5 Star Success: Chicago's Great Contractor Experience

Exterior staining is a messy process; as staining exterior wood is a task where good help is hard to find, even a homeowner who hires this job out can find him or herself in a sticky situation. Just ask the Mustafoff family. The Mustafoffs have hired contractors to stain the cedar exterior of their Roselle home five times in the 24 years they've lived there. It's a major undertaking; a long and tedious process of power washing, bleaching, sanding, and staining that is sometimes as trying for the homeowner as it is for the crew doing the job. When Theresa Mustafoff told us that, through our service, she found "the best contractor I'd ever hired", we knew it would be worth the time to follow up on her story.

Exterior Staining Excellence
Last summer, Theresa Mustafoff used HomeAdvisor to hire Precision Plus Painting, Inc. to handle her admittedly demanding exterior staining project. She wanted the stain to match the previous coat, but an exact color match was unavailable as the manufacturer had changed its formula. The Precision Plus team didn't want their work to be anything but satisfactory, and they spent an entire day testing different stains on the house until the color precisely matched what Mustafoff wanted. "They lost almost a whole day working with me on that," Theresa remarked. "It was a lot of work for them, and most people would put their hands up and say forget it."

The dedication to excellence shown by Precision Plus didn't end with that! The company continued to impress as they improved appearances throughout the project. Staining exterior wood is not always a cheery topic for those who've had it done, but Theresa was happy to let us know that this job was, "So professionally done. I've never had a job done like this before. It's almost a year later, and I'm still raving about it."

Rooted in Good Customer Service
While the Mustafoffs originally called for exterior staining, Precision Plus is committed to offering more than just workmanship to its customers. For co-owner Fernando Calles, that means going the extra mile for homeowners like Mustafoff. In fact, Oak Brook-based Precision Plus won't take a dollar from customers until they are happy with their finished project.

Calles and his partner, Lori Stahl, started Precision Plus in 2005 to fill a void in their local home improvement community: they actually formed the company after Calles couldn't find a reputable painting company to work on his own house.

Sticking to the roots that created them, Precision Plus always seeks to be professional at every turn by immediately returning phone calls, arriving at appointments on time, and asking (and caring) if their customers are completely pleased. Making sure their clients are satisfied should be job one. Knowing from personal experience that satisfied customers aren't always a priority for contractors, Calles keeps his clients needs at the forefront of every project. "Unfortunately, it's a concept that a lot of guys don't understand," he says. "That's the foundation of our business, and it's been going gangbusters."

Happy Painters Produce Good Work
Exterior staining is hardly a day at the beach, and the owners of Precision Plus make sure that their customers aren't the only ones who are happy. Calles and Stahl strive to treat their painters extremely well, expecting they will do the same for customers. This type of thinking pays off, as Mustafoff noticed when the company stained her house. She noted that the painters were courteous, considerate and professional; they even worked on Memorial Day to finish the project by Mustafoff's requested deadline.

Follow Up Service Makes an Impression
Though Mustafoff was already impressed with the company's work, Precision Plus proved its excellence again when she noticed bubbling on one door. As anyone who does it knows, staining exterior wood is not always foolproof, so about nine months after completing the job, the crew returned to fix the problem at no charge. The lasting impression left after this project is one of respect and admiration. "They stand behind their work," Mustafoff told us. "If every business ran like they run theirs—what a wonderful world."