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- How it works
Four steps, in the same order every time
Walk-through and written quote, protect and prep, two full coats, then a walk-through with you before the invoice. You know what happens on which day before we start.
The four steps
Every job, from one feature wall to a whole exterior.
Walk-through and quote
We see the rooms, measure, talk colour, and send a written quote with every room and surface on its own line.
Protect and prep
Floors and furniture covered. Nail holes filled, cracks repaired, trim caulked, glossy surfaces sanded and primed.
Paint
Two full coats of Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams, cut in by hand. Ceilings first, then walls, then trim. Clean-up every evening.
Walk-through and touch-up
You look at every wall with us in daylight. Anything you point at is fixed before the final invoice.
Why prep is most of the job
Paint does not hide a wall, it shows it. A nail hole filled and sanded flat disappears under two coats; one skimmed over with a thumb shows as a dimple at every angle of light. So the first day of an interior job is mostly not painting: furniture moved and covered, floors sheeted, plates and hardware off, holes filled, cracks cut out and taped, trim caulked, glossy surfaces scuffed, stains and patches primed.
Outside, the same rule applies with more force. Washing, scraping, sanding and priming decide whether an exterior lasts [n] years or three. When to paint an exterior in Ontario covers the weather window.
Two full coats are not negotiable. One coat of a premium paint, however good, is a touch-up. The quote says two coats, names the product and the sheen for each surface, and the walk-through at the end is where you check it in daylight.
What every quote includes
A cheap painting quote leaves these out and adds them back later. Ours lists them from the start, so the number you sign is the number you pay.
- Furniture moved and coveredPlastic on everything that stays, drop sheets on every floorIncluded
- Holes filled, cracks repaired, sandedIncluding the ones behind the pictures you took downIncluded
- Trim caulked, primer where neededStains, patches and colour changes get a primer coat firstIncluded
- Two full coats, product namedBenjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams, line and sheen agreed for each surfaceIncluded
- Daily clean-up, final walk-throughPlates back on, furniture back, touch-ups before we invoiceIncluded
- [2-year] workmanship warranty, WSIB and insuranceCertificate sent the same day you ask for it [John confirms]Included
Questions about the process
What happens at the walk-through?
About thirty minutes at your home. We look at every surface you want painted, measure, note repairs, and talk colour and sheen. If you have colours in mind we bring the fan deck; if not, we leave large samples. The written quote follows within [48 hours].
Do I need to be home while you paint?
Not for most of the job. Many clients hand over a key or a lockbox code and come back to a finished room. We do ask that you are there for the first hour on day one and for the final walk-through.
Who is on the crew?
John Kotlar runs every job and is on site. The crew are Absolut's own painters, not day labour, and the same people stay on your job from start to finish. [John confirms crew details.]
What is the warranty?
A [2-year] written workmanship warranty covering peeling, blistering and flaking caused by application. Paint itself is covered by Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams. Damage from moisture, settling or wear is not covered, and we say so in writing. [John confirms the term.]
How do you handle changes mid-job?
A change becomes its own line on a revised quote before it is done, so there is never a surprise on the invoice. Adding a ceiling or a closet during the job is common and usually fits the schedule.
When do I pay?
No deposit until the start date is booked [confirm], and the balance after the final walk-through, once you have pointed at everything you want touched up and it is done. [John confirms payment terms.]