Black Bear Painting

Phone Number : 978-405-0017

The Painting Process

Choosing a contractor

Power Washing & Surface Preparation

Painting

Inspection

Clean Up

Choosing a Painting Contractor:

Choose a company you feel confident in and comfortable with their processes and procedures.

Verify that your contractor is insured; ask for a “Certificate of Insurance” showing both liability (for your property) AND worker’s compensation (for their workers)

Confirm the references

Review their professional affiliation, i.e.—PDCA (Painting and Decorating Contractors of America), BBB, Chamber of Commerce, etc.

Check for home improvement or appropriate contractor’s license; such as Mass HIC License (#159070 )

CAUTION!

Don’t use a contractor who doesn’t use contracts or is very vague in their scope of work (A written contract helps both the contractor and the customer get what they expect). Also, avoid painters who compete based on price alone. (If these guys even show up to do the work, you may have far more problems than the cheap price is worth)

Top

Power Washing & Surface Preparation:

Power Washing

Bio-degradable detergent and bleach are used to remove dirt, mildew, and mold.

Delicate areas are hand washed.

House is given time to dry.

Driveways and decks cleaned (when contracted).

Surface Preparation (Scraping, Priming, and Other Maintenance Items)

All loose paint is removed, all bare surfaces are primed.

Open cracks around doors and windows are caulked. (helps prevent water from entering home/siding, causing premature paint failure)

Window panes receive new putty where necessary (helps prevent water damage and minor drafts) (If contracted)

Siding repair & replacement (many customers wish to have options to choose from)

Trim, siding, and stucco repairs are available

CAUTION!

Don’t try to cut costs by skimping on the preparation! Almost all professionals will agree that proper prep is the single most important component in the longevity of a paint job. Conversely, improper preparation can result in almost instant coating failure.

Make sure you DO NOT leave cracked clapboards or vertical trim without repair or replacement. Moisture could penetrate behind the surfaces and result in paint failure.

Make sure PROFESSIONALS are used to wash your home. Many contractors will use the pressure washer improperly as a scraping tool. Even though quite often paint will come off, the purpose of the washer is to remove surface substrates. Improper usage can result in surface and/or water damage.

Top

Painting:

Full finish coat is applied for proper coverage and finish.

Second or third coats are available upon request or when specified in the contract.

All non-painted surfaces are protected from splatter and drips.

Only premium quality paints and stains are used.

CAUTION!

When it comes to paint, more is not necessarily better. Each manufacturer has a recommended thickness for each coating. Most agree that 2 coats are optimum for surface protection. But over time, each additional coat over the home’s original siding actually adds weight that pulls from the surface, eventually causing peeling.

Top

Inspection:

Before the crew packs up their equipment, a “wet-walk-around” is done to ensure all contracted areas are painted properly.

Final touch-ups are noted on a Quality List and are completed before the crew leaves.

A Black Bear Inspection Standard is performed by a Foreman or Project Manager.

CAUTION!

If your contractor does NOT offer to do a walk around your home/project. Managing expectations is extremely important. We want to get it right the FIRST time. Our foreman and project managers try to estimate at what point in the day they will be finishing the work, so that our customers can have that last say, and get things done “just to their liking.”

Top

Clean-Up:

Performed daily and upon completion of the job.

All supplies and refuge are removed.

Plant beds cleaned and paint chips removed.

Outdoor fixtures and furniture are replaced.

Touch-up paint is labeled and left with the customer.

CAUTION!

Make sure when doing a walk around you point out your clean up concerns. While there will be some debris that can’t be picked up (some chips are just too small!) we do our best to leave your home as clean as or cleaner than before we were there!

Top