Tag Archives: painting contractors denver co

10 Reasons to Pick the Right Painting Contractor

  • THE FINAL FINISHED LOOK. Why spend tens of thousands purchasing or building a home only to not budget in what will give your home that final finished look. How do want those pricy Wooden Windows, Crown or Trim to appear when all is said and done. It takes skill to prep and paint these types of surfaces. Will there be Hi-hold out primer applied to slick wall or skip trowel texture to prevent flashing and better enable Touch Up? Will these types of surfaces be Rolled or sprayed and back rolled to provide appropriate finish & touch up? In most cases, Painting is not just painting!
  • PEACE OF MIND & WARRANTY. Is your Painting Contractor Registered with the State and does he or she have a Certificate of Good Standing on file. (A State Law as of Oct. 2007). Does your Denver Painter have a full line of Workers Comp. and Liability Insurance. Have you verified or called the agent to ensure it is an active policy. Does the Contractor have his people sign waivers of Worker Comp behind the scenes to keep rates down and not really cover your project? Inadequate or Compromised Insurance will affect the Price of a Bid! Check to make sure your Warranty is detailed. Is the Warranty Transferable? Be very leery of Warranties well above the Industry Avg. Exteriors- 3-5 yrs. Interior- 1-2 yrs.
  • ON SITE AND FIELD SUPERVISION. Is your Painting Contractor going to provide someone to ensure onsite quality meets everybody’s expectations. Owner Operators are not always there to watch everything that goes on. Remember they have to run and market their business along with being on-site doing the work. It can often be very difficult and distracting and can ultimately affect quality.
  • EXPERIENCE & QUALITY OF PEOPLE. How effectively can the chosen or considered Contractor perform the tasks at hand. Allot of Finishes require certain level of expertise to produce a positive end result. i.e. wooden windows, stain & finish of trim, hand rail systems. Will the Right Products be specified for a particular substrate? Bottom line, does it feel right technically? What is the Tenure of the Crew that will be on your Job?
  • CREDENTIALS. Can the Contractor your considering show you a proven Track Record? Does he have Job Surveys that indicate consistently how his or her customer base feels about their work in years gone by and most importantly within the last 6 months. You want to make sure they are still doing good work. Have they been recognized at all for their track record?
  • PROFESSIONAL AFFLIATIONS. Is the Contractor you are considering a member of some Industry related organization such as the PDCA (Painter Decorator Contractor of America) and is his or her Work backed up by some Consumer advocated organization such as the BBB. Generally a quality contractor who is a student of their Industry will provide you with a better and happier service and end result. What is their track record with the BBB, Angie’s List or Tom Martino?
  • ATTENTION TO DETAIL. Has your considered Painting Company provided you with a detailed estimate profiling for you the type of prep and finishes that will be used. Have they indicated clearly how flooring, cabinets, light fixtures, ceiling fans and even furniture will be protected. The same goes for protecting outside surfaces such as Brick, Stone, Stucco, Decks, Windows, Roof Lines and Windows. The attention to detail that one provides to you with the proposal will be some indication as to the attention to detail you will receive with the Job.
  • THE RIGHT PRODUCTS. Are the products being quoted you the right products and are they of a quality consistent with your expectations of finish and life. A Lower Grade Paint, especially if diluted can significantly shorten mid-term and long term life and finish. Did you know most oil base paints yellow in the absence of light or that some fast dry oil products or lacquers applied to windows especially will fracture and crack in the short term. Did you know that Exterior Acrylic Primers do not have good penetration to raw wood or that most acrylic caulks will crack outside within a year? Wrong or Low Quality products can affect the price of a bid!
  • A FAIR PRICE. If you focus on a low number instead of the right number you may be setting yourself up for a bad experience. Does your considered contractor use established methods, time standards or sq. ft. pricing to ascertain your proposal. If not, it is very easy to underestimate, pay brokered painters what ever wage to complete a job or have an under skilled estimator just make a mistake. Are you comfortable that someone you are considering is that wrong with their estimate when comparing a high bid to a low bid? In other wards can the Lower priced Contractor realistically complete the task in that much less time? Under paid painters or rushed painters usually produce questionable or un-happy end results. In most cases, The Fair Price is always the Right Price.
  • A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME. Has your considered Contractor given you some estimate as to how long the job will take. Allot of Owner Operator Businesses may provide a lower estimate but it is very common for them to be on your job longer as they will often need to work more than one job at a time or just have a tendency to move thru the job slower. Keep this in mind if you have tight deadlines. How will a Contractor ramp up, finish the Job and do your Touch –Ups.

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Color Theory is Cool. Or is it Warm?

Going to the paint swatch section of the home improvement store gets me excited about color. But I have found, many times, people just don’t know what colors go together. Sadly, our sense of style didn’t come as readily as our sense of smell or sight, but it’s more than just that. What does make colors “go together”? It has to do with a few different components: Hue, Value and Warmth.

Let’s start with the color wheel, which basically puts colors into groups, referred to as hues. The colors next to each other are called analogous and they work well with each other. They provide a soft contrast as in red with orange or blue with purple. Additionally, those straight across from each other on the color wheel are called complimentary, and in fact they are. These colors, when used together on a project make a high contrast.

Value refers to saturation of the color. For example if you have a dark velvety red, you have a high value color, versus an orange with less value as a pastel peach. Typically, you want to match colors with the similar values. If you use the same hue, you can use multiple values to create a nice range of colors- this is called a monochromatic color scheme. It is like a black and white photo with a great variety of range, but within one hue. An example might be a romantic rosy pink and red color scheme.

Warmth refers to a broader category of the hues. Except in the case of complimentary color combinations, schemes that stick within one warmth, are very appealing. Warm colors are typically reds, oranges and yellows. They tend to be playful, inviting, and cozy. Cool colors are purples, blues and greens. These colors are refreshing, soothing, and meditative.

Color theory simply is the way to determine where colors sit and how they look together. Best bet, go with same value complimentary colors, analogous colors or with a monochromatic scheme. And if you still just can’t develop that sense, Stellar Painting & Remodeling offers free color consultation with all of our interior painting or exterior painting projects. So feel free to give us a call at 720.981.7827

Don’t Waste Money On Your Remodel!

Are you remodeling for the wrong reasons? Many people believe any remodel is a good remodel, and that’s just not correct. Why are you? To improve or update an existing area? To add value to your home? To better meet a need you now have?
Here are some tips on how to do them well so you do indeed update, add value and meet your needs.

1. Check out the value of homes in your neighborhood and their amenities. For example, if your house has one bathroom but other houses have two, adding a bathroom is going to add value. If the houses in your neighborhood are selling for 200,000, investing 50,000 in a kitchen remodel may not increase your home value enough to recoup that expense.

2. Do pay attention to maintenance. There is little value in a great kitchen if there is a bad roof or damp basement. Make sure roof repairs, siding, windows and exterior painting are in good shape before spending money on remodel. Remember structure before luxury.

3. Stick to traditional, natural and neutral changes. If you go with trends, you may need to change those things before you will be able to sell your home. (Remember the colors of decades past?) Upgrades will serve both you and your potential buyer one day, saving you time and money.

4. Don’t do it yourself. Large home improvement projects should be left to pros. Simple updates are fine, but quality workmanship is admired while poor workmanship can lead to a quick loss in value and may sacrifice safety. How many times do you want to remodel the same project?

All remodels aren’t for the better, however a good remodel will add value, save you money and bring more joy and/or efficiency to your life. If you your remodeling project needs the help of professionals, give Stellar Painting & Remodeling a call at 720-981-7827. We can improve the value of your house inside and out!