Author Topic: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?  (Read 20205 times)

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Offline BEG

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #50 on: April 01, 2008, 11:21:28 AM »
I have several rooms I want repainted and my husband is being an ass and doesn't want to help me paint them.  My husband told me to just have someone else come out and do it.  I have no idea how much they charge.  Can anyone who has had someone repaint the inside of their home tell me approximately how much it costs to have a professional do it?  I'm having someone come out wednesday to give me an estimate but they are 3 1/2 weeks out on their paint jobs and if I know that it will be super expensive I can cancel their trip out here and just tell my husband it will be a bunch of money and he has to help me paint.   :innocent:

Disclaimer, I haven't read the whole thread.  While I wouldn't call myself a professional, I did paint for a living along with remodeling for about a year.  Honestly, there's going to be a massive pricing disparity in painting contractors.  There's such low barriers of entry to starting a painting company... you'll never quite know what to expect from an initial quote.  Nor does price always reflect quality.

Are your walls pretty standard?
Do you have intricate Crown Molding, baseboards, etc? $
Honestly, how are the conditions of your walls?  Proper prep is massively time consuming for luxurious finishes.     
Cathedral ceilings... $
If they have to paint with furniture in the room and/or move it themselves... $
What size rooms, are we talking about? 

Our walls are flat, no texture.  We paid extra for them to leave the texture off because they caulk and texture EVERYTHING here in Texas.  It was a big mistake because the flaws are magnified and they apparently don't know how to do it correctly here in Texas.  Where we have already painted my husband has fix everywhere there is an obvious flaw.  The areas where we haven't painted he will most likely fix things like nail pops and such.  But our walls are in pretty good shape as is (as in there are no dents or scratches from children running into them, etc.). 

We don't have cathedral ceilings but we do have higher than standard ceilings. Our ceiling in our family room is like 14 ft and the rest of the areas except one hallway is 11 ft (the other hallway is 14 ft like the family room).  The dining room is really just two walls (the shorter of the two has a window)  and another short wall that is about 4.5 ft.  The rest of the room is open.  Sq. ft of the dining room is about 11.5 x 14

My entryway is approx. 14 x 8 ish.  The only area that has walls in the entry is above all the doorways.  The study is 12 x 12.5.  I want only the yellow in that room painted which is three walls with a window.  My family room is 22.5 x  17 (with 13 ft ceilings).  One wall is a only about 11.25 ft because the rest of that wall is open to the kitchen and another wall is is about 8 ft because the rest of that wall is open to the entry.  I have 4 ceiling to floor windows on the opposite side wall (on the 17 ft wall).  Then i have a floor to ceiling stone fireplace on another wall (the 22.5 ft wall) and a small entry on that same wall that goes to my bedroom. 

I have no idea how many sq feet my hallways are.  We have crown molding in our dining room and entry way and chair rail molding in our dining room as well.  We will move the furniture and take down curtains as needed.

Offline Chris_

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #51 on: April 01, 2008, 03:10:46 PM »
We had the whole interior repainted last summer, around 3000 sq feet.
Only cost $1500, but we had to buy the paint, and it wasn't cheap, I think it was another 300 bucks or so.

But, it was "top of the line" washable latex paint.  Don't scrimp on paint, get the very best you can afford.

My parents had their entire 3000+ sq ft house (walls, ceilings) painted a couple years ago.  They had some of that "textured" finish put on a couple walls which looked okay.  I think they paid around $7000.
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Offline BEG

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #52 on: April 02, 2008, 10:06:07 AM »
Ok the guy came out (it was Home Depot) and he quoted all the rooms for $1895.  It includes the paint (Behr Premium or equivalent), prep work (removing switch plates, window treatments and fixing any imperfections on the walls), covering the floor and furniture and move any furniture that needed to be moved.

Not as bad as I thought.  He said it would take them about two days to do it and they are three weeks out on their scheduling.  I think I'm going to do it.

Offline Lord Undies

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #53 on: April 02, 2008, 10:15:49 AM »
Ok the guy came out (it was Home Depot) and he quoted all the rooms for $1895.  It includes the paint (Behr Premium or equivalent), prep work (removing switch plates, window treatments and fixing any imperfections on the walls), covering the floor and furniture and move any furniture that needed to be moved.

Not as bad as I thought.  He said it would take them about two days to do it and they are three weeks out on their scheduling.  I think I'm going to do it.

That sounds like a good deal.  Do they contract out or are the painters actually employed by Home Depot?

Offline BEG

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #54 on: April 02, 2008, 10:25:28 AM »
Ok the guy came out (it was Home Depot) and he quoted all the rooms for $1895.  It includes the paint (Behr Premium or equivalent), prep work (removing switch plates, window treatments and fixing any imperfections on the walls), covering the floor and furniture and move any furniture that needed to be moved.

Not as bad as I thought.  He said it would take them about two days to do it and they are three weeks out on their scheduling.  I think I'm going to do it.

That sounds like a good deal.  Do they contract out or are the painters actually employed by Home Depot?

Well he said they don't use "day laborers"  Do you ever write a word and it just looks "wrong"?  Laborers looks wrong to me. 

Anyway, on the quote it says they do background checks on all their crews, they are fully insured and they give 100% guarantee.  I think they are independent contractors authorized by Home Depot though.

Offline DixieBelle

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #55 on: April 02, 2008, 10:25:46 AM »
It does sound reasonable. I'm with Undies though on the status of the painters. My mom used Lowes to install hardwoods and they originally did the living areas of the house and waited to do the bedrooms a year later. The first guy was wonderful and did a great job. The second guy who came out to finish the rest of the house did a horrible job. The manager of Lowes ended up coming to the house and was speechlees. They gave them the floor for half price and included the re-tiling of the bathroom for free. They also got the first guy to come back out to do the job.

They use contractors so make sure you ask Home Depot who they use.
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Offline Crazy Horse

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #56 on: April 02, 2008, 10:30:45 AM »
 :evillaugh:
You got off your ass, now get your wife off her back.

Offline LadyLiberty

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #57 on: April 02, 2008, 10:47:10 AM »
That is an excellent price, but I personally prefer Sherwin Williams paint over Behr, as Behr paint is much thinner and doesn't hold up as well.

I hope you don't have any problems with the work or anything else!!

Happy painting, and may the painters be nice to look at  :cheersmate:
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Offline DixieBelle

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #58 on: April 02, 2008, 10:47:53 AM »
She should probably practice her Spanish. :-)
I can see November 2 from my house!!!

Spread my work ethic, not my wealth.

Forget change, bring back common sense.
-------------------------------------------------

No, my friends, there’s only one really progressive idea. And that is the idea of legally limiting the power of the government. That one genuinely liberal, genuinely progressive idea — the Why in 1776, the How in 1787 — is what needs to be conserved. We need to conserve that fundamentally liberal idea. That is why we are conservatives. --Bill Whittle

Offline Lord Undies

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #59 on: April 02, 2008, 11:00:53 AM »
That is an excellent price, but I personally prefer Sherwin Williams paint over Behr, as Behr paint is much thinner and doesn't hold up as well.

I hope you don't have any problems with the work or anything else!!

Happy painting, and may the painters be nice to look at  :cheersmate:

If you want thick....get the Wal-Mart $10.00 a gallon.  I've been using it and that stuff even fills in holes. 

Offline LadyLiberty

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #60 on: April 02, 2008, 11:28:35 AM »
That is an excellent price, but I personally prefer Sherwin Williams paint over Behr, as Behr paint is much thinner and doesn't hold up as well.

I hope you don't have any problems with the work or anything else!!

Happy painting, and may the painters be nice to look at  :cheersmate:

If you want thick....get the Wal-Mart $10.00 a gallon.  I've been using it and that stuff even fills in holes. 

Good to know!
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Offline Miss Mia

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #61 on: April 02, 2008, 11:55:49 AM »
Ok the guy came out (it was Home Depot) and he quoted all the rooms for $1895.  It includes the paint (Behr Premium or equivalent), prep work (removing switch plates, window treatments and fixing any imperfections on the walls), covering the floor and furniture and move any furniture that needed to be moved.

Not as bad as I thought.  He said it would take them about two days to do it and they are three weeks out on their scheduling.  I think I'm going to do it.

Sounds like a good deal BEG.  Did you decide on a color?
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Offline BEG

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #62 on: April 02, 2008, 02:30:52 PM »
Ok the guy came out (it was Home Depot) and he quoted all the rooms for $1895.  It includes the paint (Behr Premium or equivalent), prep work (removing switch plates, window treatments and fixing any imperfections on the walls), covering the floor and furniture and move any furniture that needed to be moved.

Not as bad as I thought.  He said it would take them about two days to do it and they are three weeks out on their scheduling.  I think I'm going to do it.

Sounds like a good deal BEG.  Did you decide on a color?

Not yet, I'm going back and forth on colors so I think I need to go back to the store and start over with paint samples.

Offline Wretched Excess

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #63 on: April 02, 2008, 02:53:46 PM »

no, but I painted a professional once.  I'm not sure you would find that experience useful, though.  I didn't get a very good deal. :-)

Offline Lacarnut

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #64 on: April 02, 2008, 09:35:13 PM »
I had my small house, 1k sq. ft., painted by a pro; cost around $1k and included painting the kitchen cabinets which had to be painted twice. I bought Behr latex  paint from Home Depot for the walls and Sherman Williams oil base for the doors and trim. According to Consumer Reports, Behr is the best latex paint you can buy. Cost around 25 bucks a gallon. You can get free interest for 6 months on any purchase totaling 3 hundred bucks or more on their credit card.

Offline DixieBelle

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #65 on: April 02, 2008, 09:41:00 PM »
Or you could go "green" and buy some artsy fartsy paint that won't make Al Gore cry. :-)
I can see November 2 from my house!!!

Spread my work ethic, not my wealth.

Forget change, bring back common sense.
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No, my friends, there’s only one really progressive idea. And that is the idea of legally limiting the power of the government. That one genuinely liberal, genuinely progressive idea — the Why in 1776, the How in 1787 — is what needs to be conserved. We need to conserve that fundamentally liberal idea. That is why we are conservatives. --Bill Whittle

Offline Miss Mia

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #66 on: April 02, 2008, 09:42:13 PM »
Ok the guy came out (it was Home Depot) and he quoted all the rooms for $1895.  It includes the paint (Behr Premium or equivalent), prep work (removing switch plates, window treatments and fixing any imperfections on the walls), covering the floor and furniture and move any furniture that needed to be moved.

Not as bad as I thought.  He said it would take them about two days to do it and they are three weeks out on their scheduling.  I think I'm going to do it.

Sounds like a good deal BEG.  Did you decide on a color?

Not yet, I'm going back and forth on colors so I think I need to go back to the store and start over with paint samples.

:)  Good luck. 
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Offline Lord Undies

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #67 on: April 02, 2008, 11:10:57 PM »
Ok the guy came out (it was Home Depot) and he quoted all the rooms for $1895.  It includes the paint (Behr Premium or equivalent), prep work (removing switch plates, window treatments and fixing any imperfections on the walls), covering the floor and furniture and move any furniture that needed to be moved.

Not as bad as I thought.  He said it would take them about two days to do it and they are three weeks out on their scheduling.  I think I'm going to do it.

Sounds like a good deal BEG.  Did you decide on a color?

Not yet, I'm going back and forth on colors so I think I need to go back to the store and start over with paint samples.

I saw an interesting color called "Mushroom".  It was like a darkish beige with all the pink removed.  It looked very warm and sophisticated. 

I think I am going to try it in the guest bedroom, and do the trim in bronze.  I wish I had found it sooner.  I would have painted the family room in that color.

Offline rich_t

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #68 on: April 02, 2008, 11:17:25 PM »
Places like Lowes and Home Depot use contractors for that sort of work.

It pays to put forth the effort to check them out by asking for references.
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Offline Lacarnut

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #69 on: April 02, 2008, 11:31:14 PM »
Places like Lowes and Home Depot use contractors for that sort of work.

It pays to put forth the effort to check them out by asking for references.

Plus H.D. & Lowes get a cut off the action.

Offline rich_t

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #70 on: April 02, 2008, 11:34:42 PM »
Places like Lowes and Home Depot use contractors for that sort of work.

It pays to put forth the effort to check them out by asking for references.

Plus H.D. & Lowes get a cut off the action.

This is true. You can save a few bucks by hiring direct in many circumstances.
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Offline Lacarnut

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #71 on: April 02, 2008, 11:42:52 PM »
I might want to ask the contractor how much he pays his crew and if a supervisor will be present. Anything under 25 bucks an hour is not a professional painter

Offline rich_t

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #72 on: April 02, 2008, 11:54:06 PM »
I might want to ask the contractor how much he pays his crew and if a supervisor will be present. Anything under 25 bucks an hour is not a professional painter

It's your walls, so ultimately you should be supervising the job.  When I had my current house built, I was on site checking the workmanship every 2-3 days at 1st and every day near the end.

It was my house and I was involved in seeing it done right.

[pissed off]  I did miss the day that the painting crew showed up.  I got stuck with the cheapest paint.  I would have gladly slipped the painting contractor some extra for good paint.

I'm not sure that I agree with the 25 bucks an hour thing.
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Offline BEG

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #73 on: April 03, 2008, 08:31:42 AM »
Well this whole thread it probably moot now.  We are in the process of having someone put up a new fence, having an arbor built (not by the same people who are putting up the fence) and having the same people who are building the arbor take up our old deck and put down a new one.  My husband is also in the process of redoing our pond which he plans on changing the whole filtering system and redoing all the stone work around the pond and the waterfall.  Anyway, my husband called last night (he is in CA on a business trip) and said while it is a good price he doesn't really want to spend any more money on house stuff.  He thinks we can do it.  Which may I add, I said we should do it ourselves when we first discussed painting the rooms.   ::)  He said we will talk about it when he gets home.

I'm fine with us painting, he is so good at cutting in and getting a perfect line at the ceiling and baseboards.  His cousin developed a product called Tape-Seal that you use to keep paint from seeping under tape.  Here is a link to how it works: http://www.perfectpaintlines.com/howitworks.html   He got some of it from him and wants to try it out.  I'll tell him he can get his practice using the product while he is painting our house.   :-)

Offline LadyLiberty

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Re: Anyone ever hire a professional painter?
« Reply #74 on: April 03, 2008, 08:48:08 AM »

I'm fine with us painting, he is so good at cutting in and getting a perfect line at the ceiling and baseboards.  His cousin developed a product called Tape-Seal that you use to keep paint from seeping under tape.  Here is a link to how it works: http://www.perfectpaintlines.com/howitworks.html   He got some of it from him and wants to try it out.  I'll tell him he can get his practice using the product while he is painting our house.   :-)

Thank you for sharing this!!! I'm sure we can use this in the future  :hyper:

Good luck with all of your projects and endeavors. I am sure everything will be just gorgeous!!!
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