How has Ryan Amato Painting handled the paint shortage?

Ryan Is Guest On Marketplace News

September 30, 2021 at 7:46 pm | Category: Business, Company News

Ryan was recently asked to explain the paint shortage all painting manufactures are going through on Marketplace

Here is the Audio

Paint Shortage

A mix of factors, from an unusual freeze in Texas to ongoing supply chain issues with raw materials like resin, have resulted in a paint shortage. Sherwin Williams CEO John G. Morikis even told investors that “the persistent and industry-wide raw material availability constraints and pricing inflation we have previously reported have worsened, and we do not expect to see improved supply or lower raw material pricing in our fourth quarter as anticipated.”

“Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal spoke with business owner Ryan Amato of Ryan Amato Painting in Easton, Pennsylvania, to talk about how his business has been weathering the shortages. The following is an edited transcript of their conversation.

Kai Ryssdal: Paint shortages, really?

Ryan Amato: Well, we’ve been hearing about it for well over a year, and then the pandemic hit, so that was an issue. There’s been, obviously, a labor shortage so the truck drivers delivering the paint, that’s been an issue. There was the freeze down in Texas, and they supply a good amount of the resins, which is an ingredient for all the paints that we use.

Ryssdal: Yes, it’s a chemicals-heavy process, right?

Amato: Absolutely. It’s an ingredient. Just like you bake a cake, it’s one of our main ingredients in the paint, and we’ve had a major shortage of it.

Ryssdal: So what are you doing?

Amato: Well, I like to think that we’re well prepared at my company. So, we have great suppliers and vendors. Unfortunately, if you came to our shop, I’m looking at about 500 gallons of untinted paint sitting on pallets; just so we’re prepared for our customers, we’re ordering in very large quantities of paint.

Ryssdal: The catch, of course, is that untinted paint is no good if I need to paint my house blue, right?

Amato: Absolutely, yeah. And there are so many different bases of paint, so if you need a dark blue it’s a different base than white, so we just we’re trying to do the best we can to stay prepared for you, for the customer.

Ryssdal: Alright, so let’s make it about me. I do, in point of fact, actually need to have my house painted. How much of a lead time do I need to give you before you can say, “Yep, I’ll be there on Thursday.”?

Amato: That’s a great question, and it’s been a struggle. Historically, in our business, when we win a job, your job, we send you over a color sheet that you have to fill out. Normally not a big deal, give it to us a week or two before the project starts, and that’s typically in between four and six weeks. Now, we’re really twisting your arm behind your back; we need that color sheet a day or two, after your job is accepted. So we need about two or three weeks to make sure that we have the proper materials for your project.

Ryssdal: And I imagine, Mr. Amato, it’s going to cost me more, too, right?

Amato: It’s certainly going to cost you more. We’ve seen it’s been about 20% since really only about four or five months ago, and [a] 40% increase in our epoxy floors, which is pretty significant.

Ryssdal: I imagine you’ve got to go to your supplier, right? But is this one of those where you could find another source, and try to do it that way? I’m sure you thought of that.

Amato: And that’s what we’ve been doing. The only problem with that is — there’s many different suppliers and we all know them — paint is not all the same; you can’t just grab one gallon of paint and go to another vendor and grab another gallon of paint and it performs the same way. So not only are we seeing issues with paints we haven’t used before. It has also slowed down our production, our labor, because they’re using new paints. It requires different paintbrushes. They all perform differently. It’s been been a learning curve all around, not even to mention just the shortage of materials.

Ryssdal: That’s kind of wild that paint is not paint is not paint. It’s all different.

Amato: Absolutely.

Ryssdal: How long you’ve been in the painting business, Mr. Amato?

Amato: I’ve been in the painting business 30 years. I hate to say that. I feel like I’m getting older.

Ryssdal: Tell me, you ever seen anything like this?

Amato: No, never. The only other issue we had was … it’s always been labor. You know, we had some issues after 9/11 with labor and the amount of jobs. This has been very difficult.

Dealing with a paint shortage

 The Great Paint Shortage of 2021

There is a shortage of both paint and workers and the shortage of quality labor has hit small businesses in particular.

 From a freeze in Texas to a fire in China , add in a pandemic and a labor shortage of plant workers and drivers we are seeing a huge paint shortage which is effecting our painting industry in many ways.

The paint shortage was exacerbated by this year's major winter storm.

Paint supply chain Sherwin-Williams was already suffering as a result of the COVID pandemic. However, the February winter storm that hit Texas added further constraints to the supply chain. "In an already-challenged supply chain due to COVID-19, the February natural disaster in Texas further impacted the complex petrochemical network causing significant disruptions," 

Texas leads the nation in petroleum refining production, which is necessary in manufacturing paint, according to Business Insider. The winter storm reduced the state's capacity to refine petroleum, which created a ripple effect for a reduced ability to manufacture nearly all paints.

With an abundance of work and a shortage of paint, this has lead to increased lead times of projects, having to juggle what products are used on projects and frequently changing the types and brands of paints being used.

"If you asked me what paint we will use on your project today for a job a month from now I would have no idea" says Ryan Amato of Amato Painting in Easton, Pa

 Many people also understand how important painting can be for their peace of mind and for their homes. Join us as we explore what this means for your home-improvements company or business.

Small businesses are feeling the effects of a paint shortage 

and labor shortage .

People are not working, where we would typically have an abundance of summer help , we are just not seeing it and as we talk with contractors across the country they are all in the same boat.

Paint companies are expecting their lead times to increase from six weeks to more than three months. At a time when many custom home builders need paint in five weeks, this means that the small home improvement and construction companies that serve them will be unable to make up the delay in supplies. [Source: The Wall Street Journal Online]

Small businesses will be negatively affected as a result of increased costs and extended delivery delays for products they need for their businesses.

As more small businesses look to services from large painting companies or call in their own contractors to do interior painting, these companies will be forced to change their schedules and prices, pass on the costs to consumers, raise prices for new customers or all three.

Source: The Wall Street Journal Online]

According to Wayne Phillips of the National Small Business Association, "It could lead businesses that specialize in these kinds of products into a death spiral that could quickly remove them from the marketplace.

"We are planning ahead as best as we can, however we would never order materials months ahead for projects, it just isn't financially feasible or smart to have a stockpile of paint, especially with clients whose schedules change or changes in scopes of work" . Ryan Amato

Some of the most commonly used paints are out of stock, many primers are no where to be found.

The paint shortages are being felt keenly because demand for the product is increasing as the weather improves, experts say. It will likely get worse too, because with summer approaching we’re entering into “painting season”. The summer weather is ideal for painting outdoors, and lots of people have projects planned for the warmer months, so demand for paint is expected to increase.

“We likely will need to take further pricing actions if raw material costs remain at these elevated levels,” said Sherwin-Williams CEO John Morikis during a company earnings call in late April.

Our advice is when you find a painting contractor you connect with, don't wait long to contract with them. Sign up, get your project on the "schedule" so they can start planning and allocating materials especially if it is a large project

 

So you call a few companies for painting estimates not knowing what to expect or how much it costs.

After going through the process you never explained what you expect, not knowing each company does their jobs differently with different levels of preparation, different t8 e frames, products etc.

When the jobs starts you are amazed they don’t tape each and every surface for ultra clean lines, or they don’t wash the walls, or clean the outlet covers while they are off, remove light fixtures etc because that’s what you would do.

They don’t use a halogen light to capture every inch of the wall to make it ultra smooth, of course you paid $500 to paint. This room, the painter should be doing the same thing as you right?

As a homeowner you have all the time in the world, no need to make payroll, cover overhead and no need to finish your projects in an efficient and reductive manner while also maintaining a level of quality .
So that bedroom that takes you all weekend$ or a week to paint, takes a pro painter a day to complete.

Of course if you take twice as long to do it you may be able to achieve a better level of quality but consider the amount of time your losing with other things you can be doing.

The amount of time you lose is certainly worth the convenience of using a professional painter , the same as hiring any other trade to complete a project at home, it’s one of convenience, freeing up time and generally getting a better job than you can achieve, but not always.

Remember time costs, trades charge based on time, each hour costs a certain amount , so if you didn’t explain to the painter exactly what your expectations are, and are prepared to pay for them for what that level of quality you want, you should reconsider this or you may have missed expectations which can cause stress, anger and a horrendous experiences or the painter and yourself

Know that someone else may not be able to devote a week or more to one bedroom, most painters
Don't use tape to achieve clean lines, except for certain areas.
Not many people wash the walls, are the walls that dirty?
Spraying is not an option in an occupied home and not always quicker, consider it a tool to get the paint to the surface quicker,it would still need to be rolled.
The amount of covering would make the risk greater than the reward.

What you must consider is the knowledge and experience of the painter your choosing, with that comes years and years of trial and error, using every product imaginable to find the ones that perform the best and hold up over time, yes you may be able to ultimately do it "better" but at what cost?

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

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

It may be cold but it's time to think of your exterior painting

It may be cold outside but it's time 

to think about your exterior painting

It may be cold, rainy or snowy outside but we are already in February and it is certainly time to plan your exterior painting.

Most professional painting companies are already scheduling their Spring and Summer work, I know we are and if you wait too long you could end up with a company you didn't intend on using.

On our end, our exterior estimates have never slowed down, we schedule at least one or two every week throughout the winter, it is also the time facility managers are setting their budgets for their Spring and Summer work which means very large jobs can take a chunk of the schedule at any moment.

So we recommend first knowing what you would like to have painted, is it the entire home, the trim only, some doors or a deck? Have that plan ready when we arrive. A customer who knows exactly what they want painted makes it so much easier to establish the correct price.

We like to walk around the home with the customer, carefully listening to their expectations, timeframe and then the discussion about their budget. Having a discussion about the budget at this time, face to face is the best time to review and adjust as needed.

Your going to have to trust the company you choose to do your painting work and discussing your budget is one of those areas you have to be open and honest. A company you can trust will not take advantage of this discussion.

After all of this is out in the open, we can go over the timeframe and schedule. With exterior painting work, you're going to deal with many things, such as weather, unforeseen things like rotted wood and a few other things. 

In the Northeast where we live and work, we deal with humidity, rain, heat, wind, etc. It seems like we experience every type of weather possible. Being experienced enough to know you have to work around this weather, there is rarely a perfect day to paint in our area.

A professional painter knows how to work around this type of issue, some days starting later in the day pr ending earlier in the afternoon to avoid the sun, freezing temperatures or other things. You have to at this point put your trust in the painter you chose to do your project.

A good exterior painting project will deal with delays, unforeseen issues, weather and more and you as the customer may never even know about these things if you have a good painter who has experience dealing with them.

An open dialogue is also very important, communication is the number one area a project may go wrong. Keeping proper expectations and being open to discussing the project each day is important for a successful paint project.

Kitchen Cabinet Painting Does Not have To Be Expensive

Kitchen Cabinet Painting 

Kitchen cabinet painting can be rewarding and change the entire look and feel of your kitchen minus the large expense of totally purchasing new cabinets or refacing them.

With a professional painter who has done many sets of cabinets, professional products and the proper preparation of the surfaces you can be assured your project will turn out the way you want and expect.

Painting kitchen cabinets is the hottest thing right now because it can save so much money, good quality kitchen cabinets are not inexpensive, there is no way to match the cost of painting compared to buying a new set unless you purchase very inexpensive cabinets and then you will have issues of them holding up down the road.

Typical costs of painting your kitchen cabinets can range from $1750 all the way up to $5000 and more depending on the number of doors and drawers, unique pieces such as wine racks, glass fronts or other items as well as the number of colors you are requesting.

It all starts with the estimate, when choosing a painting company to do your work you want one who has done a lot of these, this is not the "let's find the cheapest painter" type of estimate. Your cabinets need to be prepared correctly and they are all different, different types of wood, finishes, all requiring a unique process. I have been in the painting stores watching painters ask the person behind the counter how to paint kitchen cabinets, you do not want that in this case.

Many things can happen with a bad job such as peeling (not chipping) hard to wash surfaces and uneven finishes (sheens) 

With chipping we have to have realistic expectations, we are painting your cabinets and although we use very good products no paint can withstand abuse such as wood rubbing on wood, high use areas such as corners being hit, they will knick and chip but the best thing about this whole process is you can touch them up easily. Hopefully, your painter left you to touch up paint, there is no need to pay someone to come out and do this unless you simply do not have enough time. with a small foam brush or roller corners can easily be touched up.

You do not have to be scared of this process, for a few days of minimal disruption you can have an entirely new kitchen for a very affordable price tag.

Get your estimate here 

How to find the best painters

How to find the best painters for your project.

You have a project coming up in your home or business and you have never hired a painting company before and you have no idea what your about to get yourself into.

With every company so busy in the summer and an overfill of work you have a lot of new companies that have sprung up and older companies who are struggling to keep up with their schedule.

When you first start calling around this is the first time you will see who gets back to you in a timely manner, who doesn’t answer you at all and who makes their process an easy one for you.

Next is the estimate, although I would ask on the phone what their time frame is to take on new work.

Will they show up on time or at all for your estimate?  From our experience not many will.

When they are on the estimate at they listening to you or just trying to tell you how great they are and how awesome the paint work will be? You want someone who will listen to all your concerns and expectations not just blab about their great painting work. 

Here is a secret: Most every company will give you the same quality

The quality of the work should be a given and that is not what you should be looking for, you want the un said to be said.

• How long will the work take?
• What paints will be used and why
• Have they done this type of work before?
• What is the warranty  something goes wrong, do they take care of it
• Ask about the painters who will be onsite
• Will theirs be a foreman or supervisor to contact?
• Will someone at the office be available with any questions I may have?

As you can see it is much more than putting paint on a surface and that is typically why you cannot just call up three painters and judge them off of the price , heck you can put three estimators in the same room at the same time and the prices will all be different.

Don’t treat your contractors like a commodity 

Contractors are not a commodity to be bought and tossed out,  most good contractors want to develop a relationship with their clients so when more work comes in there is no question who is doing it. Wouldn’t it be great to just have to call one person, no questions asked and you already know what to expect with pricing and quality?

Top Tips When Painting Your Exterior

Top Tips When Painting Your Exterior

It feels like Spring and everyone gets excited to take a look outside and see what they need to do after a long winter

One of those things and a very important one is painting, painting not only makes your home look awesome it also protects the surfaces from the weather and moisture.

Without protecting your deck, siding or metal surfaces they can fall to any of the moisture they encounter each day.

What paint to use?

Do not cheap out here, good paint is not inexpensive but having to go back and correct things because you chose a cheap paint is, spend the extra money on a good quality 100% acrylic exterior paint from Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore 

What color to choose?

Watch the deeper colors, they tend to fade quicker, although they look awesome fading is a characteristic of the color and paint, again a better quality paint will not fade as quick

Do I need to prime the siding?

We are asked this all the time, a good quality 100% acrylic paint does not need a primer on a clean, sound and dull surface, bare wood we want to use a good oil based primer

Why power wash before painting?

Power washing is just a quicker means of cleaning the surfaces before painting, we caution not to use high pressure and you should stop your contractor from using any high pressure on your home, a professional contractor will be using a soft wash system which allows for a much lower psi than a normal pressure washer that can and will damage your home.

Know who your hiring

This is key, you should meet and speak with anyone your hiring and feel comfortable with them if you don't feel comfortable now before the project starts how do you think you will feel when the painting begins or an issue comes up?

Painting doesn't have to be hard but not choosing the correct paint or painter can make your project become a nightmare.

Amato Painting donates over $4000 in our annual Paint It Forward event

Amato Painting Donates over $4000 to Animal Shelter

Amato Painting with the help of Gleco Paint and Benjamin Moore held our annual Paint It Forward event. Together we were able to donate well over $4000 in paint and labor to The Center For Animal Health and Welfare of Easton.

It was a great day with a big turnout from each company as we added new colors to areas of the facility that was in desperate need of new paint.

On our initial visit, we saw peeling paint on handrails, doors and door frames that had to be removed and properly painted for the traffic the facility gets each day while helping dogs, cats and other animals.

Jeff from Gleco was key in planning and making sure everything came out as planned even running back to the store to retrieve some other items we needed to complete this project in one day.

one of the owners from Gleco was on hand showing us he can paint as well as he can run a paint store and Benjamin Moore had a representative on had as well supplying us with breakfast and lunch which everyone appreciated.

Our painters and office staff helped out, painting the large handrail and fencing that leads to the area where all the dogs are while Ryan painted the bathroom a new fresh bright color.

Putting all of our other projects on hold for one day is no easy task, it takes understanding from our clients, the painters donating their time and everyone putting their phones down to help others.

But the feeling you get from doing this is a reward in itself.

"We hope we can continue this and even expand it in the coming years," said Ryan

Sherwin Williams Vs Benjamin Moore Dry Erase

          Sherwin Williams Vs. Benjamin Moore Dry Erase 

Who Will Be The Winner? Let's See

For those that do not know many companies make a dry erase coating, it can be clear or white, it will allow you to write on the wall or other surfaces you choose.

This is based on personal experience as I have used almost every dry erase coating including, Idea, Rust-Oleum and a few others. These coatings are not inexpensive some costing hundreds of dollars to cover about 100sq ft but when you consider the actual cost of a dry erase board and the flexibility of putting this almost wherever you want the cost is comparable.

Remember the coating you see in the big box stores are typically homeowner variations, they are not even close to the quality of the contractor versions.

 

So I decided to test two after I had no luck with some of the other coatings, some issues I saw were not able to be erased, ghosting (seeing the marker even when erased) Not curing, the coating sagging when applied no matter what we applied it with or how we applied it. Obviously, we want a dry erase coating that actually erases.

Through our relationships with Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore, I was given these coatings to test. First up was Sherwin Williams Sketch Pad, it is a two-part water-based epoxy coating and came in a clear.

We decided to paint the under color red, we used Pro Mar 200 and put on a few coats after patching the wall.

A kit goes about 50 sq ft, after mixing you have one hour of pot life to use this product. 

Everything you need will come in the kit, dry time is four hours, 1 day to recoat and 7 days to cure before using.

So I masked out the wall and rolled on using their roller cover one coat and then coated it again the next day. What did I see? it certainly runs a bit so make sure you mask down the wall a little more than normal and don't over apply.

After 7 days I pulled out the markers and wrote away, it did initially erase but however a few weeks later it got worse and subsequently worse until it would not erase, we had to use a solvent (xylene) to get the marker to erase.

Ease of application 10

Erasability initially 10, after a few weeks 0

Smell not bad

Would we use again no

Would not recommend for a homeowner or on a project

Next up Benjamin Moore Notable.

I will say after using every other product I really wasn't looking forward to another one.

But I was given the kit to try and I like trying new products.

First up I masked out the wall again and lightly sanded and wiped the wall down and primed the wall and repainted it red again using Ultraspec from Benjamin Moore

Again this kit comes with everything you will need, it is a two-part silicone hybrid  based epoxy

It is a wet on wet recoat and 7-day cure 

Here is what I found, it had very little smell, I applied it a bit lighter this time after my experience with all the others sagging which worked.

I love the wet on wet application, two coats in one shot and it's done.

Once completed and after 7 days we went right at it, writing, I could tell right away it looked and felt different and the marker fell off the wall so easy when writing.

One major difference months later it still easily erases.

Ease of application 10

Erasability 10

Smell not bad at all

We would recommend for a homeowner and any project

It is a bit pricey but certain,ly it delivers

I will say if you apply it as recommended it may sag/run, I know that from my past use of these coatings, go a little lighter

Hands down the winner is Benjamin Moore here, not even close.

Why getting three or more estimates still doesn't tell you anything

Why getting three or more estimates still doesn't help

I am not sure who came up with getting three or more estimates with each project we plan on doing but it goes as far to getting four estimates on painting one room sometimes.

The time wasted sitting around and getting these estimates and having everyone come through and do their song and dance can better be saved, allowing you to do what you do best to earn money for your family.

For my own work, it is rare I would get more than three estimates and most of the time if I am comfortable with the first person that is who I go with, it is just not worth the savings to have a parade of contractors come through.

I get the thought process, you have everyone come through and look at the work, send over an estimate and then you can compare them all and make an educated decision. But what if I told you a secret? You can out all of those estimators in one room and they wouldn't be able to come up with the same price if they tried.

Each company does things differently

This has nothing to do with pricing, it has to do with products, expectations of the client, the products used etc.

Every company is most likely going to paint the wall the same way, that is not what you should be looking for, you should be looking for the things unsaid such as do they train their employees? 

Do they even have employees or do they subcontract an entire other company to do your work?

Are they truly insured? How about a warranty and do they actually back their work?

Everyone has a warranty

Every company has a warranty, it's a piece of paper and anyone can write anything but can they keep those promises? Every company will make mistakes and we are no different but I can say we have always gone back and corrected any issues, that is a warranty, it is a trust that you're hiring someone more than to just paint a room. Your hiring for trust, trust they will do what they said and deliver.

Watch out for sales pitches

Watch out, some companies have sales pitches, you may hear it can be done in one day, but every paint manufacturer has specifications on recoating after the first coat, pushing those specifications can be disastrous.

You may hear we have all our own employees and then a whole different company shows up, not trained in the companies ways, a total different vison and it may turn out great or bad,

So if they can't agree what qualifies you?

So if three or four companies cannot agree on a price, what qualifies you as the homeowner to sift through these proposals to determine which one is real? AT that point it usually comes down to price and a guess.

Use your gut, find someone you trust and maybe was referred or you have seen and heard great things about

A company that has great relationships with their vendors such as Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams because those relationships may come in handy on your project.

Find Someone You trust

Trusting your contractor is huge because once you hir them you need to step back and let them do the work, they are the expert in what they do, homeowners who try to be the general contractor are setting up their project for failure and contractors who don't want to be on that project.

The issue becomes homeowners getting in the way of scheduling, job sequencing, having to do things in the wrong order or a different way they would typically do a project, remember they have been doing their trade for quite some time. When you go to the mechanic or doctor you don't tell them how to do the work, give them some room and let them do their skill.

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

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.

Why Painting Is Sexy

Why Painting Is Sexy

Painting and sexy, two words you may not think belong in the same sentence but they can certainly go together and we see it every day.

Sexy

1. 

provoking or intended to provoke sexual interest

a sexy dress

a sexy book

2. 

feeling sexual interest; aroused

3. 

interesting, exciting, or trendy

a sexy project

a sexy new car

In our business we deliver needs and wants, that could be a new color to a room or home that can totally change the look and feel of any space which in turn can change the energy and emotion of a person or family.

There is nothing like an excited client I meet on an estimate and I can almost feel the excitement in their energy, to deliver what they want and see the look on their face is an amazing feeling. I think you would find most painters also love this feeling.

So sexy doesn't  necessarily refer to "sex" it can be that same feeling we get as well as the client, to be able to do this day in and out is awesome and we don't take that for granted at all.

It's that same feeling when you buy a new car or order new furniture or buy that new dress or suit. People live for that feeling and painting can surely bring that same feeling and one that stays with you for a long time.

So the next time you think "sexy" remember painting can bring you that feeling and stay with you a long time