Pick #2
Any contractor who lets the home owner buy materials is suspect.
#3 is a red flag, throw that one out

It's normal for the estimatea for painting to vary that much. Some guys dont really know how much to charge or are paying their guys low wages. Really you got a bid from a guy that wants you to buy caulk? I don't understand either why a painter would let the customer buy paint but must be a new trend. You got 3 bids and none of them want to buy their own paint. I would keep looking.

Well, it's because painters know what they like to use, and usually they like to stick with their favorite brands to avoid surprises that may cost them extra money and/or callbacks. If a painter is saying that he doesn't care which paint gets used, to me that is a pretty huge red flag. Paint matters, and while it's true that we all may have our own opinions about which brands are best, each brand certainly has its cheap, better, best lines and it's those cheap lines that we all want to stay away from.

yeah, I don't understand that either.

Anyway, today I received another estimate of $2400 and he agreed to use superpaint from Sherwin Williams which is what I bought at 40% off. Since I am doing the whole house needed like 25 gallons of various types (celing,semigloss and eggshell). He said that even with 40% off- I paid too much. Benjamin moore, same paint type at contractor price would have been ~$28/gal vs $38 I paid for.

Do you guys think he is right? I can still return mine and let him buy since I don't know which BM paint would be equivalent to Sherwin williams, I can't tell.

thanks

The painter ( professional) will always get his or her own supplies for the reasons paintguy has given above. I personally never do any job where the home owner supplies the paint, been burned a couple times.
tweety, let the painter do his job,he SHOULD know the answer to your question, if not, keep looking

If your painter is paying $28 for a gallon of Benjamin Moore, that is likely the Super Spec line, middle grade. The good stuff (Regal and Regal Select) I pay between $38-$44 per gallon for washable. I don't really know how good Superpaint is (pretty sure it's their second best paint behind Duration Home) because I use Cashmere, so someone else will have to answer that part of your question.

I spec Super Paint a lot. Interior and Exterior. My opinion is it's a great value especially if you hit the sale.

It'd be awesome if everyone could afford Aura, Duration, Emerald tiers of paint for every project. But when you need 25 gallons in one shot, that's a chunk o'money all at once.

Options like Super Paint, Cashmere even Regal are a good fit for budgets w lil wiggle room.

fun, while I agree with you're post, I also believe that home owners need to get it in their heads that this last step, painting, is going to be what they see from now on and why get cheap now? Is is not that much more $ to get the best product out there

Absolutely agree with you Chris. Another way to work with a tight budget is to take a sharp pencil to actual paint price. In any brand there are "good, better and best" grades to choose from. It's just a matter of pennies per square foot difference for top tier paint.

I find that clients who are hiring pros will often choose top tier when they understand that it's just not that much more to go with the best grades.

But when there is "x" amount of money for a project, there is only "x" amount. Choosing a better can over a best one can be the difference between being able to paint or not.

Top tiers will also last and last but if someone knows they're only in the home for two, three, four years, again it can make more sense to choose better over best. And then are the serial painters who like to change colors every couple years. . . but that's another story for another day. ;)

ten four to that!