Questions & Answers
- How much will it cost?
It is probably the first thought or question that goes through your head when you are thinking about getting a tradesman to come into your home to do some work. The reality is that there is not a straightforward answer until we have discussed, inspected, and assessed how long the job will take!
An example would be two rooms of the same size. One room has good walls, has been freshly plastered, and is basically just ready to paint. The customer wants white on the ceilings and walls. A room like this has minimal preparation, so the job could be finished in one day.
Room two needs a lot of preparation; the walls and ceiling have deep cracks that need attention before they can be painted. Cracks need filler and often need filling at least twice, then sanded and smoothed before any paint can be applied. The customer has also asked that the walls be painted a dark colour, so they will need 'cutting in' which takes time and patience to achieve that razor sharp line where the walls meet the ceiling. A room like this is going to take at least three days!
Then there is also woodwork! Doors, skirting, and architraves to take into consideration. As with any woodwork painting, we have to sand the surface, apply an undercoat, sand again before applying a top coat (Satinwood, eggshell, or gloss), followed by a lighter sand, etc.
Another consideration may be that the room has wallpaper that needs to be stripped. Does it then need to be lined with lining paper?
So, it is difficult to give a ballpark cost until the room or job in question is inspected.
Some 'trade sites' give you estimates on painting properties and break them down by bedroom size, but they are still confusing and not completely accurate as they are not taking into account the above facts, like preparation and woodwork painting.
https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/painter-decorator-prices/
https://www.ratedpeople.com/blog/how-much-does-a-painter-and-decorator-cost-in-2023
A A word of warning! Be careful when hiring someone who gives you a price before any inspection. There are, unfortunately, people in this industry referred to as 'Cowboys' who will give you a very low price to begin with and then midway through the job tell you that this and that need doing and the price has to be increased!
Joseph and his sons do not do this! The price you pay is the price we quote! There are no hidden extras or surprises. You can feel safe when you book with us and have comfort knowing that your budget will not alter.
(If you have a very busy schedule and find it difficult for us to have a viewing, or though it isn't ideal, we can offer to do you a quote over WhatsApp, using FaceTime or pictures. )
- How long will it take?
On average, a medium-sized room takes around two to three days to complete. If there is a lot of preparation and things like wallpaper removal, filling, etc., then a room can take four to five days. But on an average scale, we take around two to three days to complete a room.
- Will there be a lot of mess? Do you protect our floors and carpet?
First, we protect everything! All floors are covered with protective film and waterproof drop cloths. Secondly, we keep any mess to an absolute minimum. There will inevitably be dust! But all our sanding machines are connected to dust extractors, so 90% of the dust goes straight into the vacuum cleaners. We also clean the area at the end of every day and make sure any tools are either removed or stored neatly in a safe area overnight.
- Will there be any noise as I don't want to inconvenience my neighbours?
The only noise is from sanders. We use top-of-the line sanders with brushless motors, so noise is minimal. Also, the majority of sanding is done in the first couple of days.
- Paint fumes and are they dangerous?
Technology in paint has come on leaps and bounds over the last two decades. Almost all paints on the market are very eco-friendly, with hardly any VOC (volatile organic compounds). The most harmful culprits are solvent based paints, or oil paints, as they are commonly called. At Joseph and Sons, we hardly ever paint with solvent based paints unless the customer insists.
We mainly use Johnstones paint, which is an excellent trade paint and has minimal VOCs. Here is a technical breakdown of Johnstones paint. ba87cd71-9fb9-4821-8e97-43f682c648c4
If you have any real concerns over paint fumes, I can advise on the best paints to use.
- Can you collect the paint for me?
Yes, we can collect the paint for you and bring it with us on the first day of the job.
- Do we need specialist paint in areas like the kitchen and bathroom?
Yes, you need specialist kitchen and bathroom paint in any areas which has more moisture, these paints need to have anti-mould ingredients.
- What are our work hours?
We work between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., if it is residential. If the property is empty and we are on a time scale, then hours can be adjusted. We also offer out-of-hours night work for commercial properties so as not to cause disturbances during the working days.
- Can we plaster walls and ceilings?
Yes, we can undertake all building work / carpentry / plumbing / electrical etc.
- What is spray painting?
Spray painting walls and ceilings is relatively new to the UK but has been popular in the USA for a couple of decades. Spray painting is definitely a thing for the future, and the industry in the UK is turning towards spraying, with every major painting and decorating company offering this service. We have three spray machines and have been using them for a couple of years. I can honestly say that the results of spraying can be fantastic! The key to a successful spray result is the preparation work and having someone competently operate the machinery. If done properly, then the end result is flawless. no brush or roller marks.
It is now becoming increasingly popular for kitchen cabinets to get a complete makeover via spraying. It is a very cost effective way of transforming the look and feel of your kitchen. Message us for more details.
- How many coats of paint do you use?
A minimum of two coats on all surfaces
- When can I start using the room after painting?
Paint dries between two to four hours, but is still curing for a week or so. I always advise our clients to be careful for at least a week. Try not to scrub the walls or bang into them with furniture etc.
- Will you paint just one room For me?
Yes, we will quote any job, no matter how big or small.
- Will I have to pay a deposit?
We ask for a twenty percent deposit to be paid on the morning we turn up for work. If we are buying paint for you, then we ask for this deposit 48 hours in advance. Be careful if anyone asks you for a deposit up front. Check that they are fully qualified and are associated with trade sites like TrustaTrader or Checkatrade. I have heard stories of clients being asked to pay 50% deposits in advance, trusting someone who has only given them a mobile phone number, and the 'cowboy' has just disappeared with the money!
You can feel safe with us. Our reputation is not for sale and is very precious to us for future work!
- How much will the paint cost?
Firstly, DO NOT USE CHEAP PAINT! Cheap paint is a false economy where it may look great for a few months, but it WILL start to lose its colour and, at worst, lose its moisture and begin to peel and flake.
We always use and advise our clients to use 'Trade' paints such as Johnstones or Dulux. Other paints in the 'niche' ranges, like Farrow and Ball, Lick, and Little Greene, are fantastic paints but do carry a high price tag.
A typical price for 5 litres of Farrow and Ball is around £120. Similar paints like Dulux and Johnstones, which can be colour matched to any colour, are around half the price. Ceiling paint (white) is the cheapest; 5 litres of Johnstones Covaplus matt are around £25. - How much paint will I need?
Based on a medium sized room with a ceiling/ four walls, skirting, one window and sill, an architrave, and one door,
The amount of paint you need is the following:.
Ceiling: 2.5 litres (two coats)
Walls: 5 litres (two coats)
Woodwork: 1.5 to 2.5 litres of eggshell, satinwood, or gloss (two coats)
Undercoat, 1 litre
(If the walls require an undercoat, then 2.5 litres of undercoat will be sufficient.)
- I have received a very low quote, is it too good to be true?
As with most things in life, if it sounds too good to be true, then it usually is! We do competitive quotes based on what it takes to get the job done to the standard you want and the standard we set. In November 2023, I wrote a very comprehensive quote for a lovely lady in Teddington. I broke every room down into separate prices and gave a realistic timeframe for the project. A few days passed, and she contacted me, saying she received a much lower quotation. We discussed it, and I expressed my doubts and fears to her and said, ' I cannot see how anyone can do it for that price. The job in question needed at least two people working for six or seven days, and no competent painter or decorator can work for that price. The lady said she would give them the benefit of the doubt and go with them.
The day the job was scheduled to begin , the person she chose made an excuse and did not turn up for a further three days, and when he did turn up, they started ripping off wallpaper and making a complete mess in three different rooms , only to then ask for a quiet word where they said that because of the state of the walls and ceilings, they would have to put the price up as it was 'extra work'.
Guess what? The new price they put in was almost double what I quoted in the first place. They basically bullied the poor lady, who now felt under pressure and obliged because they had filled the house with all their equipment and tools and started to do the job. The lady called me to ask if I could come back, but unfortunately, I was now booked out on another job.
Sadly, things like this happen quite often if you choose the wrong contractor, or 'Cowboy', and this is why we strive to be as open as possible when we tender for a job. We stick to the price we give you! We have a lot of years of experience, and I know from looking at a wall exactly what is needed to get the job done.
- Do you give a warranty?
Yes, all our work has a twelve month warranty.
- What if something in my home is damaged?
Touch wood , we have never damaged anything, however accidents can and do happen and we are fully insured to repair or replace any item which might be damaged.
- Can you paint furniture?
Yes, we can paint any surface or item you want, Metal / wood / masonry.
- I have just had MDF wardrobes built and some decorators are saying they don't want to paint them, Why?
Painting MDF is not as straightforward as it seems. MDF and moisture are a problematic combination. Moisture causes the edges to fluff up when it penetrates. First, we have to primer the edges and then sand them before applying an undercoat, followed by more sanding, and then apply the top coats (sprayed or by foam roller).
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