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Before You Accept a Low House Painting Estimate, Ask These 4 Questions

Before You Accept a Low House Painting Estimate, Ask These 4 Questions

Are you planning a home painting project, interior or exterior?

If so, you likely have at least a few estimates in front of you, each with a different number on it. Or, you will soon.

The temptation can be to simply grab the lowest bid. After all, as long as the paint gets applied, why pay more, right? Paint is paint.

In the world of professional painting, however, you truly do get what you pay for. And, while bargain bids may seem like a no-brainer, they can sometimes end up being the most expensive option when all is said and done.

Cheap Painting: When a Bargain Is No Longer a Bargain

Photo by MB Jessee


There are a lot of details woven in and through your painting estimate, and it’s important to know what isn’t being said just as much as what is.

To clarify what we mean, here are a few concrete questions you can ask your painter to better understand what is being sacrificed in order to make your low estimate possible.

What Should You Ask Your Painter?

  • What kind of surface prep does my estimate include? - Thorough preparation and making necessary repairs is an essential part of a quality painting project. Otherwise you’re building on a faulty foundation and your finish will suffer for it.

  • Are you using a high-quality product? - The ingredients in cheaper paint just don’t perform as they should, meaning that your paint will not last as long, look as good, or cover your surfaces as well during the application process.

  • Can you explain the details of my warranty? - Lengthy warranties look fantastic on paper, but often are full of loopholes that protect the painter but leave you out in the cold. Even if it’s a shorter duration, a clear, concise warranty that really offers peace of mind is much more valuable.

  • Do you work with subcontractors or employees? - While hiring a subcontractor for a specific task is not always a bad thing, your painter should rely primarily on their own dedicated, invested team. You want to be sure the painters are committed to quality, not just to finishing the job and moving on.

Paying more for a job well done is always more cost-effective than needing to pay extra to correct poor craftsmanship. It’s also more cost-effective to invest in a beautiful, longer-lasting finish (interior or exterior) than frequent, less satisfactory work.

Take the time to get to know your painter: their story,local commitment, examples of work, and reviews. Finding and partnering with a true pro is priceless!

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Customer Reviews

“I want to express my thanks for a job well done. The rooms look great and there is no problem with any marks on the all the trim, floor, carpet, etc. The paint job is lovely. I also want to express my thanks for the level of professionalism the foreman showed in running the job. He was very attentive to any changes I needed to make, was extremely careful in getting the faux paint color and effect correct. Thanks so much for a job well done.”

— Suzan D’Arcy

“Today I received a beautiful bouquet from your company. It was totally unexpected and very much appreciated--a lovely surprise. Also today, your crew finished my job. I am so pleased with all their fine work. Richard is absolutely amazing and a total delight to work with. He was also extremely helpful during the paint color process. The interior work in my home far exceeded my expectations. A big thank you to you and the crew for an outstanding job. Thank you, thank you for a terrific job!”

— Barbara
Piedmont

“In September, MBJessee finished painting two sides of our 3-story condominium building (six owners). We were impressed by the professionalism of the company and every one of its workers, Matt Jessee couldn't have been more helpful in planning the project. His painters were well-trained, easy to communicate with and eager to please. In addition to painting the stucco, they made extensive repairs on windows and frames, which will save us considerable money in the future. They finished earlier than anticipated, with as many as five men working on the job, and the scaffolding came down the next day. All of us were delighted with the results. Now my husband and I are looking forward to having MB Jessee paint our own apartment later this month. Matt and Gustavo (who will be our crew leader again) have explained how they will work to make the painting proceed smoothly while we're living here, and they have been endlessly patient with our protracted decision-making process. If you look at their website, you'll learn that MB Jessee is an exemplary company that takes good care of its workers as well as its customers, and contributes public service projects to the community. All in all, we can't recommend MB Jessee highly enough.”

— Jayne W.
San Francisco, CA

“Everyone I dealt with was nice, helpful, and very professional. The price was reasonable! (I didn't feel like I was getting the "San Francisco price." The attention to detail and work quality was excellent. They did what they said they would do in the exact timeframe they said they would do. Highly recommend!”

— Tim Tyson

“The entire MB Jessee team is courteous, efficient and professional. From scheduling and estimating to the crew managers and crew, they all did an excellent job on a small (but complicated) two room project in my house. I'm already thinking about getting them scheduled for the next project in the spring.”

— Cari Cheney

“Julie, by the way, I have never been so impressed with the service of a painting job before! It was like magical elves came and painted our walls without us having to do a thing! It looks amazing and just wanted to let you know how happy we are. Thanks”

— Anja
Piedmont

“I just wanted to send you an email to say that John did such a great job over here today. He is truly a hard worker. He has the perfect balance of friendliness, honesty, and professionalism. I trust him. He takes the time to do the job to the best of his ability and that is what sets him (and your company) apart from the competition. He didn't make me feel rushed. He really made me feel like our job was the most important thing in the world. Thanks again!”

— Jo
Oakland

“I had my wooden kitchen cabinets painted white. Anabal and Danielle were doing the job. I have nothing but praise for them. They came on time, cleaned up every day, were respective, friendly and helpful. If the rest of Jessee's crew are as great as Anabal and Danielle, this company will go far.”

— Anni S.
Oakland, CA

“Matt, We are very happy with how all of the painting worked out. We were extremely impressed with the quality of the work in the bathroom. I liked working with Victor, he and Marvin were extremely conscientious about doing a great job, not just the minimum. I know the front door took a lot longer than you'd expected. But they did it PERFECTLY. We never thought it could turn out like that! Thanks again for the great work. We'll be calling you again in the future!”

— Craig
Alameda, CA

“High quality work from a pleasant and qualified staff. Thank you!”

— Paul Markovich

“MB Jessee just finished our exterior and we couldn't be happier with our experience. The foreman (Pedro) and lead painter (Ricardo) were incredible to work with: they communicated scheduling clearly, Ricardo was a joy to be around every day, the showed up early every day, were incredibly tidy and did great paint work. The final walk through experience was incredible. Pedro pointed out items I missed demonstrating a clear desire to complete another quality project. I highly recommend them. As others have noted they definitely aren't the cheapest but you quickly realize that you're getting what you pay for. The 3 year guarantee is also a nice touch since there are likely touch up items that will show up after the job is done.”

— Joshua Jansen

“I loved working with M.B. Jessee from start to finish on a relatively small paint job that grew a bit. I felt in very good hands from the moment Matt Jessee came out to give me the estimate and talk about my job. He was very easy to talk to and he handled my changes very well. Then the actual work done by Rigoberto and Mario was impeccable. They were neat and meticulous and the paint job looks beautiful. I could not have asked for more and when I did, they accommodated me 100%. I will not hesitate to call M.B. Jessee again and to refer them to friends.”

— Nancy Kurkjian