Painting Solutions, Inc.

"Serving 50 clients a year, we run into one or two who get confused or do not fully understand even though we give full explanations for all. This client first confused our estimate with another contractor and accused us of bait and switch. Then she realized her mistake and wrote: Again, my mistake. Then the neighbor said she started a lawsuit and won against my client for my client?s dead tree that was leaning in the direction of the neighbor?s house. So she was going to be difficult to work with. With a name like ?Painting Solutions,? we take on all comers, and try to figure out a way to get all jobs done, no matter the obstacles. She complained about less than $60 in damage on a $4800 final bill; what does that tell you? The other 98.5% of the job was good, but she spends 80% of her comment on the 1.5% of the job. Really?!? I apologized as I was totally transparent and available every day....Even after I had to have hand surgery (and could not work with my employee on this job) right after we commenced this job. Once the job started, the client added a days work in additional tasks, increasing estimate by 10%. So instead of the 5 days estimated (again, a senior citizen confusing our estimate with another?s; our estimate was 5 days, not 2-3 days), we finished the job in 8 days, as I, bandaged hand and all, met with the client every day about progress and issues, of which only good things were said to us, every day. Estimate was based on mid-level paint, then client chose the most expensive paint, raising the estimate another 9%. This and the additional work were put in an email to the client when discussed (another item she overlooked). These 10% above and this 9% cover 20% she mentions. Another senior moment on the ?warned of cost:? we sent out a projected invoice with details two days prior to finishing the job. Of course she was told the higher grade paint cost more; and the contract reads any additional work will require additional labor and cost. When discussing the final invoice, I started by offering $60 to cover an old plastic (the plastic was brittle) floodlight sensor ($25 I later found on Amazon) and a terra cotta plate ($40) that was not secured well to the wall although it had a big bolt through it as it hung 8? high. I never refused to pay these; I had wished the client had advised me about the plate as we spell out in our preliminary instructions (any breakables?) we give every client. I let them deduct $80 from the final bill. Most important: I am glad she was happy with the result, and that we continue to work with all clients, even if they present various cognitive challenges."

"We installed not only elegant crown and chair rail molding, but picture frames in the living room and foyer. This, and the painting of all the rooms throughout, really personalized the house to these new owners."

"A project of over 70 hours, all were happy with the results. As an extra, we offered to replace a rotten backdoor threshold, an hours work. Putting in a new pressure-treated (read: moist) piece, we advised the elderly client that it needed to dry before painting it. She forgot/confused this, until we showed up 2 weeks later to paint the now-dry threshold. The house subsequently sold quickly."