Paint Ready?

Smoothy

A local contractor recently finshed an addition that the contract indicated would be "paint ready." I was called in to paint and there was no caulking done, no nail holes filled, and many flaws in the drywall finish. Was the addition in fact "paint ready" as indicated by the contract?

ProWallGuy

Was it paint ready?

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Smoothy

After did all the caulking and filling the nail holes in the trim it was!

ProWallGuy

If you were the GC on that job, I'd have a stern talking to the painting sub.

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Digital Murals Installation

Smoothy

No, I was not the GC on the addition-I was called to do the painting by the owner-a personal friend. The GC told the the owner he would complete the addition to the point of being "paint ready", i.e. ready to paint, which the owner took to mean "ready to paint!" When I showed up to paint (about 7000 sq/ft) I informed the owner that his additon was indeed NOT ready to paint- and he would have to pay me to caulk and fill nail holes. He was not happy. He thought the term "Paint Ready" meant literally: ready to paint. Is there a standard legal meaning of the term "paint ready"? Deos that meaning entail caulking and nail holes filled? The diference was a thousand dollars on a job this size!

ProWallGuy

Well, I'm not sure if there is a 'standard' for the term 'paint ready'. Check out the PDCA website, they have standards that you can download for free (I think they are free!). I agree that paint ready would mean its ready for paint. On the other hand, I don't know any carpenters or contractors that fill their own holes, or do caulking. When looking at a job, I always assume that is my responsibility, and figure for it in the bid. So its a catch-22. Maybe the homeowner should have gotten a better description of what paint ready truly meant from his GC.

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tcleve4911

Hi Smoothy
Sounds like the term "paint ready" needed clarification. As we all know, applying the paint is the smallest part of a paint project. Preparation takes most of the time. "Paint ready" means that the mechanicals are done, the walls are ready for final prep and trim is complete.
Our painters hate us when we caulk & fill nail holes. They typically prime everything first, then caulk & fill holes so it adheres to the primer. And they repair/fix small areas that they know will show up in their finished product.
Thinking that "paint ready" is walking in with a brush & a roller is unrealistic in MHO.
Communication & clarity in the passing of the paint wand is most important.
Remember communication & contracts are our friends. LOL

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ProWallGuy

That right there could qualify for
POST OF THE DAY!

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Wallpaper Hanger St. Louis
Digital Murals Installation

Joewho

When I run into this situation, I always talk to the GC. This is a gray area and negotiable between the painter and carpenters.

I don't like it when carpenters caulk and fill holes because they use those big ole fingers to smear the material. If you've ever done carpenter work and then try to paint, you'll notice that the sensitivity in your hands is lost.

The proper way to do things is caulk and fill after primer, but in the real world of new construction, it doesn't always work that way.

I usually ask that carps fill and caulk wood to wood, and I do wood to drywall. Again, this is all negotiable, but on a big house, if you have to caulk/fill all the wood pieces on jambs and windows, you're looking at substantial cost in labor.

Next time, just work it out before you give a price.

I'd say you're lucky. GC's usually want control over the painter. When you go in and get the work directly from the owner, it creates conflict will the gc and other trades as far as schedule and what will be done.

fferris

I'm the painter that gets sore when the carpenters try to do prep. Only occasionally do they get it right. I fill, then prime, then caulk. The filler material will flash through the finish paint, so it helps to prime it along with the rest. The caulk doesn't flash, and needs the sealed surface to stick to. I've spent a lot of time carving off clumsy caulk.

Mike Finley

I would think paint ready would mean everything done except the work the painter will do. Since it seems painters like to caulk and prep I would expect the work is all done up to that point and whomever is going to paint it is going to prep it. Since a paint job is only as good as it's prep I can't imagine a painter worth his salt would want to follow somebody else's prep.

I'm kind of suprised you didn't tell your friend ahead of time to make sure the GC didn't caulk, fill or prep since you can't guarantee professional results if they did that badly.

4thGeneration

To me paint ready means that all the scope of the job is finished for me to start the job. Caulking and puttying is the painters job and for that matter if it was not, I still would not like to go behind a carpenter's caulk and putty job. It would take more time for me to cut and dig it all out to so I could properly caulk and putty. A bad putty and caulk job will make the painters work look like tree bark and rope. Too many times I have gone behind carpenters who try and do a favor by caulking. I tell them try measuring and cutting the wood on the job and not your house next time. Some of the cuts we caulk behind you could stick your thumb in. Also, a painter should keep a nail set with him because when you come down to it. All the GC and homeowner sees is that you said to yourself, "IT AINT MY JOB GEORGE TO DO THOSE THINGS, I DO NOT GET PAID ENOUGH" Back charging comes into play. That wont work however is the super is friends with the carpenters. You can charge it, but it will stay unpaid. Then thats when you can do as my Gpa used to do in the old days. When he matched his paint he made more than enough for touchup, but also mixed in a little aluminum so it is never going to be matched again. I guess hardcore extremes, but effective.

slickshift

To me, Paint Ready means no drywall patching, no trim fixing
Just normal prep
Some sanding, hole filling, caulking...

Just Paint-No Prep or Prepped For Painting, then I'd expect the prep to be done, and just bring brushes etc...

(I'd expect it, but I've learned not to trust those words either...that it was done, and/or to trust that the prep was done right and up to my standards. I wouldn't believe it until I saw it)

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zico

"Paint ready" sounds like the term..."football like move". It is open to a lot of interpretation and debate. I prefer contracts to be clearly stated as to what will be done to the surfaces.

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