Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it’s even more important for painting companies that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For Steve Roberts Painting, the key to achieving and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction is simple: complete every job to the client’s exact specifications, even if that means exceeding the industry standards for quality. “Some people don’t fully understand how painting works and expect absolute perfection, so we never consider a project finished until the customer is completely satisfied,” says owner Steve Roberts. “Even if we have to take a loss by using more coats of paint than usual, we’ll do it.”

Steve Roberts Painting has been providing interior and exterior painting services for residential clients in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties since 1991. In addition to its general painting capabilities (which include the ability to work with elastomeric and oil-based paints), the company can match stucco, waterproof exterior surfaces, and refinish decks and cabinets. “We also do a lot of high-end trim work, like installing wainscot and crown molding,” adds Mr. Roberts. “That type of work really gives us an opportunity to be creative.”

Unlike less experienced painting companies that focus entirely on maximizing their workload volume and sacrifice a detail-oriented approach to painting in the process, Steve Roberts Painting works on every project with a meticulous attention to detail that ensures nothing is overlooked. “Sometimes when I look at houses that we didn’t paint, I see small flaws like overspray on the foundation or concrete,” says Mr. Roberts. “Those things might seem insignificant to some painting companies, but they would never be acceptable if we were doing the work.”

Mr. Roberts says one of the best parts of the painting trade for him and his employees is the sense of immediate accomplishment it provides. “With some businesses, you don’t see the benefit of what you’re doing for many years, but with painting, it’s right in front of you. When we take a house that doesn’t look very good and turn it into something that can be admired, it’s a very gratifying feeling.”

Don’t cut corners when hiring a painting contractor. Some homeowners think painting the interior or exterior of a house doesn’t require a lot of specialized skill, so they assume an unlicensed painter who offers the lowest bid is just as good as a professional contractor. In reality, not only does it take a professional painter to do a high-quality job, but hiring an unlicensed contractor can cost you a lot of unnecessary time and money in the long run. “Painting can be a dangerous job, so you need to make sure your painter is licensed and carries workers’ compensation insurance in case an injury occurs during the project,” says Steve Roberts, owner of Steve Roberts Painting in Walnut Creek. “If you hire an unlicensed painter, you’ll be financially liable for any injuries sustained on your property, and that can turn into a messy situation.”

Mr. Roberts also warns against cutting corners by using less expensive, low-quality paints. “Using inferior paint always costs more money in the long run,” he says. “You have to use twice as much paint because it doesn’t cover well, which means you’ll spend more money on both the product and the labor it takes to apply it. Those paints also don’t last very long, so you’ll be paying for another paint job sooner than you should.”
A professional painter will also be able to educate you about the new products available on the market, which can save you money and make your home more environmentally-friendly. For example, oil-based paints used to be prevalent in the industry, but now they’re being replaced with Green paint products that are low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

If your home still has paintwork that was applied prior to 1978, there’s a possibility that it’s lead-based, which means you need to find a painting contractor that’s EPA-certified for lead abatement if any scraping, paint removal or sanding is involved in your project. The fine is steep ($37,500 for each violation), so in order to avoid an expensive setback, it’s important to ensure your painter has the proper license and certification.

Q: Do you use subcontractors?

A: We usually use our own employees, but we’ll bring in specialists if a job calls for them. For example, if a customer wants to refinish a hardwood floor, we’ll bring in a subcontractor to strip the floor down to the bare wood.

Q: What kind of paint do you use?

A: We use Kelly-Moore paints on most standard jobs, but for really high-end work, we prefer to use Benjamin Moore paints. Dunn-Edwards also makes really good paint for exterior surfaces. Either way, we have the experience to know what type of paint is going to work best for your particular situation.

Q: Do you maintain a clean worksite?

A: Absolutely. Jobsite cleanliness is very important to us, so we make sure to always use runners to protect our customers’ belongings and clean up after ourselves at the end of every workday.

Q: Do you provide wood repair services?

A: Yes. Unlike many painting companies, we can repair and replace wood molding, stucco and decks. This means you don’t have to bring in another contractor to handle a small repair job.

Q: Can you provide a list of references?

A: Yes, we can give you the contact information of former clients so you can talk to them or visit their properties to see the quality of our work.