Got a paint bid, am I being reasonable?

chevyguy1973

Okay, the bids range from the low guy (I buy the paint and he paints for $400) to the guy I'm going to use at $3950.00 and he buys the paint (Dunn? I think is the name he said) Anyway, this guy comes very highly recommended from the two businesses, one contractor, and 3 homeowners I talked to today and looking at his pictures, seems to put a lot of prep working to the project.
He's going to pressure wash the exterior, scrape and prep eves, caulk all cracks, and spray two coats of elastamerit. EVERYTHING gets taped and prep'ed prior to paint and according to the customers, he does very clean work. I'm excited, it should look like a new house when he's done! Should I have looked harder? Everyone I talk to said painting (and expertice) was definitely not something you try and save money on when remodeling. Thoughts?

jproffer

Well...you may hear some people (NOT ME) say that painting is easy and why should you pay someone that much to do it. (The guy who bid $400 probably thinks that's all he can get, for this reason) HOWEVER, :D (you knew it was coming didn't ya?) think a little more in depth.

For $3950 you get:

* A pressure washer that YOU don't have to rent or buy and set-up...
* Scaffolding that YOU don't have to rent and set-up...
* Scaffolding that YOU don't have to climb up on while using said pressure washer/paint sprayer/etc...
* A mess that YOU don't have to clean up...
* Probably a good days worth of taping and masking every door, every window, every light fixture, every...thing that you don't want to be a certain color. (and stripping off said tape and masking)...
* Another day scraping, caulking (and for that matter just finding) all the cracks that need caulk...
* A professional paint job, fully equipped with all the little details that may take you 5 or 6 mess ups to get right, the same little details that make a good paint job into a great paint job...
* Complete tear down of scaffolding, pressure washer and haul it all away.

I'd take that deal...but then again I hate to paint...in fact the only thing worse than painting is prepping to paint . (Needless to say, I'm not a painter)

George Z

You seem to have done your homework.
You also bought some peace of mind. How much is that worth?
Enjoy the experience.

slickshift

Low guy sounds like "CrackHead With A Brush Part-Time Paint Co."
Dunn guy sounds like a pro with a good track record and refs
Probably even has licencing and liabilty ins like he's supposed to

I'd never trust a contractor who wants you to buy the materials
That in itself tells us all we need to know about him/her

A project like this in the hands of a pro?
Like George Z says, sit back and enjoy the ride

chevyguy1973

I can't wait to see the finished product. The guy kind of chuckled when I asked it there would be any paint over spray on the new roof that goes on next week. I know, I know, I must have sounded like a nervous expectant father. Thanks for the sounding board and comments! Dave

747

I think thats a good price. But you didn' say what kind of house you have. A one story ranch or a cape or a victorian?