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I am currently having my house painted, it's block with wood trim in Arizona. I chose a mid-priced painter to avoid low-ballers who only spray and don't care about a lasting finish. I confirmed with my painter that I wanted Dunn Edwards Evershield (I purchased the paint myself to ensure no cheap paint) sprayed on and then backrolled, and he agreed (both in person and via email). I chose high-end paint and a painter I thought would be detail-oriented and do a thorough job because not only do I want this to last, but I'm entering my home in a home show. He sent two painters who are spraying only and not backrolling. I called the guy and he now tells me backrolling isn't necessary - it's overkill according to him. His painters are getting paint all over my sidewalk, patio and driveway, they sprayed over my Craftsman rubber hose - which is fine, as long as he cleans it up and replaces the hose which he has agreed to do. But the house has tons of "nooks and crannies" in the block that are showing through because the paint is only sprayed, and there are even a few areas where the old color shows through! I have only paid the painter $120 thus far since I paid for the paint directly. Can some other pro painters tell me, is spraying and backrolling what should be done, if you don't want to go to the expense of rolling only? What should I do about my situation? The painter is currently out of paint and to spray again would mean at least another 5 gallons of paint at $187/5 gallons, I know he is going to be very hesitant to re-spray, and he certainly won't roll it. I don't want to be unreasonable in my request, but I am also not going to pay for a crappy job.
Tell him that the reason you chose him was because of his agreeing to spray and backroll for the agreed on price. If he can do the job, as promised then you'll have to look for a painter that will. Or renegotiate an much lower rate since it was not what you had requested.
Also, he would then be the cheapest painter considering that the others were bidding for spray and backroll. Give him one chance to repair it and have him come out himself or send other painters who are professional and care about their work and are respectful of your home.
If airless; the main thing is to get the recommended amount of paint on the surfaces. Over spray can be avoid by proper masking and shielding. Too often sprayers do not put enough paint on surface. Then of course prep is half the job in a good paint job.
My father worked as a professional house painter all of his life and I put in many years along side him. Some professional painters do the backroll and others do not. There are reasons for both that have to do with technique, ability, and quality of paint.
The only extra expense with backrolling is the man-hours required to do it. All it is is going over the sprayed paint with a roller. It is supposed to help insure an even coat but that coat could have been sprayed on evenly to begin with. And the roller can leave a few "oops" as well if not make the spray job even worse in the end.
If the current painters are allowing the old paint to show through in a few a spots that is because of poor spraying skill and not because spraying alone is an inferior technique without the aid of a backroll. If they cannot apply an even coat with the sprayer alone I doubt they would do a better job with the rollers.
For what it is worth you hired a mid-priced professional for reasons being that you believed they would not low-ball you because of their price. Even though many factors go into the estimate, they ultimately set the price, not you and if they did the job you need to pay them in full. You told them what paint to use (FWIW, in my opinion Sherwin Williams Duration is a better paint with a better warranty).
My father's business was in California. Out here on the East Coast few have heard of D. Edwards paint. That makes sense as this paint is mostly sold in the Southwest as it is formulated for that type of climate.
Unless you had a contractual agreement that the painter would backroll, there is really nothing you can do. He is responsible for touching up here and there and that cost should come out of his pocket. But in the end you should still pay him in full.
I am currently having my house painted, it's block with wood trim in Arizona.
I chose a mid-priced painter to avoid low-ballers who only spray and don't care about a lasting finish.
I confirmed with my painter that I wanted Dunn Edwards Evershield
(I purchased the paint myself to ensure no cheap paint)...
Folks, this is what happens when you go with the cheap guy. I'm willing to bet that the "painter" has no contractor license, workmans comp, etc. With overspray all over the place I can assure you that these are not pros. There is a time and a place for back rolling but not necesary in all applications. Good Painter, good prep, and good paint is the key.
Last edited by ready to roll; 04-15-2014 at 12:50 PM..
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