If I could, I'd give them ZERO STARS!!…read more
DO NOT HIRE THIS COMPANY (CertaPro Painters of Asheville and Western NC) if you want a professional job done. It was the WORST PAINT JOB AND WORST EXPERIENCE I've ever had.
CertaPro's contractor made a complete MESS of the outside of my house. They left it splotchy and there are still spots that are missing paint. They destroyed 4 light fixtures and painted over 2 doorbells that no longer work (I was reimbursed for these). NOT A PROFESSIONAL JOB! For specifics, read below.
When I hired CertaPro, I didn't realize they subcontracted out the work. I assumed they had people that worked directly for them. Not so.
On painting day, I got a call at 9 am that the painter was at Sherwin Williams and the color I picked was interior only. So, I drove down and found a that would work. While there, I was told the paint CertaPro was going to use was 4-steps down from the best.
I called CertaPro and told them I wanted the good paint instead, which I realized would cost more. The salesman was with a client, so I got a call back later about how much more it would cost. It was now 11:45 am.
I'd been told the painter was on standby and ready to pick up the paint once my decision was made. HOWEVER, it was 2 1/2 hours before they showed up at my house (20 minutes from store). It was now after 2 pm.
I had requested 2 coats of paint and discussed this with Marvin, the owner of the subcontract firm. He said he sprayed on both coats at once. I should have asked him to leave at that point.
Coats of paint are supposed to be sprayed on separately! I told him I was worried about him doing both at once, but he assured me it would come out great. Unfortunately, it DID NOT!
I had drip spots, weird textured sections, and bugs stuck in the paint all over the house because the paint didn't dry fast enough; he missed some places completely and sprayed others only once. There was overspray on my foundation, white moldings, and fixtures, and paint drips all over my two porches. It was an ABSOLUTE MESS!
Marvin said they would be back the next day to do some final work. However, he did not come. He sent two workers that only spoke Spanish, and I only speak English. I was already upset about the mess, but when I couldn't communicate with them, I called CertaPro.
The office manager, April, was the only good thing about this entire transaction. She was empathetic, patient, and calm. She said she'd get in touch with Marvin and the salesman, and make sure they came up to the house. I really wanted the owner, Mara, to come, but she was not available.
They showed up a while later and instead of Marvin apologizing, he just said they would fix it. Even though the salesman (who also did not apologize) agreed there were problems and that the paint should have been sprayed on in two parts, he said the standard is if a paint job looks fine from 6 feet away, it is acceptable. I DISAGREE!
After 3 days of dealing with a crew that only spoke Spanish, and having to point out all the things they kept missing, they left. A customer SHOULD NEVER have to supervise a contractor's crew, nor show them what they missed!
The owner of CertaPro finally called me nearly a week later, on speaker phone from her car, with her child yelling in the background. She also did not apologize! She just asked what it was I wanted. Instead of telling her I wanted the house completely redone, which I should have done, I just said that I wanted all the overspray and paint on my porches cleaned up, and things that had not yet been fixed, fixed.
Marvin and the salesman showed up the next workday and left shortly after, AGAIN leaving me with the crew that only spoke Spanish! This whole process was INSANE.
The painter AND the owner clearly don't care that a job is done well - just that it's done and over with. SHAMEFUL!
To top it off, I was painting the foundation this week and looked up. I guess I should have sat on the ground before I sent them packing, because there are SO many missed spots that I will now have to paint myself.
