This story had it all. The broken promises, the bad workmanship, the missed deadlines, the never ending surprises. This customer bought a home and faced pretty much all of the usual horror stories associated with renovating a home.
She hired what she thought was a good contractor. He talked a lot and promised all the right promises. His price was reasonable and he sounded like he had experience with this type of renovation. Sure the bad stories were out there but she thought a handshake and a gut feeling were enough qualifications. She was wrong as most homeowner are when not doing due dilligence.
The start of the reno was delayed but she was reassured there was a lot of time to finish the job. When the work finally started the entire process resembled a big pandemonium. The trades were “tripping” all over each other, the work was substandard and communication was lacking. She ended up moving in late, way before the work was completed. The mess and the noise she had to endure was horrific.
This story of customers getting screwed has been told too often. There are blogs, articles and of course popular TV shows and they never run out of storylines.
Ecopainting’s is a different story.
The story of our painting company, Ecopainting, has a different theme. We really do care about the customer. We go out of our way to take care of all details and most of all, we communicate. We communicate a lot. From the first contact, we listen to the customers and their needs. Our proposal suggest solutions that are spelled out clearly. What gets painted, what doesn’t, what colour, it’s all in our proposal. The price of the job, the timelines, they are all spelled out. Throughout the job, we provide a daily report. A phone call, an e-mail a note on the kitchen counter. The customer appreciates this transparency. Any changes are discussed in detail and no changes happen until a written approval is signed. Our service is indeed Nightmare-Free.
Last spring, we were contracted to remove wallpaper from the said home. This was a much older home at the Beaches. There were layers and layers of wallpaper in between layers of paint and plastering. This was not an easy wallpaper removal job. This was shown and explained to the customer early enough in the process. She was very understanding and we adjusted our budget and timing. Some walls needed repairs and she suggested that the drywall contractor should do the work.
After all the repair work was done by the drywall crew, we came back to paint. Unfortunately the drywalled areas did not look good. The taping was not right, more finish work was needed. And of course a lot of sanding afterwards. There is no way this was ready for painting.
Ecopainting came to the rescue, as we thought it was appropriate to do. We do have painters that can do basic drywall finish work. Bringing back the drywall contractor was not practical, as timing was of the essence. After a day of more mudding and some sanding, the walls looked almost as good as new. The customer was ecstatic and the painting work resumed.
This could have turned out to be another saga for this lengthy reno. Communication with the customer saved the day again. We did most of the painting around furniture and worked around the pets. We have a lot of experience and training on how to protect furniture. When our job was all completed, the customer was happy. The dogs and cats were okay, the home looked great. And yes, throughout this frustrating time, our own part was indeed Nightmare-Free!
Ecopainting works with residential designers and remodelling companies. We have the experience to know what is important to the customer. The key to a successful project, is realizing that we are part of the solution and only a small piece of the puzzle.
For wallpaper removal, wall repairs or painting call Ecopainting at (416)733-7767. We do interior and exterior work in the city and throughout the GTA.