With hopes the following litany will save friends and neighbors in Mason and Thurston counties the frustrations, the delays, the promises broken, and ultimately, poor workmanship; I outline my experience with Montgomery Painting LLC.
I should have known better. I really should have known when David Montgomery was hours early for the initial meeting to see my house in Tumwater. This has always proved indicative of people that have no consideration of other people's time.
Another cross-county drive to meet David Montgomery and get a bid. His bid was several hundred dollars less than the other two, and most important at that time, he was able to start the following week. Both my friend and I thought David sounded competent and professional. This was the week of August 6, 2018. The contract was made. Pressure washing would begin Friday, August 18, with paint the following week.
We were wrong.
This house in Tumwater is rented to a great tenant. To ensure she was not inconvenienced, all correspondence and phone calls affecting scheduling were copied to her; dates and timing approved.
August 8, email: #1 -- Me to David -- paint colors and paint numbers.
August 27, email: #2 -- Pressure washing delayed to September 15 -- DELAY 1
September 16, email: #3 -- Me to David -- ? revised schedule? No show Montgomery Painting LLC, September 16 -- DELAY 2
Excuses for delays included, pressure wash guy on vacation, needing a deposit, then an email with statement attached -- bid price increased $900.00. (Later corrected)
September 28 email -- David to me -- washing next week. -- DELAY 3
September 30 email: -- David to me -- washing on the 5th (Oct).
Messages to/from David announcing delays for days that became weeks, and finally months totaled 47 emails.
Montgomery Painting LLC announced with a 4:00pm.phone call, that the painting was complete and payment in full was required. The front porch railing and pickets were unpainted, plastic screens were not installed, and even in the waning light, I could see holidays in the grey trim. That was October 10, 2018.
David Montgomery said the front railing and pickets was not included in the bid. (?) This was new to my experience. Both other two bids included the entire house.
This railing and pickets is neither a garden nor dog fence; it is along the stairs to and bordering the front door.
On October the 18th, I walked the job with my regular painter to get an estimate on finishing the front porch railing. He also pointed to multiple holidays on the base coat.
Estimate: Railing pressure wash, sand and paint: $1200.00. Actual cost was $1000.00
October 18, email -- Me to David -- "After 42 years in the industry you must recognize this as a rush job and far less than your best work". I asked for reimbursement for the required extra work to finish the job. After another month and many emails, he agreed to pay me half ($500.00).
Even with that, Montgomery Painting LLC was the most expensive of three bids with the longest start time. This has been the most frustrating, exasperating experience I have had with a contractor.
Am I still waiting for Montgomery Painting's promised reimbursement? read more