Are Oil Base Paints The Best For My Home?

I recently came across a quote from a website that supposedly was offering good painting advice to homeowners. The quote I am referring to said this about oil base paints, "Oil based paints may be a better solution for you. They provide for a better amount of coverage, dry slower and give a better finish. They work perfectly for cabinets, your trim and your furniture painting projects. Professionals prefer oil based paints that are readily available." For years, oil base was the standard of a quality finish for both inside and outside projects. Oil base finishes dried hard and looked great! However, in recent years, the statement above is becoming old fashion and dated.

The reason a professional painter likes or will consider using oil products today is because they dry very hard and are durable when a homeowner tries to clean the painted surfaces. Besides those two things, oil base paints really are becoming extinct. California has also made the standards for paint very high. Oil base paints are typically very high in VOC, which means they are not friendly to the environment. Therefore oil paints are being replaced with low VOC acrylic and latex products. For example, in the old days oil base was used to paint all exteriors. Today, it is one of the worst products to use, because of chalking, fading, cracking and attracting mildew! Today, the acrylic products have proven to out perform all oil base finishes for masonry and wood surfaces. The same is true for interior products. Oils were well liked because of how they looked when dried. Now, if a good painters knows how to use a sprayer or is good with a brush, he or she can get most water-base paints to look and feel just like an oil base finish. 

So, though I personally like the look and feel of most oil base finishes for interior and exteriors of homes, it is not always the best to use on your home. Water-base products are and will continue to be the standard of the future. They need to be applied properly but they will last just as long or longer than the oils of the past. They are safe for the environment and they are good for your home. If you have any questions about what products to use on your home, please feel free to post your question on our blog or send us an email. We'll be glad to help! 

Cream of the Crop Painting Companies

If you are reading this blog for the first time while searching for a credible and quality painter, you've stumbled across the right company! If you are not located in San Diego and need a cream of the crop painter in your area, this is all the place to find the perfect match! Please continue reading for more helpful information!

Chism Brothers Painting owners, Mike and David Chism, just returned from a 3 day conference in St. Louis, MO. The group was called the Residential Forum of the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America. This event is annual and called, "Advanced Shop Talk (AST). Professional residential painting contractors, who desire to be the best in their area, come together to discuss what is working or not working in their business. The round table discussions that take place are geared to help each contractor improve their businesses from accurate estimating to better customer service. 

If you are the type of person who does not like to waste time interviewing 5-10 contractors and even wait to see if they will show you to your home, you need to hire a member of the Residential Forum. There is probably a contractor in your area. The website (geared for contractors only) is: http://www.pdcaresidentialforum.org You can also email us and tell us what area you live in, and we will look up the members list in your area. You can't go wrong hiring a professional painter! 

5 Great Reasons To Freshen Up Your Home

 The Paint Quality Institute had a list of 5 great ideas to freshen up your interiors without spending a lot! Here they are: 

1. A simple change of hue in any space refreshes and revitalizes while adding a sense of updated style.
2. Large polka dots or other geometric patterns add instant impact to a child’s bedroom or play area.
3. Not ready for a whole room redo? Change the trim or door color and the entire space will feel new.
4. Highlight that new flat screen television by “framing” it with paint. Before hanging it on the wall, paint a rectangle large enough so a six-inch, colorful “frame” is exposed once the TV is in place.
5. Create interest in a dining room by painting the ceiling with a glossy finish. Light from the chandelier will have extra sparkle.

These are all things you can tackle on your own or if you don't have the time, we'd love to help! Most of the individual items can be accomplished in just one day with one of our skilled craftsman painters: yes even the colorful polka dots for your daughter's room! We love to create beautiful rooms that bring color to your life!

For more tips and tricks about painting your home, visit our blog often or go to http://www.paintquality.com (Picture from the Paint Quality Institute) 

Moving East

In the upcoming weeks, our chief estimator and marketing director, David Chism, will be moving his family to the east coast and settling around the outskirts of Washington D.C. His wife's family is from the area and they feel it is a good time to move and be closer to her side of the family for the next few years. David has spent 30 years growing up in San Diego and has always known the painting industry. He is very excited as he embarks on this new adventure yet also very sad that he will be leaving behind a job and customers he enjoys very much.

Mr. Chism will still be working on some of the marketing and public relations of our company when he gets settled into his new place. At this time, he plans on staying in the painting industry and is currently seeking employment opportunites for a quality painting contractor in the D.C. area.

Mike Chism, CEO of Chism Brothers, will be handling most of the estimates after David leaves at the end of August. James Becker, one of our project managers, will also be helping Mike carry the estimating load for the time being. So, please continue to email or call Chism Brothers for all your painting needs, and we will take good care of you. 

Sidney Craig Dies

It was front page San Diego news this morning that Sidney Craig, former Co-founder of Jenny Craig's Weight Loss died this past Monday. The Craigs have been customers of Chism Brothers Painting over the years, and we are very sorry for Mrs. Craig's loss. We just finished another project this past spring at their home but had no idea Mr. Craig was battling cancer.

To read the article about Mr. Craig's life: Click Here

Summer Newsletter

Our Summer issue of the "Local Color" (Customer Newsletter), is ready for download. We send out a quarterly newsletter to all past clients and partners. We hope you'll enjoy the color tips and other information.

Download Newsletter 

Going on Vacation

Our estimator, David Chism, will be headed on a family vacation to the east coast starting this Thursday, July 10th. He will be back in the office on July 23rd. Our office will be open in his absence, but receiving an estimate quickly cannot happen until he returns. Mike Chism and James Becker will be available for an emergency job if you have a project that needs to be estimated and started ASAP. All other estimates will be schedule up David's return. Also, any blog updates will also begin the last week of July. 

San Diego’s Most Talented Faux Finisher and Artist

We have worked with a number of talented artist over the years and are very happy with every one of them. Many of them have their area of expertise, so we have carefully selected them for the right projects that fit them best. A few years ago, we were introduced to an artist that ended up doing amazing work! Not only could this man do the basic faux finishes (ragging, parchment, glazes, etc) but could make a solid painted door look like a piece of REAL Wood! His name is John Hiemstra, and he is really the best I have seen in San Diego for his style and creativity. We started working with him at one of our projects in Point Loma. John created an incredible Trompe l'oeil of stone for our client's entry stairwell. He came up with the colors, the layout, the techniques: everything. He then worked along side two of our painters and taught them the steps to do this amazing technique. 

Needless to say, if you need any type of artwork for your home that involves arcylics, glazes, oils or plaster (even fine art) you need to talk to John Hiemstra. Visit his website at: http://john-scenic.com/bio.html 

Fly By Night

Recently, I went to do an estimate for a large and difficult home in San Diego. I had a set appointment with the homeowner and began by asking some questions and taking detailed measurements. After a few minutes of beginning my measuring, another painter showed up in a beat up old car, jumped out and greeted the homeowner I was working with at that time. He asked a couple of questions, told the owner he knew what he wanted and walked around the house doing an "eye-ball measuring." He had no pad of paper, no measuring device, no pencil, nothing but himself! He walked around this huge home in 5 minutes and then drove away to work up an estimate. I could not believe that a painter was willing to give someone a bid without carefully looking at the scope of work, the condition of the woodwork, the amount of prep and so many more variables. I have met painters who bid this way and the sad part is, they do not do well in business. Sometimes they are accurate on their ballpark bids. Other times, they are WAY off.

If a paint contractor will spend only a few minutes at your home and give you a bid, be careful. I can tell you so many stories about painters who run businesses this way and how, in the end, only hurt the homeowners. Sometimes contractors will give a low-ball bid and realize they underbid it. What happens then? Do you think they will finish the job? Others will give a cheap price just to get a change order later on.

When the economy is not strong, there will be more and more "fly by night" painters. These are people who paint but are not professionals. A professional painting contractor will always provide an accurate proposal, and if they make a mistake, they will make it right at their own expense. Do your research before hiring someone to work on your home: you will be glad you did.  

Green Home Information

We found some valuable information about green products and making your home more environmentally friendly. The Paint Quality Institute has a visual demonstration that we thought would be helpful to you. Take a moment and view their site on Green Homes: View Now
 

What is a Solid Body Stain?

Many people have asked us to use a solid body stain on their home instead of a paint. Most homeowners think that a solid body stain is NOT a paint. We just wanted to clarify a few things regarding solid body stains.

A solid body stain is more of a marketing term to describe a certain type of paint that is thinner in the look and feel than ordinary exterior paint. Home Depot along with other hardware chains marketed the products mainly for fences and new wood siding on a home. If a homeowner did not like the look of a thick quote of paint, stores would recommend a "solid body stain." Theses so called stains would penetrate new wood very well and would leave a solid color with the wood grain still showing. It was a great look if a homeowner liked the natural wood look. 

A solid body stain today is really just a watered down acrylic paint. There is nothing special about it, though there is nothing wrong with it either. You can take an exterior paint product, pour water into the paint can, stir it up and have your own custom "solid body stain." It will perform the same and last about the same amount of time. One of the key benefits of using a solid body "stain" is that is tends to resist peeling on new surfaces. Why? Because it soaks into the wood instead of laying on the surface like most paints.  A solid body stain applied over an existing solid stain only causes the surface to look a little more thicker in texture and cleaner. 

Before you purchase or request a solid "stain" next time for your home projects, get a profession opinion from us. We'd be happy to tell you whether the surface can use such a product and give you an idea of how long it will last. We're here to help! 

Mission Hills Jobs for June

Chism Brothers Painting was busy in Mission Hills last week. We had three large projects going on at the same time within a few blocks from each other. Most of these projects came because of previous jobs and referrals from the community. If you drive down Fort Stockton St. this week you will see at least one of our exterior restoration projects coming along. If you would like to visit or speak with one of our job supervisors about your home project, please contact us for a list of jobs currently in progress. Many times, people stop by and talk with our job supervisors and get most questions answered before calling for an estimate. We are in Mission Hills this week and hope to be in your neighborhood next! 

Cutting the Price and Quality

This is just a friendly reminder to be extra careful in a slowing economy with all contractors, not just painters. The economy seems to be getting worse out there but it has not reached rock bottom. However, we have seen painting contractors begin to really cut their prices to the point that we think they have to cut back on quality too. San Diego is an expensive city to operate a professional business and still maintain quality services and products. So make sure when a contractor gives you a price that seems low, that you do your homework to make sure they do not cut quality.

You may ask yourself, "How will I know if a company will not do a good job?" The best way we believe you can know is to ask for references of past clients from 3-5 years back and to talk to a few other professional service companies about the company you are considering. If a company is professional and known for the highest standards of quality and service, you will hear nothing but good news from clients and other companies in town. By asking for older references, you will determine if the product on their home is holding up well. Sometimes you cannot tell if a contractor does a good job for up to 6 months after the job is complete. Why? Because any paint job will last three to six months! If they cut quality and their prices down, you will begin seeing a failure in your paint job typically within 6 months and be ready for a complete repaint in 2 years. Even the big paint companies are cutting back their prices right now to keep guys working and bidding projects with one coat when we believe most homes (exteriors mainly) need two coats.

If you want a second opinion, we'd be happy to look at your project and answer your questions and concerns. We will also give you a fair price to do a quality job on your home. Chism Brothers is committed to keeping customers for life, so we will not paint a home unless you want a very high quality paint job and a company to manage the project carefully.  

Current May Schedule Update

The end of May has completely filled up and June is almost completely full. We never like to turn away a project, so please give us a call or send us an email if you'd like to discuss your project with us. If you are willing to wait until later in the year, we can usually offer a "waiting" discount! Looking forward to hearing from you soon. 

Painting Through Mission Hills

We just wanted to say a BIG Thank you to our loyal Mission Hills clients for continuing to allow Chism Brothers the opportunity to serve your community. We just completed another beautiful exterior project on the corner of Montecito and Stephens. We were referred by the well known interior designer, David Joseph Katona.

We just received approval to begin three more projects in Mission Hills which we will begin restoration and repainting within the next 1-2 weeks. Look for our trucks again in Mission Hills on Fort Stockton and James Place. We will begin our Fort Stockton project by restoring the entry and front of the early 1900 Bungelow home.

Chism Brothers can work with most any budget to help restore your exterior or interior. Interior projects can be quite pricy and more challenging and may require the expertise of a designer, architect and restoration contractors. We have been doing this along time, so we know who to contact if you decide you want our help.