Typical? Those are typical of non-professional painters.

Ask me about, "Professional Painters". *s*

Michael

Once I took a friend's recommendation about a painter.

The day he started, I knew I was in trouble. He opened the 5 gallon container and stirred the paint with a tree branch he found nearby. Since he couldn't read French or English (and was evidently partially blind as well) he ended up mixing white flat and semi-gloss together. All I can say is that it provided a solid base for the finish coat I put on myself.

My nephew is a painter. He speaks English, though, so may not be a good comparison.

He provides the paint---he has learned what he can use for the best results. The job is bid for the total---materials and labor. The only variable is fascia/soffit/trim repair---which is included in the bid at materials and labor---an estimate to be made before repair starts.

When I paint, I do the same.

Now, a friend had a new house built for his bride when they got married. The interior trim was painted----by a crew of non English speaking painters who specialize in painting trim in place. That job---crown, base, chair rail, wainscoting, door, and window trim----is the most amazing paint job I have ever seen. Gloss white and not a brush mark to be seen. The crew literally masked off entire walls and sprayed the entire job.

So---professionals can be found in any variety.

I had a friend recomend a guy that does home remodeling......

I knew I was in trouble when I suggested getting green board from Lows.... He says..... What's green board?

Scott

Where did you use green board?

Michael

Michael, we used the green board ...drywall... in the bathrooms after gutting them.
Scott

most drywallers are recommending "NOT" using greenboard in the bathrooms if the use of a vapor barrier is in place before install. The greenboard is a vapor barrier on it's own but when you double up on that, moisture can condense between the green board and the "in place" barrier causing mold and rot.

Next chapter in the painting situation: If you read any of this please read all of it carefully. Thanks for the responses thus far. Today I went by the job thinking they should be about complete, payment due upon completion. Apparently gone to lunch, some work not yet complete. So I looked around- as I am prone to do- "management by walking around", a recognized and legitimate method. Saw empty 5 gallon container SW A-100 Exterior latex primer. Saw various gallons of the trim paint, proper type and color. Saw nearly empty 5 gallon pail with lid secured marked "SW Interior Latex Flat Promar 400 B30 W 451 6405-10129." Panicked for a moment. Soon they came back. The father looked at me, pointed to the job, and held thumb up, grinning. Son graduated high school in USA last Spring, the best high school in the city. I asked to see the receipts for the materials purchases. Father said something about money. I found the receipt for the interior latex among those they handed me. Next I pointed to the pails- "Primer?" "Yes" "Final coat" (to the interior pail) "Yes". Only then did I mention the interior paint. Son immediately said that it is for both interior and exterior. I asked him to show me on the pail. To digress a bit, the word INTERIOR is the same, Spanish and English, same meaning and spelling. Then son said that the paint store ran out of the properly labeled buckets and filled this bucket with the correct exterior paint, "everything is OK." So I took the pail and the receipts to the nearest SW store. Two SW stores in town, each about the same distance from the job site. Turns out that this interior was purchased at the other store. But while I was at the first store, they told me the solution was to prime again and topcoat with A-100 exterior. They said the interior paint would soon fail in exterior service. So I went to the other store, did not tell them I have been to any other. Yes, they sold the paint to "my" "painter". All 5 gallon pails are factory filled, so they say. Plenty of exterior A-100 in stock, ready to go. The counter clerk that did the sale was not there at all today. So I go back to the job site and confront the son about his prevarications. Then he blames it on the paint store and wants me to go back with him- I did. After more of his bull, I told him to get the proper material and start again, with primer first. My position is that he bought and applied the paint- the full responsibility is his. It was his responsibility to verify correct materials. They worked out some deal with the SW store for more paint and started on the primer this afternoon. Neither of us was at all happy. But now I am watching their work all the time they are applying paint. It is time I wanted to spend on other jobs. Who knows what kind of crap would happen if I was not watching? Incidentally, the clerk at the second SW store said the interior paint probably would not peel, but might mildew and fade (it is white) sooner than exterior. He said that a coat of exterior directly over the interior should be OK. So now I have conflicting info from SW store people. Tell me what you think. I need to know before morning. Thanks.

I've heard there's a lot of painters "watering" down paints these days, but never heard of any using interior for exterior. Whats the advantage? The price is basically the same interior vs exterior on the same grade levels.

Im surprised a person with your expertise would fall into the trap of trying to save a buck by hiring these losers.You get what you pay for!

The PM 400 interior paint will fail and peel if left uncovered. It lacks the proper binders, resin, and UV protection necessary for exterior durability. 400 flat is about half the price of A-100. Repriming may not be necessary but is not overkill either. If covered up properly, I don't think there will be anything to worry about in the long term. Definitely a bone-headed move on their part. I have made many mistakes over the years, but not that one.

The use of the interior paint was caused by the total inattention of the painters. The thing that upset me worst was their prolonged refusal to accept responsibility and the "defense mechanisms" (lies) employed to try to initially deny that there was a problem and then to try to shift responsibility. I fell for none of it. They did prime again and use A-100 exterior flat over the primer. I was there when they bought the second batch of paint, there when they opened those 5 gallon pails. They paid for the second batch of paint. I was right there watching during the whole repainting process and caught a few more inattentive screwups. I initially contracted with these guys so that I could do some other things, then was tied up at the job anyway. I am really too old to paint for many hours a day. The job is now completed, probably is a pretty good result at a fair price to me. I paid only the original quoted amount for labor. I will not use these people again. If, upon discovery of the problem, they had accepted responsibility and proceeded of their own volition to correction, I would view them very differently. When they finally reluctantly agreed to correct the problem, I told them that I was taking over as boss and they would do as I told them. No argument from them.

Sounds like a mess to me. I recently fired my "professional" painter. Highly recommended by everyone in town, used repeatedly by my contractor. Both the contractor and paitner worked for me before, contractor is wonderful, painter was OK.

This time not so good. It was a remodel of my kitchen and 2 bathrooms. Moved a few walls. While making messes I had the contractor fix the cracks in the ceiling of my 600 sq ft family room that had appeared as the room settled. Then had the room painted, kitchen painted, dining room painted, and 2 bathrooms painted.

This construction took all summer, construction takes a while ... the first incident was when I came home one day and picked up a bottle of water that was sitting on top of an antique table, that left a ring. Painter, sorry but sh** happens. Then he left a can of stain on a hrad wood floor and left a ring of stain on the wood. Then he left white glazed handprints all down my wood bannister, my contractor cleaned that up before a party I had.

Bad stain jobs on 2 doors, really bad Faux finish paint jobs in the bathroom. He forgot to mention until he was done, that he hardly ever does faux finish, and he was the one to suggest doing it. I could have done a better job, and probably will when I fix it.

The "professional" wanted to come back and fix his errors after I walked my contractor through. I told him no, he had done enough damage. Contractor is now not sure he'll ever use the guy again.

The "professionals" excuse was that construction took too long. April to August ... it's my opinion that construction takes a long time. So much for using a professional too.

Many people think painting is just a matter of slopping paint on a wall and painters get paid too much money.

Only when this type of situation arises, do many people find out good painting is just like a good plumber or mechanic---they have knowledge and skills to allow them to do the job right the first time.