We only have our exterior painted. We have a 2 stories, stucco house with wood and metal trim. It's about 4600 sq ft. Having different painting projects and my family's experience (6 of them living in Los Altos and have hired various painters from most expensive to surprisingly cheap ones) the result between the highest bid and the middle range is unnoticeable. Paint is paint. It's not easy to screw up unless you have no skills nor any experience. Hence, pricing becomes the more important factors to consider. (I can't believe some painter charges extra on the metal rails where Target just includes everything)
FACTS:
1. Out of 17 bids I have received, 1 of them was below Target's bid but 15 of them were much higher. On average 40% - 100% higher than Target's bid. Most of them were around 40% more. Please be aware I didn't inquire bids from big painting companies but mostly small firms. So if you go to some of those companies you heard from radio or TV, their bid will likely be higher than 100%.
2. We bought our own paints and we chose one of the better paints out there. Therefore, if they paint it properly, the result will always be good. Thus, it's important to look at their preparation, are they being careful etc.
3. They spent 1.5-2 days power wash and prepare the house for painting. My only concern was Ibsan (may be the boss, who met with us, gave us the bid and told us how much paints we need to buy) was a little late to inform us about paint needed. It'd have been much better if he informed us the first day. Still, we were able to get the paint to them before they start.
4. Ibsan wasn't the person who painted the house. Leon and Mario are the painters the whole time. Just 2 of them.
5. I was not in a hurry so when they told me it will take 6-8 days, I have no problem with that. They were able to finish the project within 8 days.
Pros:
- Leon and Mario were very hard working, even during the heat wave around 100 degree they didn't stop.
- The preparation was pretty good. There are some minor issues but overall, they did a very good job. Again, the main thing is to prep the house properly for painting. The painting part was easy, they spray paint and use roller and brush on some area.
- They were very accommodative, Leon repeatedly asked if there is anything I am not happy, let him know, they will make sure they do a good job. I have given them multiple requests and they fixed them all.
- They did a relatively good job to fix the cracks around my house. It's not perfect and I'm not going to hold them to it because the stucco finish we have is level 5. Smooth finish, very difficult to hide the cracks or repair them. I am being reasonable and think that they have done a pretty good job in most cases.
- The deal was 2 coats of paints and they did that, but I was concerned one side of the house always got the sun and point out some of the old paints not fully covered by the new (It could be the paint wasn't dry yet) and wonder if 2 coats were enough, they didn't even said another word and told me they will put on another coat, they have to prep the windows again and all... that flexibility is what I REALLY appreciate.
Cons:
- They promised to remove their equipments but took 2 days and still here.
- For a 4600 sq ft house, there are couple spots that I thought was not perfect but it's not bad. We have to be reasonable and can't be too picky (even though I am pretty picky already)
Conclusion:
After seeing the result, I'm confident to say if I pay the highest bid painter, the result will probably be better but not noticeable. Hence, I'm very pleased with Target Painting. (Given stucco house is easier to paint than wood or other materials) read more