FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
It is quite difficult--often nearly impossible--to provide accurate pricing so long as any given property remains sight-unseen! Therefore, we always request & strongly prefer to meet with prospective clients in-person--giving us a chance thereby to become better acquainted, to provide our expert guidance/consultation assessing a project's unique needs, & to assure everyone a thoroughly-detailed, final quote for our professional services! That said, we try our very best (based upon the relevant information provided here on Thumbtack.com) to provide a close, ballpark "guesstimate" for their projects, based upon over 25 years' experience in the industry, having worked upon a wide variety of projects, from high-end, custom-built mansions to more mundane, multi-use commercial & industrial structures. Unless otherwise noted, we typically assume that (unless repainting in the same color) any quality repainting project will require TWO COATS of new finish paint (in addition to any requisite patching, sanding, priming, etc.). Our quotes always include all such necessary prep work, including removal & on-site storage of valuables, complete repairs of any & all minor imperfections in surfaces to be painted (ceilings, walls, woodwork/trim, etc.), thorough protection of furnishings, floorings, fixtures, & other areas--as well as detailed, thorough clean-up of all work areas (on a daily basis, as clients' needs require)!!! We exclusively use only top-quality products from the Benjamin Moore & Sherwin-Williams companies (both of which offer industry-leading warranties against material defects). Moreover, we happily offer all clients a written, four-year warranty on our craftsmanship! Excluding normal "wear & tear," we will return to your property to repair & repaint anything which does not meet our clients' complete satisfaction!
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
My own personal background in the painting trade--completing an apprenticeship in the International Union of Painters & Allied Trades--provided me with a solid foundation and expertise in the perhaps-surprising variety of knowledge required in the painting industry: OSHA safety procedures, legal & environmental requirements, finishing techniques used on wood, metal, plaster, drywall, wallcoverings, etc. As for Passport Painting, our craftsmen are presently preparing for licensure exams in MD, DC, and VA, while enrolling in coursework for EPA-mandated certification for contractors, ensuring that they know and use the industry's best practices for safety when working on older structures--which may be contaminated with lead-based paint. We will soon join the Painting & Decorating Contractors of America--a trade organization & professional association which offers a full range of training, certification, and business development assistance, so as to better serve OUR most valuable asset--our clientele!
- What types of customers have you worked with?
Interior and exterior residential repainting remains the bread-and-butter of our business, although we have also served a variety of commercial clients on both interior and exterior projects (e.g. offices, churches, and other types of buildings). Taking pride of ownership, I am always personally present on each and every job site, whether working alone or alongside my fellow craftsmen...