Lessons to be learned when contracting a painter and decorator

My skimmed ceiling after my painter attacked it

I was looking for a painter and decorator for a small job which involved painting a kitchen ceiling that had been recently skimmed following the installation of spot lights. I also wanted the walls painted as well as cupboards. The total dimensions were no more than 140 sq ft.

As with most things I need these days I looked on search engines for what I needed. I came across Rated People and decided to post an ad, outlining the proposed work. The site has celebrity endorsements, so it must be okay, right?

My ad produced two replies from local tradesmen.  Tradesmen apparently pay a fee to quote and the fee stands irrespective of whether their bid turns out to be successful. The first chap called to say that he could do it. I should have realised what I was dealing with when he complained about paying a fee for quotes which often do not materialise into paid jobs. He also seemed to be available to do the work n any day I wanted. Whilst on the phone I heard a child cry in the background so perhaps I fell into the trap of people pleasing and I agreed a price with him to do the work. He referred me to his online reviews on Rated People and all looked in order.  He had 5 reviews from other apparent customers who had each awarded 5 star reviews (maximum number).  I did not check if he had his own website. I also did not invite him to my house to assess the work before he arrived on site to do the work.

On the day,  he texted me to remind him he turned up 20 minutes late.  No apology was offered.  He parked outside my house in a T reg Corsa. Now, please understand, I have nothing against Corsa drivers but as a painter and decorator I had envisaged someone turning up in a van, be it T reg or not. However, I left that concern aside as he inspected the work area (my kitchen).

In small chat, he said he didn't know where Wandsworth was.  Now, fair enough, if he was born and brought up outside the UK I would not have been too perturbed.  But this was a chap brought up in Bromley, another borough of London.  That began to raise my anxieties. He then  looked all concerned when I mentioned that the skirting boards should be the same colour as the walls.  His concern was not about the colour of the boards but the mere fact that he was being asked to paint the boards as well as internal cupboards.

I asked him if he was okay with the proposed work and he implied that I had added items to the list from the particulars on which he originally quoted. I was struggling to comprehend how the painting of skirting boards could be seen to be such a drama.

He brought in his dust sheets from his car but he didn't cover the wooden floor.  I should have insisted on this but he said that the paint was non staining and that all dust would be hoovered up (although not with his hoover but mine). He also did not have any duct tape and used the roll I had. Of course it is debatable if a good painter and decorator should need to use duct tape but regardless he used mine.

I was working upstairs in the study and left him to it. After about two hours he took his lunch break and sat singing out loud (literally) whilst he ate his sandwiches.  After about 20 minutes I heard an almighty crash.  It turned out that the recently skimmed ceiling was lying in 100 pieces on the (uncovered) floor.

What transpired was that he had not used a watered down emulsion for the first coat on a newly plastered surface. Was he totally to blame?  Had the plasterer originally used sufficient bonding before applying the skim? These were questions I needed to address when the calamity was before me.

My painter had no cleaning materials with him, not even white spirit. I kid you not, but he even used a scour pad to clean the paint from the wooden floor (see below). I could not have made it up, it became so comical.

I was left wondering how somebody could have achieved 5 top stars reviews from a website whereby reviews was the basis of their recommendations and business plan.

Okay, lessons to be learned when contracting a painter and decorator.

These points are probably very obvious to most prudent people but here are my lessons from trying to find a painter and decorator.


1. Undertake checks

Check out somebody before they arrive to quote. Have they got a website?  Have they got a business card? Have they any references that you can check? Do you know where they live? Indeed, have you received a written quote?

2. Meet them before you agree a price

Ask yourself can you work with this person. Watch and observe how they treat your home. Engage in small chat about how they work and what they do as this should inform your decision about taking them on.

3. Seek assurances

When discussing a price ask them in detail how they will do the job. Don't assume anything. It might seem obvious but a painter who deems it fit to not use a dust sheet on the floor of a painting area might not be the person you are seeking.

4. Risk assessment

Ask them what would happen if something goes wrong?  Have they got insurance? Will they do a runner? Remember you are inviting strangers into your home. A competent and professional tradesman will be only too happy to furnish appropriate documentation.

5. Cost

Realise that if its a cheap quote then its probably cheap for a reason. You don't need to pay the earth for a decent job but you need to pay above minimum rates in order to be satisfied with the work.

Resources:

Painters and Decorators Association
Guide to hiring a painter and decorator
Checking references
Pay on time
Checking trade references