My gripe about Budget & Save Painters

So, I needed to repaint my entire condo. Didn’t really know any painters so hubby circled someone in the Yellow Pages called Budget & Save Painters. The projects he showcased in the website was a bit impressive. He got Pottery Barn and Starbucks.  Initial correspondence with Kerry Jamie Williams was fast and he came to check out the place and gave me an estimate of just over $1000 excluding paint & materials. This doesn’t cover the ceiling but all walls, trims, doors and baseboard. Since my walls have mostly nicks and dents, I didn’t want to do it myself. He said he would come on Monday to do the prep work, then work till Friday. After Monday, change of plans. He hadto finish an exterior work and as the weather was forecasted to rain from Thursday, he said he would only be back on Thurs. I said ok. So, we lived two days with all our stuff muddled in the centre of the rooms. He told me he charged $49/h and he would do 2 coats. Guess what? He used this thick hi-hide paint which if your walls are ok, he wouldn’t even do a 2nd coat. He would even lied to say he did. (I saw he didn’t and I asked. He said he did!) Even if he did, he just streaked a huge M across the wall and that’s his 2nd coat. Prep work was very badly done. There were so many nicks & dents that he didn’t bothered to fill and sand. He painted over it. He only worked 4 hours a day and he jumped off to his other site in the afternoon. This whole week, we have been living with a huge mess of a place.

On the third day (yesterday), I googled him and found his site called www.homestars.com. Oh man, Kerry Jamie Williams have two reviews and both were bad and they were exactly described. He was lazy, incompetent (he always say “I’ve been doing this since 1953″. What a BS!) and unprofessional (doesn’t arrive on the time he said he would). I was pissed off at him for arriving an hour late yesterday and after reading the homestars review, I just got him to work on all touch ups. He complained this and that but I think he knew I was angry.

Today, being the last day of the project, I monitored his every paintbrush he did on the doors and trim. He kept saying “You are making me nervous.” Well, he should be. I pointed out at some parts which weren’t painted and he said “I’m not done yet.” but he had already moved on to another door.

At the end of it, I just wanted to pay him to get rid of him. Of course, the total bill was over estimated by $900 (charged me $59 an hour instead). I paid for all paints but he wanted to keep them. At least, I got him to pour out that expensive high gloss $72/gallon paint. I guess it’s a standard practice by contractors to charge materials and keep them if unused but next time, I’m buying the paint/materials.

I still have a couple of touch ups to do by myself.

I am sure there are honest and professional contractors out there. You just need to find them. Before you hire someone, read the reviews in homestars.com or google.

I’ve learned my lesson.