Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
ailene54

How do I tell painter I see where he primed, and didn't add paint

Ilene Perl
12 years ago

Hi, I hired a GC to update on my kitchen. He measured, and installed new cabinet doors, painted oak boxes the same color. (did other work: including electrical, plumming, and carpentry). He is returning tomorrow to finish and get full payment. When painting my cabinets he added color to the primer and asked me (several times) if he could only do one coat of paint on cabinets, since it was going to be color,color, and more color. I asked here, and told him I wanted two coats. Over the weekend while linning my cabinets, I realized most inside frames were primed only, no paint, the difference can be felt and seen by the wood bleeding thru. On the bottom of boxes, which can be seen when sitting at my table some weren't painted, all weren't painted to edge furtheset from the wall, and sometimes to back side. I realize he has been "double dipping" me on several items. An example, I pay/paid for items purchased. He purshased 3 pakages of under counter lighting, each had 3 fixtures. When a defective bulb blew, he said he was going to have to buy bulbs, I suggested him to take bulb out of fixture I wasn't using, he had to go to his truck to get it. He put little gummy stops on top of my cabinet doors, I asked him for the extras, since I wanted to put 2 on each door and some onto drawers, he said how "he didn't pay for them and they were given to him when he picked up the doors." I am not stupid, they were given to him to put on my doors, but I'm afraid to start with him even though I will have to purchase more to place of bottom of doors and on drawers. My question is how to approach him? I was going say that I "thought he may have forgotten", but the more I look it is just to much to forget. On one cabinet he did the the bottom and left inside frame but left the right side and top with primer. It's obvious it was done on purpose. What ever he thought I would notice was painted, the rest was primed only. The cabinet above the refrigerator he didn't want to paint, I explained when I move the refrigerator to clean it would look horrible, and asked him to paint it, I want my kitchen to have a "finished look", that cabinet bottom was only primed. My doors have hidden hindges, does he need to remove all doors to paint the inside frame the proper way? I think when I point this out he will want to paint the frames with the doors on, but I realize the door hindges are going into the frame so a small area of the frame will not be able to be painted properly. Should I try to get another painter to finish the job the proper way, do I have to give him a chance to correct his work? Thanks in advance for your suggestions and help.

Comments (3)

  • oopsie913
    12 years ago

    i WOULD ABSOLUTELY TALK TO HIM. small businessmen need their references to help them get work. I would never pay him if he didnt finish the job. do not pay him. You are the boss, not him... I know its uncomfortable, but you need to get what you paid for. If you pay him he will never return to finish it. I would simply say, 'you need to finish the painting, which i noticed you did not when I went to line my cabinets" dont get taken. is there anything in writing on his estimate? if you are uncomfortable then just dont pay him so you arent screwed over completely.I say Give him a chance to get his money but not unless he finishes the job. Do you have a husband to do the dirty work for you if youre not comfortable, or a good friend? If you get another painter, certainly do NOT pay this guy

  • Ilene Perl
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Oopsie, I plan on talking to him. Because I have seen his temper I'm afraid of what he may do, not sure why? When he let me know that the wood grain was going to show thru in the front of the cabinets, said how that wasn't included in the sanding and spackling, I agreed to give him 200 extra, even though DH and I knew it was included, wanted it done right. When he let me know his estimate for painting skylight, sofit and walls didn't include ceiling, he thought it was going to be another extra. Who would expect a job with (new lighting,under counter lighting, granite counertops, carpentry, crown molding, floor, added pull outs, new appliences)not to have ceiling painted? At this point I just want to pay him for what he has done and get him out of my house. If I have to stay home with him while he paints the inside frame with 2 coats of paint, I will sit in the kitchen and watch. Is there anyway of me telling if he did the agreed on 2 coats of paint on the front part of my cabinets? Since he told me several times it wasn't necessary to give 2 coats of paint, I feel he didn't do it,even though he said he did, obviously I don't trust him any more. When he paints the frames he will have to cover my granite, and will also have to take the doors off (inside hindges), do I tell him this, or assume he will do this the proper way? I'm afraid the quality of this work won't be the same, which is why I ageed to the price he gave me. My mistake was looking at his own house as an example of his work, in my home he cut as many corners as he could, in his own home he cut no corners. He has also told me several times that for the "money I paid him and for my doors I could have had a new kitchen", till I asked him never to say that again. He has made other comments, which have done what they are suppose to do, shut me up and get me out of the kitchen!
    Thanks in advance for your help.

  • jenva2010
    12 years ago

    Sometimes it's best to cut your losses and hire someone else. However, only you can tell when you've reached this point -- I'm not advocating either way.

    If you decide to talk to him, I would word it as noticing a few spots he forgot. Even though you know he didn't really forget, it allows him to save face and pretend it was an oversight (hopefully he will then avoid getting defensive and belligerent).

    Personally, I would just cover the granite myself. You can't trust the guy to do things the right way, and it's not like it will take you a lot of effort to cover it yourself.

    Good luck!

Sponsored
Sport Court of Washington, DC
Average rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars20 Reviews
Award-Winning Sport Court Specialist, Serving Virginia for 30+ Years