Things people ask

Because a number without seeing the room is a guess, and a guess costs one of us. Prep is close to half of most jobs, and no price list can see it. The walkthrough is free; the quote is the real number.

Yes. No fee, no obligation, no follow-up calls. If the number or the timing doesn’t work, say so and that’s the end of it.

Usually the same day; I answer between coats and in the evening. After the walkthrough, the written quote comes within one business day.

For small jobs, often yes: a couple of phone photos and the rough size of the room. Whole floors, exteriors and cabinets I need to see in person, because the prep sets the price.

Not on its own. Ontario consumer law says a final bill can’t go more than ten per cent over a written estimate unless you agree to new work or a new price. If you add something, I write the change down and you approve it first.

I do. When a job needs a second set of hands, I bring in someone I’ve worked with before, and I’m still on site running it.

Whatever the surface needs before paint will stick: filling holes and cracks, sanding, caulking gaps at the trim, washing, priming bare or patched spots. It’s the slow part nobody sees when it’s done right, and it’s listed on your quote.

Drop sheets on the floors, plastic over what stays in the room, tape on everything that isn’t getting paint. I clean up every evening, not just on the last day.

Your quote carries a start date and the number of days I expect to be there. A single room is usually a day or two; whole floors, exteriors and cabinets take longer.

Yes, most people do. I work room by room so the rest of the house stays yours, and each day I’ll tell you what’s wet and when you can move things back.

Most interior wall paint I use is low-odour, low-VOC latex; I can use a zero-VOC line if anyone in the house is sensitive. With a window cracked, the smell is usually gone by the next day.

Quality lines from the major brands, chosen for the surface: one product for walls, a harder one for trim and doors, another for cabinets. Brand, line and sheen are written on your quote; if you have a preference, say so.

Flat hides bumps and suits ceilings. Eggshell or satin wipes clean and is the usual choice for living areas and halls; semi-gloss for trim, doors and bathrooms. I’ll suggest one per surface and put it on the quote.

Yes. I’ll tell you what works in the light your rooms get and what I’ve seen go wrong, and I can put sample patches on the wall before you commit. The choice is yours.

A modest deposit holds your dates; the balance is due when the job is done and you’ve walked through it with me. E-transfer, cheque or cash. You get a written invoice that matches the quote line for line.

Yes, and a certificate of insurance is yours on request. Landlords and businesses who need WSIB paperwork: ask, and I’ll tell you exactly where I stand.

Call me. Touch-ups from the final walkthrough are part of the job, and if my work peels or fails afterwards I come back and fix it; the term is on your quote in plain English.

Yes. I leave the leftovers with you, labelled with the colour name and sheen, so a scuff two years from now is a five-minute fix. Store it somewhere that doesn’t freeze.

That’s the “Plus”: drywall patches, caulking, a loose piece of trim, a door that doesn’t close. If I’m already in your home I’ll usually take care of it; ask when I quote. Painting is the trade; the repairs are a courtesy for painting customers.