Long story short, I was in Home Depot buying paint at the paint booth chit chatting with the employee and he said he worked with a "professional painter" for 20 years and gave me his number. I called him, we met, negotiated and decided on a $1100 bid to paint the house and shed. I told him multiple times upfront how particular I am about cutting in and how the last guy slowed the project down (not doing things in the right order). He said 2-3 days he would be done (I gave him 6). He asked for $300 upfront so I drafted up a contract of $1100, to be done by 6/30/17, paint top floor, main floor & shed, $300 up front, signed by both parties.
I start getting pictures of the job by some of my other guys - paint runs, using the wrong colors in the wrong rooms, he has is 9 yr daughter helping him, different women in there each night (basically a mess).
Fast forward to this past Friday. I walk in 6 pm, he is no where to be found. So I call him, telling him we are parting ways, and that i would estimate he is 75% complete on the job and that I would pay him the remainder.
WHAT I DIDN'T REALIZE is that he used two different colors ON THE SAME WALL (brown and grey). So I spent my 4th of July weekend basically re painting most of what he did.
I contacted him again, explained everything he did wrong, and he said he is getting a lawyer and putting a lein on the house.
What he failed to do:
1) Meet the signed deadline
2) Used two colors on the same wall
3) Cut in job not acceptable
4) Used the wrong colors for one room (he told me to write down on the walls what colors I wanted). Right off the bat he got it wrong!
5) Runs down the walls
I told him on a voice mail that I would pay him $375 more after I really inspected the house. Do I suck it up and pay him (and chalk this up as a learning experience) or stick to not paying him anymore?
He isn't licensed... just some guy off the street.
Thanks all -
Drew Denham
