Information is out there everywhere you look! We all absorb information differently. Videos are just one way out of many that we can learn about a product or service we are interested in. While it sometimes feels quicker to simply read over written reviews; there is just an authenticity with video reviews that makes them stand out! Let’s talk about why!
The Five Senses
Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes…. Wait….That isn’t right… And many reviews you read over don’t seem right either! How many times do you come across a 5 star review just raving about something that everyone else seems to hate? (It’s not a conspiracy..people do get paid to do this… ) And how often do you notice that many of the 5 star reviews listed beneath the product you are considering are not even about That product?!? How many times have you ordered 2 sizes up (based on many reviews that the item runs small) only to receive an item 8 times too large? It is safe to say that we as humans have learned to take written reviews with a grain of salt. And Pepper.
Sight
When you watch a video review, you are not just reading words on a screen and wondering who wrote them. You are usually seeing real people reviewing a real product that is most likely visible in the video. Their expressions are visible while they speak and you can tell if they are actually happy with their product or service. It’s true that some people are good actors, but our eyes are good at picking up on that when we really look! Take this review for example- we just love the body language!
Hearing
Hearing real people talk about their experience adds an element of relatability. Our ears also have the capacity to pick up genuine tones and fakeness. When we are able to hear what people are saying, and how they say it; it is easy for our brains to decide if they really believe it or not. It’s true that some people are good liars…but our ears are good at picking up on that when we really listen! Especially when we can Also watch them 😉
Here is a good one you can listen to (especially since some of the visual cues are limited 😅 )
Smell, Touch, Taste
Eyes and Ears and Mouth and Nose….errr Technology is not quite so advanced yet that we can smell or touch or taste a product through a screen. 😉 But being able to see and hear about something at the same time does help our brain to fill in the gaps. There are less gaps to fill when we watch a video review than when we simply read a review. This is why a commercial showing a juicy cheeseburger covered in cheese makes us think we can almost taste it! When you read those words, you may have pictured it…but when you watch it, you get to skip a step!
As you can see, there are several things about video reviews that help others learn about our services in a meaningful way! If we have the opportunity to work for you, your feedback is very valuable to us. We appreciate your willingness to be vulnerable for a minute to share your authentic experience with others! Hopefully at the very least, you have a song stuck in your head for the day! Thank you for taking the time to read about video reviews and why they matter!
Click here if you would like to book an estimate with Sir Paints A Lot! Thank You!
The initial feeling of excitement when you decide to have your house painted is a rush for sure! Buuuuut it can wear off quickly. You begin to realize how many things need to be done between the moment you decide to paint and the moment the painting is completed. Fantasizing all the different color options is only one task on the list, and not the first! So first things first! You need to decide WHO will be handling your paint work for you. Step 1 is a huge decision! It will impact the whole process, so here are some helpful things to consider when you choose your contractor!
Most of us take the time to look at online reputation before we call for an estimate in the first place… but is that enough? The crucial question is “Which business page has the most Facebook likes?!?” Winner! Done! 😉 Kidding… If only it were that simple! While you can put some weight into the way a business interacts with the social community; it is much more important to see if they have actual references and reviews about the experience they provide to their customers. If they do not have online reviews; can they give you references in another format?
Even a well liked business with lots of good reviews can be irresponsible though… And just because something bad hasn’t happened yet doesn’t necessarily mean they are prepared for it. Make sure the contractor you want to hire has a good business insurance policy and worker’s comp for all employees. If the contractor you want to hire uses sub-contractors; make sure they have these things too! A contractor whose stability is based off of more than social perception is critical!
Experience and Service
When we think of “experience”, we tend to just think of “how long” the contractor has been in business for. That is not the best way to look at it. Someone could be running a painting business for 50 years and only paint one house a month. On the flip side: Another contractor could be 5 years into their business, but have experience running 4 jobs a week. While you want to be sure that your contractor knows what they are doing, it is also important to ask about the “experience” they offer.
Does the contractor provide a clear outline for the services they will provide for you? Do they have a warranty on their work or materials? To find out how to spot a good warranty; click here! Is their communication with you going to make you confident that you are a part of the plan? Or will you be left in the dark, hoping they don’t finally show up for the project when you’re in the bathroom. 😉 (A personal fear of mine haha!) The quality of your experience depends greatly on the quality of your contractor’s service and communication.
Follow Up
It is pretty common in the trades for a contractor to come and go as they please. Everything happens on their time, with very short notice for you, in most cases. This can leave you under-prepared for the conversations you want to have with them, and frustrated with poor communication. They can leave just as quickly as they came and not really care either way whether you are satisfied with the service you paid for or not. The final bill can be hugely different from the quote you received, and you can’t expect communication to improve at this point.
Now not all contractors behave this way! But you definitely want to have a conversation with your contractor about what you can expect during the process; from the first estimate to the final bill.
Click Here for our handy list: 17 Critical Questions for Your Contractor!
Thank you for your time! To schedule an estimate with Sir Paints A Lot, click here! Have an Amazing Day!
Interior Painting Season has officially arrived in the PNW! Getting a fresh application of paint is always exciting; both for the crisp clean feel and for the change of color! You’ve had your home measured and you’ve signed the estimate! What happens next?!? Here are 5 things you can do to make your paint project go as smoothly as possible!
interior painting
1. Respond to Calls and Emails from your Painter
In many cases; your painter will have a calendar that they will want to schedule you into as soon as possible. The better you are at keeping in communication with them; the more quickly you can move through the interior painting process! If you work with Sir Paints A Lot, one of the first things you will need to schedule (if you want it) is your color consult! Making the time to have one of our color specialists come out and help you choose a color scheme can really help you feel confident and happy with the paint you choose! Also: the sooner your painter knows which colors you are using, the sooner they can order paint and get your project started! If you’re curious about the color consult; check out this blog: Pros and Cons of a Color Consult!
2. Mark Your Calendar!
Once you get the estimated date for your interior painting project, Mark Your Calendar! Paint companies do their best to keep in contact with you to let you know whether they are on schedule for your project or if they are ahead or behind. It is important that you also keep track of when your project is supposed to happen so that you don’t plan other events too close to the time of your job. Allow a little wiggle room before making plans to host a family dinner, for example, so that you do not end up disappointed if the painters run into a little setback. Even though the date may not be “exact”, keeping track of it will help you be more prepared.
Keeping track of your appointment time also prevents most complications where you would end up needing to reschedule. Not only does last minute rescheduling ruin other customer’s plans and schedules; but you also may end up having to wait longer than you expected, depending on how busy your painter is. No fun 🙁
3. Make Plans for Pets
Once you have a good idea of when your paint project will happen; make plans to keep your pets out of the area that will be painted. If your whole house will need painted and your pet cannot stay outside; ask a friend to help watch them or find an animal kennel you can bring them to. We have heard great things about Willamette Valley Dog and Cat Motel! No matter how friendly your pet is; paint is one thing you don’t want them getting into! The painters cannot be efficient at getting their work done if they are trying to keep your pets out of the paint. Or worse; cleaning up paint messes of cute paw prints tracked all over your floor! 😉
4. Remove Knick-Knacks and Pictures
You will want to remove all the pictures from your walls and any shelving or knick-knacks from the room. We also suggest removing rugs, TV’s and other electronics as well. Large furniture should be moved to the center of the room. The painter will cover it with plastic and drop cloths. You do not want to pile all of your things into a mountain in the middle of the room. Bring your things somewhere safe and make your walls ready for paint! You also need to remove clothes and other items from closets that need painted. You can expect painters to move large items for you like refrigerators, washers, dryers, couches etc… But please remove all your other belongings before the painters arrive!
5. Go Enjoy A Vacation!
Not to be rude— Painters love to chat with customers and get to know you! If you only are having one or two rooms painted and you don’t need to be in them all the time; that’s different! We would love for you to stick around and tell us about your life and your adventures!
But!I If you have scheduled a full interior painting project, join me on this imaginary journey…
The painters have been in your house all day and you just return home from work.
You’re feeling like you need a snack so you try to get into your masked off freezer for some pizza rolls. You glance at your oven and see it is also covered in plastic. A moment of irritation passes… You decide to leave and get some food somewhere else. Your fingers peel at tape so you can make your way through the doorway of plastic.
You return with your food. The daylight has faded away and you need to turn on the light. The switch is covered in paper. The light is dim and covered in plastic. The drive-through forgot to give you a fork…You complete the obstacle course of getting into your silverware drawer.
Now you want to relax and watch some TV. Then you remember that your TV is in another room covered in a drop cloth and so is your couch. You decide to go to bed. If you are lucky; that won’t be covered yet… You stare into the hazy paint dust and wonder what you are doing here….
That was enjoyable right?! 😉
Your house is not the place you want to be when you are having interior painting done! Trust us! Once your appointment time is confirmed; make plans to go anywhere but home! Stay at the coast or in a fun air-bnb or even just a hotel or friend’s house for the duration of your project! Almost everyone loves coming home after a getaway! Imagine how much fun coming home will be after a fresh paint job!
Keeping these steps in mind will make your interior painting experience much more pleasant! Don’t stress! Just remember to stay in contact with your painter so that you get updates regarding your project. Put your possessions somewhere safe and out of the way, and plan a fun getaway for yourselves and your pets! 😉
Thank you for taking the time to read this to be prepared for your upcoming interior painting project! If you have not scheduled with us yet and would like an estimate, click here, or call 541 600 2025! Have an Awesome Day!
When it comes time to paint our home’s interior; the first decision we have to make is whether to hire a professional house painter or just do it ourselves. For some of us it is an easy choice! But if you fall into the “others of us” category….keep reading! There are pros and cons to both- so let’s jump into it!
Price Point: Doing the work yourself will cost less money. Usually this is still the case even if you have to buy a ladder or tools!
Your Time: You can do the work on your schedule, whenever it is convenient for you. No rush. No strangers in your house!
End Result: You can be as picky as you want to be! The job is not done until you say it is done! 😉
You Da Boss: You’re in charge of everything: surface prep, masking, paint selection, material costs, you name it! You want to skip a step? No one can stop you!!! Muahaha!
Cons
Price Point: Doing the work yourself will cost more time. Which currency is more important to you? Time or Money?
Your Time: Youwill spend more time on this project than a professional will, due to lack of experience and efficient tools.
End Result: Moooost of the time the end result is not going to be as nice as it would be if a professional were to paint for you.
You Da Boss: It can be a lot to make sense of: which materials, how much material, and where to even begin! Don’t forget to give yourself a good warranty! …wait! 😉
While the painting itself might be totally up your alley; a lot of other work goes into an interior painting project that often gets overlooked… at first… Things like moving or covering furniture, masking or removing light fixtures, sanding and cleaning trim…. Knowing which materials are going to work best for you is a whole other pile of research you will need to do if you don’t want to waste money on things you don’t need. However, some people really enjoy this process and love the sense accomplishment and capability at the end! And then there are the “others of us” again…. hahah Just keep reading if that is you!
Interior Painting by Professional
Pros
Efficiency: Professionals have a system they follow day to day. They will get a lot of work done in a short amount of time.
Knowledge: They already know which methods and products will work best for reaching your project goals.
Experience: Skills improve with consistency! You get good at painting in a straight line when you do it every day!
Tools: Ladders, Paint Sprayers, Hand Maskers, Extension Poles, Vacuum Sanders, Drop Cloths…. They have what they need to do the job right. This is Especially beneficial if your home has tall walls and ceilings or other challenging obstacles.
Warranty: Most professionals have a warranty on their work, and if something goes wrong they will take care of it- sometimes for years!
End Result: Crisp and Clean! (disclaimer: it DOES matter WHO you hire – if you’d like some tips about that click here!)
Cons
Price Point: It will cost you some dollars. You could probably try and fail to paint your own house a couple times before it cost the same amount of money.
Personal Space: You will have painters and plastic all up in your face and in your doorways. You might not have doorknobs. This doesn’t have to be a con though… Its an excellent time for a vacation!!! Or fun conversations with painters!
You Da Boss… with limitations: You and the contractor will put together a plan based on what your goals are. You still get to make decisions but there is a point at which you can no longer change your mind “for free”. They have a schedule to stick to; and as much as they will try to accommodate you, they have already made and agreed upon plans with other customers too. If you have big changes or additions, they might have to be scheduled at a separate time.
When you hire a professional to do your painting, there are a lot less things you have to figure out alone! Some professionals will even send out a color consultant to help you choose your paint colors. They have everything they need to come in and do the job efficiently and effectively. They have insurance in case anything Were to happen (idk about you but I (the wife) am much more likely to spill paint on the floor than my husband, the painter 😉 ).
Either choice can be a good one depending on what your goals are and who You are. If you have a particularly challenging job with damaged walls or peeling paint or some other obstacle that makes it so you can’t just roll it out; give us a call at 541-600-2025. We would love to come out and give you an estimate so you can make the decision that is best for you! If you’d like to book an estimate with us online- click here!
They really should call it a color Prosult because there are a lot more Pros than Cons…despite “cons” being right there in the word itself 😉 . Advanced English aside… What even is a Color Consult? The definition of consult is “to seek information or advice from some with expertise in a given area”. A color consultant is someone with expertise in color and design. For many of us, choosing the color for our home is a big decision. We only want to pay for that decision once, so we really want to get it right the first time. A color consult can help you consider things that maybe you hadn’t thought of to make sure you’ll be happy with your choice! So let’s jump into some of those!
Pros of Color Consult
1. Color Consults Help Us Understand Color
Color may not seem that difficult to understand…But in fact, colors are perceived differently based on other colors around them. Its all fun and dandy to flip through the paint swatches and snatch out the colors you like best..but will they look that way in your space? A color consultant will be able to tell you! They will know if the color of your cabinets or your roof (or something else in your space) will make your chosen color appear warmer or cooler in contrast. And they will have alternative suggestions based on what you like that might just fit your space better! Its easy to say “Just pick the color you like!”. But there are a lot of variables that might make the color you like on the swatch appear as a color you don’t actually like. They will show you!
2. Color Consults Remind Us To Consider Light
Again; this seems like something the average person can understand also… But most of the time we forget to take it into consideration at all beyond simple things like “This room feels dark so I want to paint it a brighter color”. The particular kind of light is another thing that will affect the color we choose! Soft light casts a subtle warm hue over the room, and bright light casts a sharper cool hue over the room. Daylight is another factor to consider. Paint colors look very different with direct sunlight on them, especially with certain sheens! A color consultant will take all of this into account to help you meet your color goals. A color that doesn’t even stand out to you in the paint swatch book might be the color that will get you the look you are trying to achieve!
3. Samples and Examples
A color consultant often has larger paint swatches to hold up in your space. This helps to give you a better idea of how a color will actually appear. Sometimes they even will do a limited amount of paint samples. This allows you to see a large section of wall with the color you are considering. They have experience with many other customers and the specific paint they are consulting with you about. They can also show you real examples of how a paint color looked in a certain environment.
4. Timeless or Trendy
Many of us don’t actually want to choose our favorite color at all. We just want a color that’s going to live its life to the max and work well with changing decor. Color consultants can usually tell if that trendy color you saw on pinterest is going to stick around a couple more years or not. They also know by experience which colors get chosen over and over and are well loved by their choosers. During a color consult, they will find out what you, specifically, are hoping for as a result, and help you get there.
5. Personality
Another thing a color consultant is very aware of is your personality! Ultimately, they want YOU to be happy with your choice so they’re going to be paying attention to whether you are bold or reserved, creative or simplistic, extravagant or minimalist 😉 . If they know you want to sell the house, they might talk you down from your extravagance a little towards something that might fit most buyers. You might say that you wanted to make your color scheme more exciting even though you’re scared of everything that isn’t white. You name it- they have an idea and advice for you! They’ll help you choose a color and feel confident with it!
Cons of Color Consult
1. You Don’t Agree
This really isn’t a real problem because ultimately you get to choose the colors for your home. Sometimes we can hear all the logic and we still want the color we wanted. Except now we know that the expert doesn’t think it will work well. 🙁 I’ve been there.
I learned during my color consult that the name of a color could be enough to turn me off to it…which is ridiculous! I was attracted to names like “Rock Garden” and “Succulent” and “Sea Serpent“… But after painting samples and realizing they were way more intense than I actually wanted… I ended up with colors named “Filmy Green” (ew?) and “Pewter Green” and “Black Emerald“…(just want to state that these are not all in the same area!) I genuinely did like the colors of the ones with pretty names… buuut they were not the right fit at all for the look I actually wanted. And I like to think I understand color pretty well!
The point is- even if you don’t like everything you hear during the color consult, and they don’t give you a suggestion you actually like… Chances are you still learned something that will help you out moving forward! At Sir Paints A Lot- you literally have NOTHING to lose! We include a color consult in your project with us! If that sounds as cool to you as it does to me…why don’t you go ahead and book an estimate with us by clicking here! 🙂
Oh I wonder, wonder What’s in a warranty! Who knows what surprises a warranty can hide! Yummy nestle chocolate with candy shapes inside!… Wait that’s a wonderball…. 😉 If you don’t remember wonderballs- just ignore this part. In all seriousness though, sometimes the warranty we pay for with our paint job can be full of surprises too! I’m here to show you what to look for before you sign that contract… Not all warranties are created equal and a good one can add significant value to your paint job. Let’s go over the two main types of warranties you will see.
Manufacturer’s Warranty
Many paint contractors will not have their own warranty. Instead, they will just advertise the 12-15 (ish) year warranty on the paint itself that comes from the paint manufacturer. This only means that if the paint on your house fails within that time period (for a reason that can be clearly defined as an issue with the paint itself and not the application, weather, etc… )that the cost of new paint will be covered. This does not mean the cost of labor to repaint the house will be covered. Different paint manufacturers have different lengths on their warranties, but for the most part, they aren’t adding any Real value to your paint job.
Lazy Contractor’s Warranty
You might also see this manufacturer’s warranty being used as a selling point by the contractor. They just slap their name on the manufacturer’s paperwork instead… Here is what to look for when you see something resembling “12-15 year warranty” from a contractor.
Does it say anywhere that it covers workmanship?
If it does cover workmanship, how long exactly? (Surprise! Probably not 15 years!)
Does it define what is a defect?
Does it have exclusions? What are they?
Are there extra stipulations? ex: proof of maintenance like pressure washing to remove mildew and residue OR specific paint that must be used etc…
Most of the time, contractors who offer an unclear warranty for an absurd length of time (such as 12-15 years along with the paint) will not have any of the detail above, and likely will not honor anything if they failed to word it well. After this much time has passed it is easy to say that the paint failure is not due to workmanship or product defect… so there is no real value added. 15 years of nothing! What a Deal!
Contractor’s Warranty
There are many contractors who take the time to put together a comprehensive warranty that adds real value. Usually, they will have different warranties for interiors than exteriors (as is only logical), and the duration of time will be much more reasonable. A 5 year warranty for an exterior paint job is very reasonable, but 15 years is just unrealistic. On an opposite note; sometimes a 1 year warranty gets some glory but in truth, it hardly allows for anything to need warrantied.
Some contractors will be basic and only cover defects in their workmanship, while others will cover scratches from your pets and normal wear and tear. These details make all the difference. The more that is offered that is within reasonable bounds, the better the warranty! To further explain that; things that would be unreasonable for a contractor to cover would be things like fires and hail and more intensive things that your home insurance should cover. If the painter offers Too much, it is probably too good to be true.
Basic Warranty vs Premium Warranty
The way to tell if you’re getting a run of the mill, mostly useless warranty vs a comprehensive and quality warranty is by looking for these details:
Will they touch up paint damages that were not their fault?
Is the duration of time covered reasonable?
Are their exclusions fair?
Are their requirements logical?
Is there any evidence that they honor this warranty?
Words are just words with no action! Here at Sir Paints A Lot; we take the extra steps to ensure you have a quality experience! Our exterior work is warrantied for 5 years and that includes 1 hour of touch-up each year. We contact you in the spring to schedule your touch-up work! We will do this for all 5 years so long as you can prove with a receipt that you’ve hired a contractor to pressure-wash mildew and debris off of your house once annually! (A good warranty should have some clear stipulations!)
Check out this quick video from just a tiny portion of last year’s paint touch-ups!
Warranty Touch Up!
Maintenance is the best defense to paint failure! This is why we also offer our Premium Home Care Package!
Premium Home Care Package
Sir Paints A Lot Premium Home Care Package extends exterior warranty to 9 years!
Hopefully now you know what to look for in a painter’s warranty and you don’t run into any unfortunate surprises down the road!
To schedule a paint estimate with Sir Paints A Lot, click HERE! Thank You! Have an Awesome Day! I’m going to go see if they still sell wonderballs…. 😉
