Benjamin Moore makes a number of paints, it might be helpful for others if you mentioned which one. Behr also makes several paints - Premium Plus, Premium Plus Ultra, and Marquee with Marquee being the premium version.

Personally I've never liked painting with Behr paints. I've tried but I just don't like the stuff. I don't have any long term experience with Behr's performance but Consumer Reports always gives it great reviews.

I loved how Sherwin-Williams Duration (interior) went on the wall but I was far less than impressed with it's performance. Especially given the price.

Behr Ultra is not watery.

no experience with Benjamin Moore, but I like Behr very much.

I like Benjamin Moore

I have always loved painting with Behr paint and primer. I haven't used their marquee line yet. However, I am considering Ben Moore for my new house. My BFF swears by this paint. I do not like Sherwin Williams at all!! I used their Cashmere line years ago. The walls marked up horribly and it was just my husband and I at the time.

I've started using Ben Moore Aura in Matte it's so amazing I'll never use another paint again. I'm painting my entire house with it, it's expensive but worth it.

It seems a lot of professionals around here use SW but I think it's because they get a big discount - which they don't pass on to the customer! That statement is just plain ridiculous.

I don't think it's a ridiculous statement from a customer. It's valuable input for a professional. I didn't make that statement. But I agree with it. I hate SW paint. I have had multiple experiences with it as someone who has lived in multiple homes with this paint. It is horrible. Their exterior paint peels and fades rapidly after 18 months. New construction. The interior paint marks up and flakes off of corners. I have used Behr and Valspar in my own homes and never have had the horrible results from either paint as with SW. I've seen Ben Moore in a busy home and no marks on the walls.

It IS ridiculous stating that we professionals get a big discount, we do not. In fact the home owners get a much better discount with all the so called 40% off sales, but that is a whole different can of worms.

It is also ridiculous implying that we would not pass any discount on to home owners. Any reputable professional would, with some mark up for actually having to go and get the paint.

You may not conduct yourself in the manner stated above. However, perception is reality when dealing with customers. I do appreciate the insight. I hope you also realize many of your customers think very similarly as posters on this thread.

Chris is correct. I think many painters would LOVE to have the problem of figuring out how much of a BIG discount they can/should pass along to the customer! Unfortunately, most do not have that problem.

I don't have a pro account at SW because he's absolutely correct that you can do better with pricing during the SW sales, at least twice per year maybe three, than a professional discount. If I had a pro account, they wouldn't let me buy the paint at the sales price even if I'm buying paint for my own home, I'd be locked into the pro discount all 12 months/365 per year.

And to get a pro discount it's a matter of playing a volume sales game. Which, I admit, I do not understand all the details of how that works.

Since it is based on volume of sales, it's difficult for painters (and other trades) who are not 100% dedicated to using just SW to get a discount worth the effort. That's true for any brand, actually. Painters/trades who are diversified across brands would have a hard time selling enough paint to get a level of discount that's worth the work it takes to sell that much of one brand, one palette.

It's different for larger contractors with multiple crews, etc.

A few things to remember:

1. SW is like every other brand. It has lesser grades and top-tier grades. It's unfair to lump SW under just one umbrella and conclusively across the board say it's not good paint. Prep factors into paint performance as well.

2. Paint formulations change. They've all changed at a rapid pace over the last 3 to 5 years. What you loved a few years ago might suck now. What you didn't love so much a few years ago might be fabulous today. There was a time when being a true believer, an evangelist for one brand/grade of paint meant something; in 2015 terms, it's not that meaningful.

3. Worrying about whether the painter is passing along a discount is peanuts in the grand scheme of things. A discount will amount to pennies per square foot. It's LABOR that is the largest % of any paint job. Cheap/expensive, top grade/contractor grade, sale or discount, the LABOR cost will be the biggest chunk of the bill.

Well, the big manual on how to properly run a business in America says that any business should mark up their materials. You should not pass on your savings to the customer if you want to be successful. There are delivery charges, filing charges, pick up charges, transportation charges, etc, etc I can go on forever. This is really not just an issue with painting contractors. It's an issue with all businesses. It's called survival. I recently heard of a plumber who had a customer that wanted a new faucet installed. The faucet was around $227 at the big box, but the plumber charged the customer $500 for it and claimed that was the price for 'delivery'.

If you really think about it, why should I pass on my savings to the customer? Is that really fair? I am the one spending $30,000 each year at Sherwin Williams, and you want the discount??? Hah! As far as their sales go, I do see the clerk at Sherwin Williams usually try to figure out if my contractor discount is better than the current sale price and give me the best deal, but maybe that is because I'm charming.

Well, the big manual on how to properly run a business in America says
that any business should mark up their materials. You should not pass
on your savings to the customer if you want to be successful.

People who think you should pass on discounts and work for next to nothing are the ones who have never run a small business, much less a successful small business. Of course, they're the first ones to complain about how much they work and how little they are paid.

but maybe that is because I'm charming. That HAS to be it, they sure don't cut me any break.

To get back on topic of which patient is better....ahem..... We chose Behr Premium Plus Ultra in satin finish for the entire interior of our house; Almond Wisp for all rooms, Creamy Mushroom for the 2.5 baths. The upstairs is done and we love the colors and the finish; downstairs should be done over the next couple of weeks. The painter spent 10 minutes the other day telling me how much he hates Behr paint. Nice to know after you've done 4 rooms....NOT. Says it "sags"...whatever that means. He could have said something earlier, isn't that what "pros" are supposed to do, have DISCUSSIONS with homeowners? My contractor is going to get an earful about it.

It "sags" he must be spray painting and its not as thick as he is used to and he puts too much on. When power rolled, there is nothing wrong with Behr. Perhaps this is why some pros don't like Behr and some pros think it is fine, differences in application technique.

Either way, a pro should be able to adjust on the fly no matter which paint he is using. Honestly, I used to not like Behr, but in the last 2 years I have noticed in using a wide spectrum of paints from various manufacturers, that it's all pretty much the same stuff. There are small differences between each brand and none of them have a tendency to sag. Some painters are just anti Behr, so no matter what the reality of using the paint is, Behr sucks.