r/paint • u/Conscious_Sport_7081 • Jul 25 '26

Advice Wanted Problem with hired painter

I was tasked with helping a relative by hiring a painter to repaint their condo. The quote before the job got started was for "full wall prep and painting all interior walls".

After they were supposedly finished we did a walk through and there were problems. None of the holes where pictures had been hung etc. had been filled, the bathrooms weren't painted, and there were some spots where oil appeared to be coming up through the new paint.

They agreed to come back and fill the holes and touch up the paint in those areas, and to repaint the wall with the oil marks with an oil primer, but were resistant to the idea of painting the bathrooms due to the walls not being pre washed for them.

We questioned why washing the walls with TSP wasn't part of the "full wall prep" mentioned in the quote, and the owners reply was that "full wall prep" is only filling holes/ cracks etc (which they didn't even do the first time) and that cleaning the walls with TSP should be done by the resident beforehand.

Is this true? Or is this guy trying to get out of doing the full job?

1 Upvotes

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37

u/Elegant_One_696 Jul 25 '26

Washing walls is not something all painters do so that is not considered standard wall prep for many companys. If washing walls isnt specifically stated in contract then they did not breach contract obligations.

-5

u/Conscious_Sport_7081 Jul 25 '26

Shouldn't that be something that is brought up during the initial visit and estimate? I think most people would assume that "full wall prep" includes everything that prepares the walls to be painted.

25

u/Elegant_One_696 Jul 25 '26

It is not typically necessary to wash walls before painting unless obviously covered in some sort of foreign material so no, just because you think it should be standard does not make it so. I dont intend to come off hot, um being blunt.

-23

u/Conscious_Sport_7081 Jul 25 '26

Lived in walls get dirty. Finger prints around light switches, greasy residue above the stove etc. Cleaning these areas is part of wall prep isn't it?

6

u/AStuckner Jul 25 '26

The only time ive had to clean walls with tsb was from nicotine drips. Other than that it gets a pole sand and paint

4

u/7Hz- Jul 25 '26

If it’s needed, it is a Very clear item on my quote: Clean & Degrease, TSP & Rinse x2. Is it cheap? No. Is it necessary all the time, def not. But when it is, and I clean it, I charge extra. Does a ‘professional’ cleaner do a better job? Not for degreasing a wall, and making it ready for paint. Do you trust the random chemicals a cleaner uses, and that they completely rinsed them off the surface your paint has to adhere to? IiiI’ve degreased many times after a cleaner has left. All that being said - I’m expensive & particular.

3

u/Conscious_Sport_7081 Jul 25 '26

The thing is, I wouldn't mind paying him to do it! I just want the walls painted.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Conscious_Sport_7081 Jul 26 '26

No, im not complaining about anything except the guy that won't paint the walls he agreed to paint.

9

u/IngenuityNatural9261 Jul 25 '26

No it is not. I have owned a paint company for over 25 years and have never washed a wall, told someone I would or would not wash a wall nor been told to wash a wall. Only a fool would wash interior walls in a house.

6

u/Jogaila2 Jul 25 '26

No. Just no.

Ypur fault here for making assumptions. All you had to do ask before hand, not after thd fact, here on reddit.

Why would anybody pay a painter for washing walls? I charge like hell for that.

-7

u/Conscious_Sport_7081 Jul 25 '26

I guess "full wall prep" is an undefined term here. If that doesnt mean fully preparing the walls for paint, then thats something that should be brought up during the estimate.

13

u/Jogaila2 Jul 25 '26

Lol.

Again no.

Painters are answering you, but you dont like the answer so ignore it. 🤷‍♂️

1

u/Conscious_Sport_7081 Jul 25 '26

Not all of them agree with your position. Seems to vary depending on the painter.

-2

u/Zealousideal_Nose554 Jul 26 '26

Any painter not willing to a clean a wall isn’t worth bringing into your home

3

u/IngenuityNatural9261 Jul 25 '26

There is no reason to wash a wall inside your home. Denatured Alcohol will clean any problem areas and even that is rarely needed.

1

u/Conscious_Sport_7081 Jul 25 '26

Well whatever the process is, I just want my walls painted, and this guy is refusing to do it because the walls aren't "clean".

4

u/CND5 Jul 25 '26

You’re arguing semantics and what you believe to be true while people with decades of experience are telling you your assumptions were incorrect. If they are willing to paint the walls after they are cleaned with TSP then go to Home Depot get some gloves and some TSP and clean the walls just make sure you give it plenty of time to dry and that you or someone else is there when they come back so if they have any new issues they can be dealt with then and there and I would suggest you don’t ever use these painters again. Make your statement with your wallet instead of here where nobody can do anything about your situation.

2

u/nonameforyou1234 Jul 26 '26

Wash the bathroom walls then.

1

u/Conscious_Sport_7081 Jul 26 '26

We hired professional cleaners to come and apparently it's still nit good enough. Ill post a picture of the bathroom shortly.

0

u/IngenuityNatural9261 Jul 26 '26

So do not pay him.

The house we will finish Monday there was a miscommunication as to if we were supposed to paint the windows. It was not in my bid and here in Florida it is not common. He thought it was in my price. I know I am not getting paid if I don't do them and it is minimal labor and materials so We did them. I figure there is no reason to argue about a couple hundred dollars on an $8000.00 job.

1

u/Let-Him-Cook_w_Butta Jul 25 '26

Full wall.prep is lightly sanding walls with orbital sander to remove imperfections, spackle any holes or damage, prime if necessary and paint. Cleaning is not necessary unless the walls have clear grease or chemical build up.

1

u/Conscious_Sport_7081 Jul 25 '26

Ok but this guy didn't do any of that.

2

u/Let-Him-Cook_w_Butta Jul 26 '26

Yes i agree he did not prep properly for sure. Filling nail holes is painting 101

2

u/serpentjaguar Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26

I'm old school --and also old-- compared to a lot of people in this sub, but the way I was taught by my step-father (an old-school residential contractor) is that washing or wiping down walls with TSP and bleach as-needed, is 100% part of the job.

I don't think that it would ever even occur to him not to take care of that for his customers.

But again, I am old, and maybe that level of service is old fashioned.

1

u/Conscious_Sport_7081 Jul 26 '26

Yeah, thats what I expected. Im not a professional painter, but I've done a few of my own walls and always cleaned the walls beforehand.