The Positive:…read more
Everyone I worked with--Nate (Sales Representative), Carolina (Project Manager), Mason (Operations Manager), and the painting crew--was friendly, professional, and punctual. Carolina, in particular, was excellent to work with and did a great job managing the project.
Overall, the crew did a good job with the painting and carpentry. There were a few workmanship issues with items on the work order, but those were addressed and corrected.
The Negative:
My first concern is that we were never informed during the initial walkthrough that the company uses subcontractors, nor could I find this disclosed on their website.
I understand many painting companies use subcontractors and have internal workmanship standards they expect them to follow. I don't have an issue with that business model, but I believe it should be communicated upfront so customers can factor it into their decision. In my experience, workmanship can vary significantly depending on the subcontracted crew. Other companies I've worked with have been transparent about this from the beginning.
My biggest disappointment was the caulking work. There was clearly some misalignment between Nate and me regarding expectations. During the initial walkthrough, I was told the existing caulking around the windows would be removed and replaced with a clean, smooth finish. Unfortunately, in approximately 4-5 areas (see pictures), I don't believe the finished product reflects what was communicated.
I understand caulking can be challenging, particularly where different pieces of wood meet or transition between levels. However, even to an untrained eye, some areas look sloppy and lack the professional finish I expected.
I reached out to a few contacts with the Bone Dry Roofing painting team for their opinions. Their feedback was that while it wasn't the worst caulking they'd seen, more time and attention could have made it significantly smoother. I'm certainly not a professional painter, which is exactly why I hired one.
I raised these concerns with Mason, but it became apparent we had different interpretations of what constitutes a "smooth" finish. Eventually, the conversation was no longer productive, so I decided not to pursue it further.
There were also two additional concerns.
First, some paint overspray was left on a window, which Mason and I both missed during the final walkthrough. It's minor and something I can remove myself, but I would have expected the crew to address it.
Second, I noticed a small hole in one of our gutters following the preparation/power-washing process, which is now causing a leak. I brought this to Carolina's attention and was told it would be sealed. However, during the final walkthrough, Mason stated that the water pressure used during their cleaning process wouldn't have been sufficient to cause the hole.
I can't definitively say what caused the damage, but the gutter is now leaking, and despite being told it would be sealed, the repair was never completed. I believe potential property damage identified during a project should be investigated and addressed rather than left unresolved.
Overall Assessment:
I'd rate the painting work a solid 7/10, while the caulking in the pictured areas would receive a 5/10.
Given the overall cost, I expected greater attention to detail and consistency. We selected Sherwin-Williams' top-tier paint and paid additional costs for wood replacement, which had been communicated as a possibility. I accepted those expenses because I wanted a professional job completed to a high standard.
While there were several positives, especially the professionalism and responsiveness of the people involved, the finished project didn't fully meet the expectations established during the sales process.
I don't expect perfection, but when investing this amount of money in professional painting, I expect workmanship that reflects the standards communicated upfront. Unfortunately, the caulking fell short of those expectations, and the unresolved gutter issue added to my disappointment.
