Joey Zaokopny
TLDR: We paid thousands of dollars for work that looks like it was done by a high schooler. Given the lack of speed, care, and precision, we could have done this ourselves and been happier with the result.
Full review:
We hired this painter via referral to paint our entire house prior to move-in, on a very strict deadline. During the walkthrough, we were extremely clear about the scope. Builder-grade mirrors and closets would be removed, walls needed to be properly patched so we could start with a clean slate, and the entire house needed to be completed by December 26 so we could move in. He agreed to the scope and the timeline.
We were rushed into choosing paint colors due to the tight deadline, which would have been understandable if he had actually started when promised. He was supposed to begin Sunday, then changed plans last minute and started Monday instead.
The job was estimated at two days, three days max. In reality, he and his crew worked December 22 and 23 for only a few hours each day, then had to return on the 26th, 27th, and 29th. Because of these delays, we were forced to move our move-in date three separate times.
Even with all of those days, the job was never actually finished.
The patchwork is awful. Spackle was slapped on with little to no sanding or blending, and canned texture was used that does not match the existing walls at all. The patches are obvious from across the room and look rushed and careless.
Even putting the patchwork aside, the painting itself is poor. Lines are not clean or crisp. There are visible paint brush hairs embedded in the walls. There are multiple areas where the previous color shows through, and areas that were never fully painted. We had paint samples on the walls to help choose colors, and you can literally still see the letters we wrote on the wall to mark them. That would not be possible with two proper coats of paint.
There are also areas with obvious overpainting and sloppy cut-ins, particularly in places that seem less visible at first glance, such as door jambs and edges. These are the kinds of details a professional should take care with, and instead they look rushed and careless.
Prep work was also lacking. There is extensive overspray on our hardwood floors that we are still struggling to remove. Paint also got onto the ceiling in our entryway. When we pointed this out, we were told that painting that ceiling would cost an additional $200, even though it only needed attention because his crew got paint on it in the first place. After pushing back, they did ultimately fix that part at no additional cost.
Under normal circumstances, we would have required the painter to continue returning until the work met an acceptable standard. However, we were under a severe time crunch, had already delayed our move three times, and have a toddler who could not be in the house with paint fumes. It also became clear that he had no intention of finishing the job to any reasonable standard.
We paid thousands of dollars for this job. The agreed-upon scope was never completed to a reasonable standard, and when we raised concerns, no money was taken off because he claimed he had already sunk too much time into the project. He walked the job himself. If it was underbid or poorly planned, that is not the homeowner’s responsibility.
We have since had another painter come out, and it will cost over $1,000 just to fix the most bothersome issues, areas that we genuinely cannot live with as-is.
This painter does not stand by his work and does not deliver professional results. Proceed with extreme caution and look elsewhere.