Have you ever hired painters?
I did this year for the first time and the experience left me really upset for a few days, then I moved on with my life…
The job I hired this painter for was in two parts: 1) Second floor - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, living room, dining area; 2) then the main floor apartment would be a week or so later.
I felt really upset as they left my house filled with drywall dust! I was not in the upstairs part of the house for the week-long job, so when I got back in, there was dust covering everything. I have dark wood floors, dark granite counter, black light fixture, black ceiling fans, it was even noticeable on the white window sills.
I expected them to remove most, if not ALL the dust.
So before the second part of the job started I met the painter about my concern and dislike about the dust upstairs. He got defensive right away, and told me that’s a reno clean up. He told me I was free to go ahead and hire someone else for the main floor job. Well I needed that done ASAP and felt I had no choice but to get off my high horse and suck it up.
That was my first upset! The second one was after they finished the main floor and left, I realized that they did not paint a closet in the only bedroom on the main floor. When I called the painter about it he said I never pointed out that I wanted the closet in that room to be painted. He told me that a closet is a big job and costs an extra $150-200. He would have added that amount in his quote if I had mentioned it.
OMG is this for real?
Talk about “Expectations”!
Wouldn’t you expect the closet painted if someone is going to paint a bedroom?
I did point out the closet in the living room because it was in bad shape but would I have had to tell him I wanted the closet in the bedroom painted.
That is expected, is it not?
I was shocked and mad. He said he would send someone back to paint the closet for free IF I did not call him about anything else!
So I took it upon myself and painted the closet myself so I would not have to deal with him again. I did a poor job of it because I am not a professional painter.
Third upset was when I moved the fridge and stove upstairs to clean the dust I assumed was left behind. That’s when I saw that they did not paint behind the appliances!
Is it just me??
Would you expect these things done as well without mentioning it?
As a professional cleaner, if you ask me to clean your bathroom, you would not have to mention to me to clean the toilet pedestal and clean the floor behind it. NEVER!
Would you EXPECT me to do it as part of the room?
So there, I guess when you don’t have a freaking check list, then it’s all up in the air. You are at the mercy of your professional painter [or cleaner]! And good luck if you pick one who doesn’t provide you with a check list!
Click here for a free checklist if you ever have to hire a painter. Then you’ll know what to expect.
-France
Owner of Domestic Goddess Housekeeping
Comment in spanish:
“Definitivamente estoy de acuerdo, es esencial la lista de lo que esperamos cuando contratamos un trabajo. Para mí es lógico que pinten el cuarto de escobas, el cuarto de ropa y detrás de la nevera!...
Pero para el pintor es un costo adicional. Yo prefiero q me digan desde el principio si lo que yo asumo y lo que ellos planean hacer, están alineados.
¡Gracias, por este comentario lo tendré en cuenta cuando contrate algún trabajo de pintura en mi casa!”
-Lily Beltran, Ft. McMurray, Originally from Colombia
Comment in french:
Quand je lis ta mésaventure avec le peintre, je me dis que tu as fait affaire avec quelqu’un qui n’est pas consciencieux dans son travail.
Premièrement, il ne s’est pas soucié de faire attention à la poussière qui résulte d’une job de peinture.
Deuxièmement, quand tu l’as appelé, il a dit que tu étais libre d’embaucher un autre peintre, plutôt que de t’écouter. Quelle honte de te demander près de 200,$ pour peinturer un garde-robe, après avoir eu un si beau contrat.
La personne qui t’as recommandé ce peintre, n’avait pas de hauts critères, concernant « un tel travail ».
La morale de cette histoire est que nous devons toujours faire une liste de ce que nous désirons avoir comme résultat et de bien le faire comprendre à l’entrepreneur, pour éviter les déceptions et les frustrations que tu as eues.-Denise Lavoie, Quebec City
Comment in filipino:
“Sa pagkakatanda ko, ang mga lalaki sa aming tahanan ang laging nagpipintura ng mga gamit o parte sa aming bahay kaya hindi pa kami nakapag-talaga ng taga-pintura.
“Ngunit base sa iyong pahayag, binayaran mo ang taga-pintura kaya dapat lamang na gawin nya ng tama ang ang kanyang trabaho. Hindi na kailangan ng ‘checklist’ para pinturahan ang aparador. Ito ay ‘common sense’ sapagkat ang dahilan ng pagpintura ng bahay ay upang ito ay maibenta.
“Alam kong hindi ganon kadali ang magpintura, lalo na kung buong parte ng bahay ngunit kung ito ang iyong trabaho at binayaran ka sa magandang presyo, mararapat lamang na gawin mo ng tama ang iyong trabaho.
“Lalo ngayong may ‘pandemic’, madaming apektado at walang trabaho kaya maswerte ka kung may trabaho ka pa. Dapat ay pag-igihan mo ito para magkaroon ng magandang ‘feedback’ na makakatulong na magpadagdag sa iyong trabaho. At isa pa, hindi ba masarap sa pakiramdam na purihin ka sa trabahong pinaghirapan mo dahil ginawa mo ito ng tama?
“Sa madaling salita, sana ay matutong magkusa ang mga trabahador na binayaran mo dahil iyon ang dapat nilang gawin. Nakakalungkot na naranasan mo ang ganyang sitwasyon magmula sa kanila. Sana ay hindi na nila gawin iyan sa susunod pa nilang mga paglilingkuran.”
-Sheara De La Cruz, Ft McMurray, Originally from the Philippines