I wish I could say that everyone in the world was an honest person. It would make life a lot easier. But as we all know, this is not the case. The same can be said for every business, and or each business person we encounter. As it pertains to painting, well, the industry isn’t immune from unethical behavior either.
While I don’t want to throw any competitor under the bus, I do believe that consumers should be educated. So, let’s look at some of the most common painters’ tricks that will leave you scratching your head when it comes to the Milwaukee painting industry.
- Paints Offering One Coat Paint Coverage: quite frankly, it seems to be a gimmick. Obtaining Mil-thickness (the thickness of your paint that provides color blocking consistency and durability) just can’t be achieved in one coat. Colorwheel has applied plenty of thick (high solids paint) and very, very few offer one coat guarantees. In fact, the paints that come closest don’t offer this at all! Isn’t that interesting? What we see “one coat paints” as is a way to get you to buy that product, with over confidence, and then when you don’t get the desired outcome… guess what, you go buy more of it and pay that premium price again! Truly, you’re better of selecting a great mid-grade paint and doing 2 paint coats.
- Painters or Companies specifying ONE COAT: this is huge pet peeve of mine. Around here, a Sorta Pro company offers contracts with one coat coverage. Then they specify a paint that surely won’t cover in one coat. The customer gets duped by a low price, then gets bamboozled by a change order. It’s almost like a bait and switch. And it gives the painters ZERO reason to put the paint on heavy enough at first application… knowing they can go thin, on purpose, and force your hand.
- Paint switch 1: A contract will specify one paint, then the contractor shows up with another. They’ll tell you it’s just as good, but it won’t be. Do your research, call the paint store and ask if it was an equivalent product. If not, insist on a refund of gallons X cost difference. The only change Colorwheel will make is an upgrade, seldom at a cost to you unless it’s an approved change order.
- Paint switch 2: That bucket full of paint, it’s just cheaper paint thrown into it before the painter arrived. It might even be old paint. You just don’t know. Watch for actual branded cans, being freshly opened, on your project to avoid this painting scam.
- Ceiling painting 1 coat: I get it, one coat of paint will often refresh a ceiling, for the short term. It’ll look fresh and clean. In the long run though, expect it to fade and look dry much faster than a great, lasting, 2 coat system.
- Up and down counts as 2 coats: yep, believe it or not, some painters will tell you that rolling upward, and then downward, counts as 2 coats of paint. Shocking, I know.
While there are other tricks that we’ve seen over the years, these are the big ones. Be careful out there. While there are other painters’ tricks that we’ve seen over the years, these are the big ones. Be careful out there. Be a smart consumer. Study and read your contracts and proposals. Ask a competent painting company to review proposals with you. Research the products, make some calls. Not all painters are equal. Not all paints are equal. Not all companies are equal either. With that said, you can trust Colorwheel to handle all of your residential home’s wall and ceiling paint needs.
