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Going for the Platinum

The Project
Quality means everything, especially with a very high-end job. For this 6,500 square- foot new, single-family custom home in Kentfield, California there was an even higher goal at stake. The owners were seeking Platinum LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. If achieved, this home would be one of only a handful in the nation to earn such a prestigious honor from the green building industry.

The Painter
MB Jessee Painting and Decorating owner, Matthew B. Jessee has more than 20 years of experience. The company serves the San Francisco, East Bay and Contra Costa areas, working on high-end residential and commercial interiors and exteriors, decorative finishes, restoration and refinishing. They are Certified Green Building Professionals and members of Build It Green (http://www.builditgreen.com).

The Challenge
Jessee was asked by the builder, architect and designer for the new Kentfield home to find a truly green product that would perform to the highest standards and provide a full spectrum of colors. Weve been committed to environmentally responsible practices for years, but had a hard time finding a paint that would perform well, while delivering zero and low VOCs, Jessee observes. When Benjamin Moore came out with its Auraline in 2008, MB Jessee finally found a premium low VOC paint even after tinting that qualified for LEED credit. Now, we have Naturawith zero VOCs, and we are specifying it all of the time, says Jessee.

The Solution
Naturapremium interior waterborne paint is a zero VOC, virtually odorless formula that doesn’t compromise on performance and carries Benjamin Moores Green Promise designation. [link to page on benjaminmoore.com]

Based on using Naturafor many repaints, Jessee had full confidence to recommend it for this new construction home. My litmus test is my guys, says Jessee. Theyre very happy with how well Naturaperforms. It covers well and has virtually no odor. Jessee explains that on big jobs where many gallons are being sprayed, with traditional latex paint, you can barely breathe. Because of all of the masking at the Kentfield home, there was virtually no ventilation. With Natura it wasnt a problem, Jesse notes. There was just virtually no odor in the house.

He also was pleased with the Naturacolors. We used deep blues in some of the kids rooms, and it has covered very well.

For the ceilings (all level V smooth surfaces) Jessee used Eco Spec We just primed with the sprayer and then immediately did back rolling, and it dried out very flat and uniform, Jessee comments. For the trim and wainscoting, he chose Aurabecause of its superior ability to simulate a lacquer finish while also qualifying for LEED credit.

Its obvious to me that Benjamin Moore spends a lot of time on research and development, Jessee observes. They have been our product of choice since we started the business. We like the performance, we like our dealer and we do mostly high-end projects where designers and architects are specifying Benjamin Moorequality.

DRAFT v3 MB Jessee/Kentfield Natura Project
05/06/07

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Customer Reviews

“I love the article in the paper on your company. Thank you for supporting our community by painting at the Claremont Middle School. Thanks!”

— Carla Banks

“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

“In all the years I've worked with MB Jessee, I'm always so impressed by your crews. They are so respectful of everything--you never even know they're there! Except that the paint looks amazing when they're gone. We've had one showing of our home and already have an offer. I'm sure it is because the paint looks so beautiful.”

— Erin T.
Pleasant Hill

“Richard and crew have been great, for sure. As much as I look forward to having the job done and my house back in order, I really enjoyed having them around. You should feel really good about how they represent your company.”

— Jessica Dodson

“Just had MB Jessee paint the interior of our house and they did a wonderful job. They tackled some crazy wallpaper as well as painted some very high ceilings and walls. The whole process was quick and they did a great job! We are very pleased. I was also very impressed by the crew. They were very personable, kind and actually took pride in the work they were doing. In one of our conversations with the lead Ricardo, he actually told me he was very proud of how the rooms had turned out. I agree sir! It turned out great and it's not often you hear someone thinking of your home like they would theirs, and putting that level of work and quality into it. That made a huge difference in how I viewed this company. Ricardo, you were fantastic and thank you for the great job, we will be using you again.”

— Jeff M.
Danville, CA

“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

“The kitchen looks NEW! You guys are amazing.”

“Matt, Julie & Ricardo, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank the three of you for the wonderful job you did in hosting the SFBA NARI Chapter Meeting on Wednesday evening. Everything was perfect from beginning to end. Members and guests alike walked away with a truly positive experience. The "painter for a day" and the cookies in the paint cans were an absolute brilliant touch and received rave reviews. What a wonderful way to do such positive marketing. Thanks again for a truly memorable experience for our members and guests. You are valued as a NARI member.”

— Judy Tufo, SFBA NARI Executive Director

“I can't say enough about how courteous and professional my foreman was. He was on time every morning and arrived cheerful and ready to go. He is highly organized and very thoughtful. He was extremely careful and respectful when moving my belongings - a mature professional.”

— Nora Robinson

“Awesome work by highly experienced, professional painters. They were: Conscious about the amount of time it would take. Ours had a lot of pre-work and took 3 weeks. Accommodating when we added a few last-minute changes Understanding when a heatwave hit and we remove some of the plastic sheeting over windows, which they had to put back up the next day. Accessible, especially the on-site crew (Hi Jose & Victor!) -- always answering questions and checking in. The end result is a perfect paint job that makes our 94-year-old house look brand new. I would definitely hire MBJ again”

— Stacey R.
Oakland, CA

“The finish on my kitchen cabinets had failed, becoming tacky and grimy around the handles. M B Jessee gave me a reasonable quote, far below some others, and did an outstanding job, striping the original varnish and refinishing with a new lacquer finish. The cabinets look like new. Work was done 1 day faster than estimated. The crew was extremely hard-working, considerate, and neat. Highly recommend M B Jessee.”

— Thama B.
San Francisco, CA

“My entire experience with MB Jesse was very professional. The crew were very friendly and super accommodating of my ridiculous schedule and geriatric pets in the house. The finished product, which was pretty much my entire house, far exceeds my expectations. Would definitely work with them again!”

— Heather Jordan