You get (got) what you paid for probably. Was he licensed and insured? I would not pay him a cent till all was done to your satisfaction.

Never in my life I met a painter who performed that bad anywhere close to what you're describing. Add a fit on top of that-either he's a really bad painter, or I don't know..goes though some rough patch or something (not that it should deeply concern you..everybody goes through rough patches sometimes, yet they still do their job)

Frankly, I wouldn't even know how to handle that. You're absolutely right of not wanting to pay until the job's done to your satisfaction, but some people are very hard to deal with. To the point "take my money just get lost".

Maybe somebody here would have a smart suggestion of handling this unpleasant situation.

Christopher Nelson - thanks for your quick response! Yes, he was licensed & insured. I thought about sticking to my guns, but decided it wasn't worth his meltdown. Plus he may well have done extra work, and felt aggrieved it wasn't appreciated. He should have let me know that, though and keep me informed of what was going on. I really don't know if it was a fair price or not, my husband was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer and I was anxious to get the house back in order since it's been upsetting him to have all the work left undone for 9 months.

aprilneverends - thanks for the support! He was on the phone yesterday aggravated with one of his kids (couldn't help overhearing) so maybe he is going through a rough patch.

He underbid. I can smell it.

Until he does what was agreed upon, don't pay him.

Agree with HandyMac. Chalk it up to a lesson learned and next time, rather than giving him a list of tasks to complete, make sure you get a written contract with details spelled out and a payment schedule that specifies final payment will not be made until all work is completed. One would assume that a painting professional would use two coats, protect surfaces, and not leave drips on the doors, but I've learned not to assume anything. If you want it done a certain way, put it in the contract. Regarding your previous contractor experience, a contractor will not be able to run off with your money if you do not pay him in advance for work not completed.

It sucks that after you gave him a detailed list, and he agreed to do it, that you had to go around and make note of all his errors. He is the licensed supposedly pro painter. You have ever right to vent! I hope everything gets fixed and you never have to see him again.

Painter did a lousy job of painting - only did 1 coat, which was a bad
surprise.We've had painting done before and they always did 2 coats.

Was that written down as well? The following is not directed to the OP, but to others who might hire someone, or be hired by someone.

Someone hiring, or being hired, should always have EVERYTHING written down. There should be NO assumptions being made. If you think something like two coats is normal (or galvanized nails on the exterior, clean up after roofing, etc), then you WRITE IT DOWN and get it signed in a contract.

I don't think the average homeowner can think of everything. 2 coats of paint is a no brainer, but galvanized nails? Instead of what? Ungalvanized steel, copper, stainless steel, what is the standard? A reputable GC should be trusted to know these things.

I think there is some level of I don't know..common sense?

For example that custom made tile that ends up not being used doesn't go in the garbage bag? Or that you don't throw out 20 perfectly good dimmers or bulbs, just because you used your subcontractor's account to purchase them, and had too many? Or if you take out the old door, and there are two surfaces in front of you that you can lean that door against, one of them being a wall, other- a living bush with flowers-wouldn't it make sense to lean the door against the wall?

I can't assume, that's right..obviously operational systems sometimes are very different. Sometimes I can't even imagine things that I can't or can assume.

2 coats of paint is a no brainer,

No, it's not. On most new tract houses, one coat is standard. And with some of the newer paints (that supposedly promise one-coat coverage), a lot of contractors take that literally.

I think there is some level of I don't know..common sense?

Not for some people. There are a lot of stupid and lazy people out there. Mostly too lazy to learn and therefore stupid.

Thanks to everyone who responded! Everyone made good points. If I ever have any more painting done, I'll make sure to use Ray's Painting and Drywall in Vinton, VA. They are true artists and take great pride in their work. I would have hired them for this job, but they are one of the subcontractors our "bankrupt, gone to Hawaii" contractor didn't pay over $2,000 to - and I felt awkward hiring them since they weren't paid by our contractor for the last job at our home.