In February 2018, we contracted with Renewal by Andersen to have nineteen widows replaced, including three bay windows. Suffice it to say, Frank Saterlee's 'Prime Line Decorating' was recommended by at least three Renewal by Andersen representatives. Their relationship is obviously very close. Since we had spent nearly $50,000 on window replacements, it was tantamount that the window staining be completed with precision and above-average workmanship.
We contracted with 'Prime Line Decorating' for early March, and the crew came up (we live in a mountain community in Colorado) and they went to work. They completed the work in two or three days.
We were happy with the results with the exception of the bay windows, where the installers necessarily had to drill 1/2" screw holes into the wood casings in order to secure the bays to the house. The 'Prime Line Decorating' crew had filled those holes with putty, which, even after a week, had turned gray. I contacted Frank via email, and sent pictures of the discolored putty. He responded that the putty had most likely "oxidized" and said he would be happy to send someone up to remediate the problem.
When Frank's employee came up to attend to the discolored putty--the same employee who had supervised the original work--he appeared to be unsure of what it was we wanted him to do. Frank's earlier email response to me had included a proposed remediation--sanding, new 'grained' putty, and re-staining. We read Frank's email to the employee who then got to work. After he left, we noticed there were now streaks leading from each of the puttied screw holes. We decided to wait overnight to see if the streaks would disappear once the staining/poly application dried. They didn't.
Again, I contacted Frank, explaining the new issue, along with pictures. He replied that he would come up, along with the employee whom he'd relied upon to fix the issue. Long story short, I thanked Frank for his willingness to attempt to correct the problem, but told him that we would go another route, and get some advice on what to do elsewhere.
The remedy we found for the obtrusive 1/2 screw holes was to drill out the putty, and insert stained plugs in those holes. Also, when we corrected that problem, we found that the poly topcoat Frank's employee had applied, and reapplied was grainy, even to extent that the Swiffer duster snagged on it. Therefore, we sanded off all the poly, re-stained the area, inserted the plugs, and applied a new coat of poly over it all. We are pleased with the result.
Again, we were very pleased with 'Prime Line Decorating's' work on every window with the exception of the three bay windows with the 1/2" screw holes. I would caution anyone who hires any contractor--not just 'Prime Line..."--to stain bay windows, that you be aware of the potential for issues with the large screw holes necessary to attach the bays to the structure.
The first photo in the series is the finished work we've done on one of the bay windows. Now, only two more to go... read more