to paint and do exterior projects, you don’t have the direct sun to contend with much or as much rain as we see in July and August, it’s cooler so we have longer work days as we are not contending with higher temperatures and the paint doesn’t instantly dry which makes it easier for the painters .

Most painting companies will be very experienced dealing with the weather and there is no need to micromanage this or delay the project because of a few degrees here and there and can actually add additional costs because of delays. Trust who you hire and remember in most cases they have been doing this a long time.

Proper planning of a painting project

Proper planning of jobs

Proper planning of a painting project takes the previous experience with all types of projects, a detailed written plan that was accepted by the client and reviewed with the painter.

When something seemingly goes wrong with any painting project you can usually go back to this plan or the expectations of the client being too high or not being met.

Be Home

On that initial estimate, this is why it is very important to be there as a client, this is your chance to explain in detail what you would like done and how you want it to look when it's completed.

You may say that every job should be done the same way be each company but that is just not the case, there are many levels of quality and ones to meet every budget, you wouldn't want to pay top of the line price and get a rental quality paint job and vice versa.

Let the professionals be

We sometimes have clients who feel they should be managing the project, we understand why they feel this way however they have no experience doing this or working with paint coatings, timelines, dry time, weather conditions and the list goes on and on.

It is always an issue when a client feel they need to be the project manager, it makes the painters uncomfortable, it delays the project because they have them jumping around doing things in order that we would not normally do, this is where added charges can occur. Let th professionals take care of the project, a project may not look good until the last day, remember any project is a work in progress until it's complete.

Even with all this planning things happen

Even with all the right planning, excitement of the project and all the best intentions mistakes do happen, no one can say they never have any issues with their work or home life, but the true character of anyone is correcting them, it sometimes amazes me people expect everything to be perfect, well I hate to tell everyone but we are just like you, not perfect. It's certainly possible someone drops something, spills paint, misses a spot, forgets something etc. Again judge at the final result, that is where everything will shine

I am the easiest client to deal with

I must be the easiest client to deal with because I simply let people do their job, no matter what they look like, what language they speak, how old they are I let them do their thing and i have been lucky to have great projects done at our home and met some awesome contractors.

yes I have had things go wrong, i didn't call up and yell and scream or fire off a nasty email, I asked how I could fix it myself and you know what they came right back out and corrected it without any questions.

Hint: Be Nice

Here is a great tip when working with a contractor: BE NICE

You would be surprised what you may get if your nice, you may get that small extra done with no charge, you may get your garbage cans brought in or the contractor going above and beyond in many other ways, but as soon as someone is nasty, demanding what do you think happens? That all stops and no one wants to interact with them, even the painters just want to get the job done and get out

We love to paint homes

We love our work 

What’s not to love about making people’s dreams for their home come true? We get to see this process start from the first day at the estimate when they explain to our estimator what their vision is for a room or the entire home, whether inside or out paint can do so much and quick.

Transforming a home can be a life changing thing for some families, people save to be able to do a professional paint job and we take that seriously each time.

Does everything always go perfectly? No not every time but the thing with us is we stand behind everything and we preach accountability to everyone around us, and if we see they do not understand accountability they aren’t around any longer.

We have had a lot of great painters that turned out to not be a good fit because as soon as something goes wrong (and it does) they blame everyone else, that is the perfect time to see someone’s true colors. We work hard to keep good people around us who are professional, respectful, dependable and great at communication. To find these people takes a lot of hard work , sometimes we can’t tell right away but people always show their true self in tough times.

What does this mean to you? It means you have nothing to worry about, even in the rare case something happens you can rest assure it will be corrected any way possible and that means a lot in this day and age with contractors.

We are a small company who specializes in customer satisfaction, we just happen to paint.

The best clients become our raving fans and tell everyone, their friends and family, click on our social media posts and keep in touch with us.

It’s great when we are out in the area, at a store and someone comes up and tells us how much they love us and the job we did.

As I said it’s not perfect, we have had disgruntled clients as well as painters, that is going to happen when you do so many jobs and work for people and with people you don’t know personally, we try hard to qualify our clients and painters but every now and then some slip through or we make a mistake. Anyone company who says they never have made a mistake isn’t telling you the truth.

I get the great opportunity to meet, train and teach and learn from many other painting contractors across the United States as well as some of the largest and best and trust me we all have the same issues. Employee issues, client issues, expectations are unreasonable or just very difficult people.

But to push on and persevere and grow is what makes it all worthwhile , remember the great clients more than the few bad ones, remember their is always a bad apple in the bunch. It doesn’t mean you do bad work. 

Get to know us: Tag Entwisle

Get to know us 

Tag Entwisle

Tag is our operations manager and comes to us from his past management experience with Gold's Gym and Amazon. He brings a devotion to the company culture, great communication and always strives to be a role model to our staff.

We were lucky enough to bring Tag in, his current role has the responsibilities of managing all the painters and crew leaders, the daily schedule, making sure all the clients are satisfied. He developed a year long training system for the painters.

Accountability is a must for Tag and expects and demands it from everyone around him but at at the same time is fair and loyal.

He has overseen many different projects from commercial painting, small and large to residential interior and exterior projects.

He has worked directly with Benjamin Moore to learn all the new products as well as the ones we currently use each day.

There is no rest in our office but when Tag has free time he loves working out as well as spending time with his to girls. Fun fact Tag has competed and will be competing again in bodybuilding show.

Why Hire A Professional Painting Company

Why You Should Hire A Professional Painting Company

Everyone has some kind of painting to do around their home or business and deciding who is going to do it comes down to a few choices:

• Do it yourself
• A friend has a "guy"
• Hire a professional

These choices all come with pro's and con's of course and we will review a few of them here to help you make a better decision

Do it yourself: 

Doing it yourself is always a choice but it comes with a few issues and mainly it is time. do you really want to spend your minimal free time painting? Some people love it and there is no question, others could take that free time and use it to spend quality time with their family or use it to do what they do best. 

• Your free time is used
• It may cost more in the long run
• Quality may or may not be adequate
• Knowledge of paint coatings
• No relationship with the paint vendors
• Completing the project on time

If I am spending time doing things I have no idea about I would be much better off doing my work which I can earn money to simply just pay a painter. That time your painting your not only losing time but possibly money as well.

Also, you may not get the professional or timely results a professional company such as Amato Painting

A friend has a "guy"

We all know someone always has a guy who does side work or is a jack of all trades, you have seen their work and know the price is low but this comes with some issues for sure.

• Will they show up as promised
• Will they come each day
• Are they really insured fully?
• Their knowledge of paint coatings is limited
• Is there really any warranty
• Will they even finish the project?

So the issue really is, with that lower price you are certainly losing things, if something would happen you will not have a warranty, they probably do not have a relationship with the paint manufacturer who can assist in any matters.

The insurance issue is certainly one not to look past, liability insurance is not expensive, workers compensation is and if they have employees you need to make sure they have this.

The difference in price from this to a professional painter you are gaining many things that we will go over below.

The professional painter

The professional painter, some have given painters a bad name and some are simply awesome

• Knowledge of paint coatings
• Experience in all matters related to paint and applications
• Resources to solve and correct many issues
• Trained staff, employees who have a vested interest in your project
• Timely completion of your project

Some of the cons using a professional painter would be you need to check if they are using their own employees or is there another company coming to do your painting work.

This is so important if they are subcontracting their work out, how are they training those painters, the only thing they care about is collecting the check, good luck getting them to come back for any issues.

It will cost you typically more than any other solution above in the short term, but the long term actual cost will certainly be less.

Keep them

Once you find a great reliable painting company, make sure to hold onto them, they are certainly hard to find, we recommend to our clients to be very open with communicating with us so we know what you expect, your deadlines, past experiences and any needs that may arise before, during or after a project.

What a great paint job

What a great paint job

Working for most clients is awesome, yes a few are not great and would rather soon forget but the one thing that is great in our business is the great clients who appreciate your work and let you know about it.

We really appreciate when a client goes out of their way to express their happiness with the painting work we have done.

This project was a large one, it had many different parts, we were contracted to do the kitchen cabinets, all the rooms which included the ceilings, walls in custom colors and painting the stained wood trim.

Painting stained trim is not an easy process, it involves a few extra steps we normally would not have to do on a typical paint project. Clean, scuff, fully prime and two coats of finish, sometimes that is not even enough and additional coats may need to be added to the original contract and this was the case on this project.

Brenden and company were very professional, clean and each day made sure to clean up the areas they worked in plus spoke to the client to make sure she knew the exact plan for the next day.

We were also working for an interior designer who actually hired us for this project and her client.

FD Design was integral in this project giving us the design, colors, and direction her client expressed to her. 

To make a vision become reality it takes great communication, constant communication is key to make sure all expectations are met on any project but especially a painting project.

Benjamin Moore top of the line products were used on this project requested by the designer and recommended by Ryan. We always believe using the best products possible makes for a better job and an easier application for the painters.

Get To Know Us Episode #1 Meet Chuck The Painter

Get To Know Us Episode #1 

Wouldn't it be great to meet the people who are doing your work? Well we thought the same thing so this is a new segment we will be doing called Get to know us   

In this first episode you will meet one of our senior painters , Chuck has been in the painting industry for a long time, he loves painting as you will hear.

Chuck brings a sense of joy and excitement to every project, he puts his heart and soul into his painting projects and takes them very seriously. After a project is completed he loves to look back at the projects and work he created.

Chuck's hobby is painting

We are so lucky to have great people and Chuck is a prime example of the awesome people we attract and retain, he is like a big teddy bear but expects the best from his co-workers, to show up on time, do the right thing is just a given on any painting project he is a part of.

Check out our first episode below

Painting Kitchen Cabinets Can Change The Look Of Your Kitchen

Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets Can Dramatically Change The Look Of Your Kitchen

When you think painting normally you think of your walls, ceilings or the exterior but one area we have seen explode is kitchen cabinet painting and refinishing.

When properly done you can quickly and affordably change the entire look of your kitchen for dramatically less cost vs replacing or refacing them.

Using the proper procedures by cleaning, dulling, sanding and the proper paint coatings you can correctly get the job done.

This is one area you should not skimp, that lowest priced contractor may be that for a reason. By skimping on materials or steps it could be a disaster and a tough one to correct.

By using time tested methods we train all of our painters we can be assured each project turns out the way it was estimated and expected by the client.

Cabinets can look great when painted and last

The pride and training it takes to do this work is not for every painter or every company. Choose one that has done many many sets of cabinets and knows what to do if something out of the ordinary should happen,

Remember doing it wrong the first time takes a lot to correct as far as kitchen cabinets

By hiring a professional painting company you are paying for their skill, knowledge and more important their experience, that experience comes in handy as each job is different, they may have to switch products, worry about humidity, dry times, coverage or the countless other things no one thinks about. 

Choosing Paint Colors Can Be Stressful

Choosing paint colors can be a stressful task

Choosing paint colors for some is fun and for others can be the most stressful thing to do with a home improvement project.

Choose the wrong color and it can ruin any great paint job.

With so many available colors today it can seem impossible to choose the perfect color, also lighting, the shade can dramatically also change the appearance of any color inside and out.

There is a reason there are professional color consultants to help make this decision easier.

But let's take this a step further

What if we can take pictures of your home or business and show you what the new possibilities are as far as color?

We now offer three free color renderings for our clients on most full repaint projects.

With the help of our great vendor Benjamin Moore we can take a picture of your exterior home or business and show you the different variations of what colors are possible.

Free Color Renderings

Along with a color consult and these color renderings, there is simply nothing to worry about when you're making that huge decision regarding the paint colors for your home.

Still can't decide after seeing three renderings? No problem we offer affordable packages of additional renderings.

Your price is too high, too low and just right?

Your price is too high, too low and just right?

We hear it all the time, your price is too high, we also hear your price was the lowest as well as it was right in the middle? How can this be?

The simple answer is we estimate everything, for the most part, the same way with the same prices and known production rates so what is the one difference on each project? The client is the unknown on each estimate.

Why the gap?

Everyone has their own idea of what something will cost, when you go to buy a car and look at a new BMW vs a used car from another lot, of course, there is a price difference. When you go to a fancy restaurant vs a Tgi Friday's you are aware there will be a price difference, it's expected.

But when you hire any contractor you expect all the pricing to come in around the same amount?

What's the difference?

Unless each contractor is on the estimate at the same time, using the same paint and has spoken to the same person on the site you will not have a chance of getting the same pricing from the contractors and even then it will all be different as each contractor runs their business a completely different way.

• One may use all subcontractors and gamble they won't get caught by the Irs misclassifying their painters
• One may have insurance but no workman's compensation
• One may not have a training program for their employees and just gambles each job goes well
• Do they treat their employees well? Are they happy? One secret in the painting industry is painters are migrants, they go from company to company once they burn their bridges from the other companies or anytime they can make an extra dollar. This is one reason we take recruiting very seriously and don't necessarily look for the 10,20-year experienced painters.

So what's the deal

What I am saying is we one price someone thinks seems high may actually below to someone else and it has nothing to do with how much money they have.

We hear all the time our cabinet refinishing prices are high, however, we are doing 5 cabinet projects a week and are always busy. Not every contractor is for every person, the same as not every store in the mall is for everyone, some may shop at WalMart and be thrilled and others prefer Macy's. That doesn't make you cheap or snobby at all.

It's also not a reason to get angry at the contractor, if a contractor is a low baller and that is their business model so be it, on the other hand, if they charge a price for what they give and it is loaded with value a price can be attached to that and it may seem high upfront.

here is a video we recently did on this subject.

Use a professional decorator to choose your colors

We all know choosing the colors for your painting project can be very stressful, frustrating and a scary ordeal especially if you’re dealing with an open space. Yes, you can try to use the paint store but guess what, typically that person is not trained or experienced enough to know all the in’s and out’s of color. They can sell you paint and maybe be able to pick a few colors for you.

We want only the best for our clients and trust me you don’t want myself or the painters choosing your colors, so we partnered with Jamie from FD design co who is a professional interior decorator and can assist in the color selection.

She also offers additional paid services such as home staging, commercial and residential interior design,e-                                                           design and more.

Interior decorating and color consults

Interior decorating is a true skill and to know what colors, sheens and more can be used or not used takes great skill, a fine eye for detail and to see things before they will be done. If you need a painting contractor who can help you every step of the way please give us a call at 484-821-7112 or schedule online here

Interior painting and why it's so awesome

Interior painting is awesome

Yes, I said painting is awesome, especially interior painting, being in someones home on an estimate is where it starts, getting to listen to their hopes, dreams, and expectations and usually getting to sit down and take a look at colors and ideas.

This is what I love and where I am most involved, many people do say to stop doing the estimates personally and eventually I will have to but for now, I enjoy the days out and getting to meet most of the people. Yes I sometimes come across some I would rather just forget about, not everyone can be as nice as most of our clients.

Once we are given a project is where the work starts, from gathering tools and the paint itself, to going over the plan with their crew leader, to the crew leader making a visit to the home to make sure my plan or Kyle's plan is a good one or do we need to tweak it a bit.

Once that visit is done the fun begins, getting to change a home drastically and immediately by adding color is an awesome feeling. I know for a fact if you ask our painters why they like to paint most will say they get to step back after the job and see what they did and see the smiles on the customer's faces.

There aren't many other trades such as painting where you can almost instant gratification, in less than a week and in some cases a day you can change the look and feel of your home. Not to mention it is the number one investment to add value to your home for the lowest cost.

Our painting customers are the best

Meeting all the great people from doctors to mechanics to office workers and mom's and dad's and their children is always fun and most people are so accommodating we can never forget them. I see people out all the time we have done work for and get to know them and their families.

Yes, we do get some people that would turn anyone's smile upside down, but most likely they are not happy anywhere in their life so these people are few and far between, out other clients are the ones we remember and develop relationships with. Here's to a great fall painting season

Playing phone tag

No More Phone Tag

What's worse than being excited for getting work done around your home and deciding to call a contractor and they either call back days later or never at all?

I know that frustration first hand when I had a few things to do around my home and reached out to numerous contractors only to be never called back, called back weeks later or promised an estimate and never received one.

We face that same thing in our office although in a different way. We try to get right back to people the same day but when we return the call nowadays not many people actually answer their phone. So when we attempt to schedule an estimate it becomes a game of phone tag.

I needed this to stop so we just added an online scheduling system, you can schedule your estimates online without having to speak to anyone at http://www.ryanamatopainting.com/contact-painter.php

Simply select your estimator to see his availability and choose the day and time that best fits your needs. That's it the end of phone tag for us.

We want nothing more than to be able to come out right away and give you your estimate right away, the downside to this is we are ALWAYS the first one out and we sometimes get "I need to wait for the other estimates" When this happens we know the other estimates may or may not be coming and were waiting for weeks on our end sometimes for an answer as the schedule keeps on filling your available time to do your project keeps getting pushed back.

Keep that in mind when you receive these other estimates, what happens when the job starts and they weren't attentive when you asked for a price?

How To Get The Paint Job Of Your Dreams

How To get The Paint Job Of Your Dreams:

Everyone dreams of a beautiful home, one that is warm, inviting and let's face it makes people a bit jealous when they see it in person.

We all see the tv shows just amazing bedrooms, bathrooms, and basements. We see the pictures on Pinterest and all over social media and wonder if one day we can have the same amazing outcome.

Sure it takes money, great products, and the painting company or contractor to make it happen but there are a few things more important than all of those and we will go over them below.

Now don't get me wrong after you have all of these important things in place you need the best products for the job, a great company with skilled craftsman and women but we will get to that in a minute.

There are a few super important matters to go over before we get into to all those other details and these are the ones that most of the time cause issues of a bad job or satisfaction not being met, it is not always a "bad contractor" even when it may seem that way.

• Expectations: Yes we all "expect" a good job but what is that exactly, one person's idea of a great job can be totally different than the next, I have seen it, first-hand guys, we do the same job on each and every one of our projects and we have "bad" jobs as any other contractor has had. Could it be a bad paint job? Sloppy? Missed spots? Or simply a difficult client, one that is never happy? Those all can happen but usually, it starts with missed expectations, something was missed at the estimate, the client may not of been home or the one that will critique the mist wasn't home and never met the estimator to explain what they want and expect. remember one person's perfect paint job doesn't make it everyone's. If the estimator had dove in and explained to the correct person what will and won't be done and how things will go it could have been a different story. TIPS: Be Home for the estimate-Have a detailed list of what you want done-How much prep and patching do you expect- How long will this project really take? Ask questions and be open about communication

The keys to know when painting your home

• Quality Vs Price: Were you open and honest about your budget? Or did you hide the fact you're looking for the top of the line job but you beat the contractor up on the price? Trust me when someone just drops the price it will be coming from somewhere, cheaper materials, cheaper labor or skipping steps somewhere.TIPS: Be honest about your budget-Be open about what this project looks like in your mind

• Communicate Throughout the project: It never stops amazing me when people hire us and then disappear. Meaning they don't talk, are not available to go over things, have no input until the last day and then it is ripe for expectations to be missed. TIPS: Be available- Speak to your lead painter-Do walkthroughs with them

• Be Nice: Nothing is worse than working for someone who just isn't nice. We all know the kind, they hire you and then have nothing to say but negative things if they speak to you at all. Or they refuse to deal with the lead painter onsite who can help them in a few minutes, they would rather go around the communication policies and call their supervisors. This only delays a quick fix that could easily be done onsite ruins the relationship of the person that can help you the most and makes everyone want to finish your job quicker to get away from them. Again leaving it ripe for things to be missed or mistakes to be made. No one works well under mean people. TIPS: You catch more flies with honey than vinegar- Be kind

These are just a few of the important things when you're having any home improvement project done. After these things than it is selecting your painting contractor, finishes and more. If you can keep the important ones straight these other choices are the fun ones.