20 Years of Service - Trust - Honesty
Precision Paint & Tile™
138 - 37th Street
Union City, NJ 07087
SERVING ALL AREAS OF NEW YORK CITY
MIDTOWN, UPPER EAST & WEST SIDE, MARBLE HILL, KIPS BAY MURRAY HILL, LENOX HILL, CHELSEA, GREENWICH VILLAGE WALL STREET LOWER MANHATTAN SOHO BROOKLYN QUEENS
DESIGN CONSULTATION PROVIDED
PAINTING - TILES - KITCHEN & BATHROOM RENOVATIONS - INTERIOR RENOVATIONS
Jim Lamm-646-298-5802
Please Call - Use the email- or the Estimate Form at the top of the page.
Better Business Bureau Certification A+
Interview
From A Contractor's
Point Of View
Question:
If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?
Answer:
As a renovation or construction customer, I am interested in quality results and value, and as little disruption as possible. I believe that the greatest misunderstandings in a renovation project come about due to insufficient planning, and insufficient understanding of the process of a renovation, and how long certain types of work take, particularly to do high quality, professional, finished work. Be realistic when approaching a renovation project.
While a good contractor makes every effort to minimize this, a renovation is going to be disruptive, and occasionally costs that cannot be predicted will occur, especially in older apartments where buildings have settled and walls and floor have gone off square or shifted. These conditions can often present challenges and additional costs if not carefully thought out and planned for. Your contractor is also responsible for abiding by the building rules, keeping the halls and public areas clean, not unduly disrupting the lives of your neighbors, and properly preparing the job by covering your valuable belongings and furnishings.
All of this takes time to do well and correctly, but it is time well invested if at the end of the job, you are happy as a client, have received top quality work, all your neighbors are still your friends, and the building management would allow the contractor to return to work in the building again because the contractor respected the building and other tenants as well as his client.
Plan well, take the time to work with your contractor in discovering any possible hidden costs, pay a fair price, and choose a contractor who will work with you to help you plan carefully.
Question:
Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?
Answer:
I take personal pride in doing my best work for each client. I give high attention to detail and finish to assure high quality, professional work. My livelihood depends on satisfied clients. I take my responsibility very seriously.
Question:
What important information should clients have thought through before seeking you out?
Answer:
The more information and detail you are able to provide to a contractor about the work you want to have done, the better and more accurate will be his estimate, and the higher quality the finished work. If you want to have your apartment painted, include in your inquiry if the ceilings, doors, windows, frames and trim are to be painted as well, or only the walls. Are the walls in good condition, or is major or minor repair involved? Are you using various custom colors, or one color throughout? Do the current colors need to be primed before painting? Almost every color except shades of white must be primed to have the new colors be “true”.
Keep in mind that all painting has to be “cut in” with a brush around door frames, base boards, window frames etc., even white, as the trim has a different finish than the walls (usually semi-gloss) and that a good painter will remove all the switch and outlet covers before painting, and then replace them. Paints that “include primer” are no substitute for proper priming with a primer, and every surface must get two coats of paint to cover properly.
If you are going to renovate your bathroom, what size and type of tile is going to be installed? This can make a major difference in the cost of your project. Is the entire bathroom going to be tiled, or only around the tub? Are you going to do the ceiling, or just above the shower head? What is on the existing floor? Can it be tiled over, or does it need to be removed, leveled and a new substrate installed before tiling? Do you need plumbing and electrical work included in your estimate, or are you doing just “cosmetic” work?
The more detail you give your contractor, the more accurate will be your quote in terms of time and money. Beware the contractor who returns a quote with just a total price and no detailed break down of the cost of materials, labor, carting costs, etc. You will be over paying, or equally as bad, underpaying, which you will pay for later. Provide as much information as possible, and expect the same in return from your contractor.
Question:
What do you like most about your job?
Answer:
The satisfaction that comes from completing a job and transforming a lackluster and faded apartment into the clients vision. Seeing a smile on my clients face that tells me I have succeeded in producing what they wanted.
Question:
What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
Answer:
What is it going to cost? How long will it take? Everyone wants a fair price and quality work, but it is really not about cost, but value. In these times, we often spend money, and receive low quality and value. While I have limited control over the cost of materials and the cost to do business, I do have control over the quality of my work, and always give my clients high value for their investment.
Quotes will vary widely between different painters, sometimes by thousands of dollars. Construction work is no different than anything else, you get what you pay for. Quality paints such as Benjamin Moore Regal Select average $40.00 dollars per gallon, and the top of their line, Aura and Natura, about $60.00 dollars per gallon. Skilled workers earn their money by doing high quality work, they give you their best and deserve to get paid well, they have years of experience and expertise. Hiring a painter or tiler because they gave you a “cheaper” price is never a bargain. Hire a professional and it will be done correctly the first time and the work will stand up for years to come.