From Dora G.
Stricklin Paint
Warning to Homeowners: My Disappointing Wallpaper Installation Experience
Date of Review: June 2, 2025
Work Performed: Wallpaper installation in kitchen, April/May 2025
This review is to inform the public about my recent experience with Stricklin Paint. While I hired Ken for a kitchen wallpaper project, the work was consistently slow, the quality was subpar, and communication regarding issues was poor.
Slow Pace and Poor Work Ethic
The project, which involved wallpapering one kitchen, took an excessive week and a half to complete. This was due to the installer working only 1.5 to 2 hours per day, consistently underestimating the amount of wallpaper needed, and taking extended breaks by sitting in his car outside my home. This pattern continued even on the days he was only present for a short time, with the exception of the final day when the job was completed.
Subpar Workmanship and Unfulfilled Promises
I paid $450 for wallpaper removal that was not properly executed. Instead of full removal, he only tore down loose sections and then applied mud (compound) over the remaining wallpaper before attempting to apply new wallpaper. The mud was not spread evenly, resulting in an uneven base.
His lack of experience was evident throughout the job. He seemed unprepared for the refrigerator in the kitchen, questioning if it had been there since the house was built and expressing concerns about breaking the wheels and scratching the floor.
The finished work, while appearing acceptable at a quick glance, revealed significant flaws upon closer inspection. Crucially, he damaged the areas around my windows, where previous wallpaper had been installed by another company. He tore off the existing wallpaper , ripping the sheetrock in the process. He promised to fix this the next day but simply smeared compound unevenly around the window. I subsequently had to pay another professional $400 to repair the sheetrock and paint around these windows. Many of these problem areas were not immediately apparent to me due to impaired vision and were only pointed out by my daughter.
Lack of Follow-Up and Misleading Communication
Despite repeated attempts to contact him regarding these issues, there was no follow-up or attempt to rectify the problems. I sent text messages with my concerns and pictures on April 29, May 2, and May 13, all of which went unanswered. Only after I explicitly stated on May 21 that I would leave a negative review did he respond, claiming his texts weren't going through. However, his immediate response to the threat of a bad review suggests otherwise. If genuine, he could have easily called. As of June 2, 2025, he has made no further communication or attempt to fix the problems.
Inconsistent Payment Methods
His Thumbtack profile and invoice stated he accepted Zelle and checks. However, when it was time to pay, he claimed he didn't use Zelle and then stated he didn't take checks, saying the bank would charge him a fee to cash one. He pushed for Cash App, Venmo, or cash. Ultimately, I had to drive him to the bank so I could write a check for the $1300 payment.
