What to expect from professional paint job?

brilliantstuff

We’ve had a decorator in to paint our house, but have never paid someone else to do this before so not sure what quality to expect! We’re pleased overall, but not sure about some parts of the finish such as the edging, some drips and some imperfections that we assumed would be sanded/filled. He’s coming back to do the last couple of walls and is happy to do some fixes, but we’re not sure if we’re being too picky and all this is normal - thoughts? Thanks!  e 

MikeJXE

Definitely NOT a professional paint job

Should have been sanded down at least 

Too much paint causing curtains and drips 

Is he a 1 man band or part of a company ? 

brilliantstuff

He’s a one man band but I think had some other guys helping. We haven’t paid yet. 

MikeJXE

I remember having 2 painters who were recommended and cheap 

After 3 days they had painted 2 bedrooms (walls) and made a start on the skirting board 

They were painting on dust

I paid them half what they wanted and told them to leave 

BarelySentientAI

It looks like I've painted it - and even my own family don't let me do more than open the tins now.

You're not being picky.

tacpot12

It's not the best job, but if the worst of the snags are remediates when they come back, it's probably within the range of a professional job. Remember that once they have gone, you will not see the smaller issues, and neither will anyone else unless they are looking for faults. 

The problem in the second photo is really down to the wall, and hence it's not their problem to fix if the contract didn't specify that the walls were to be levelled/skimmed. The prpblem in photo 4 is also not their fault, if the contract didn't specify holes were to be filled and primed.

If the problem in photo 2 is bothering you, I would suggest you discuss with them the idea of paying them a little more to re-paint that wall after the wall is levelled. If they offer this service, it's going to be easier to go with them; it's a very small job for a plasterer, but you might find a plasterer who is looking for small jobs on the side of their day job.  


  

brilliantstuff

Ok thanks. We agreed ‘all walls and ceilings to be rubbed and filled before painting’ - are the issues in 2 and 4 beyond basic rubbing and filling? 

MikeJXE

tacpot12 said:

It's not the best job, but if the worst of the snags are remediates when they come back, it's probably within the range of a professional job. Remember that once they have gone, you will not see the smaller issues, and neither will anyone else unless they are looking for faults. 

The problem in the second photo is really down to the wall, and hence it's not their problem to fix if the contract didn't specify that the walls were to be levelled/skimmed. The prpblem in photo 4 is also not their fault, if the contract didn't specify holes were to be filled and primed.

If the problem in photo 2 is bothering you, I would suggest you discuss with them the idea of paying them a little more to re-paint that wall after the wall is levelled. If they offer this service, it's going to be easier to go with them; it's a very small job for a plasterer, but you might find a plasterer who is looking for small jobs on the side of their day job.  


  

You are correct it’s not the best job

It’s the worst job, 

Even the cutting in is a mess, an amateur would know you cant paint over a hole and would fill it in first. 

I suggest you stop the work and ask the painter how he is going to put it right 

Under no circumstances should you pay him till you are satisfied 

brilliantstuff

Just to clarify - is something like this something that should have been easily fixed with ‘rubbing and filling’?

MikeJXE

brilliantstuff said:

Just to clarify - is something like this something that should have been easily fixed with ‘rubbing and filling’?

Yes a simple job 

A painter should look around the walls for issues like this before painting 

Grenage

It depends what you paid for.   If you paid someone to slap paint on the walls - they did.  If you paid someone to sort the walls out first - they did a poor job. 

The latter will be much more expensive.