Winning Colors Painting

Nita Riccardi is extremely knowledgeable about any repair, remodeling, and painting inside and outside of residential homes. She gives estimates for the work to be performed including materials needed, estimates which have been very competitive with other contractors submitting bids. She kept within those estimates. Her crew is highly experienced, courteous, respectful, and cheerful. And they clean up after themselves. The work on our victorian home included repairing extensive dry-rot on an outside wall on the fourth floor. They replaced kitchen tiles; repaired broken plasterwork in awkward areas (above the inside stairwell, e.g.). They installed new hinges and doorware, made doors hang perpendicular again and open and close properly. They prepped walls and woodwork for an excellent paint job inside the house. Nita had suggestions we never thought about, adding nice touches with little extra expense, like plaster corbels, for instance.

They were safe, clean and did a great job.  I'd give them an "A-" (w/o grade inflation)
Nita worked around my need to take a week off after signing but before commencing.  The job took almost 3 wks, which was a bit more than initially estimated.  Workers were OTJ every day - even came on a Saturday with promises of rain next. 
They netted all over, and covered the ground in back.  They moved stuff I shoulda done.  And they left things clean - on a day-2-day basis and afterwards.  There was mention by Nita of needing a portapotty, but I allowed them use of an empty unit.  (does one expect workers to 'hold it' for 8 hrs a day?)  The painters - Edgar, Sergio, Jose & Jose - were courteous, timely, and quiet (no loud music).  I suppose it was helpful that I allowed them parking in front, warnings abt street-cleaning, and provided treats; but I could so I did.
I appreciated that they masked and delineated their work.  One can see the difference by noticing old paint on faucets & fixtures from the poor paint job done by the earlier company, whereas Nita's crew's work was crisp and clean.  Unlike that company - which promised two coats but only deliverd one ("because it doesn't need another"), Nita's crew did a full prime and 2X.
They were able to repair several small blemishes in the stucco front, and some dryrot in the wood.  Also, were timely in correcting missed spots.
I feel that Nita did the job with integrity, even though she said she didn't make money on the project.
One thing that I felt odd abt.  The windows are not in the best of shape.  Initially, other painting contractors commented, and I can't remember if their bids included painting them or not.  Nita discussed the windows, and I thought had counted "20" (40 sashes) and given a round "$10k" figure to have a sub replace.  I thought abt jsut getting it out of the way.  Then I began to count my money and decided to limit replacement to only necessary sashes; I got the number down to 13.  When we walked thru again, she again stated the $10k figure, and I thought "$750 per sash?!?"  (which is quite a bit).  So I again went thru and decided that I could replace three that were really rotted and that they could just reglaze and paint the rest.  I said "no thx" on the windows, and spent way less than a grand fixing it.   The windows will have to wait til I have more money.
Nita's bid was not the lowest; and frankly I know a colleage (who I have a testy relationshiop with) who sometimes subs for her, but which is ultimately why I chose WC ove the competition (feeling that my colleage wouldn't work for someone who's fly-by-nite).  She had also done a bldg around the corner, and came out well, and she fixed a blem that developed.  I could have gone with the local handy-guy; but frankly wanted a Bonded & LIcensed contractor.  I'm glad I did. 
Having read the previous comments, its hard to believe its the same contractor.  So, YMMV.

Took multiple back and forths to get the contract to resemble a contract,  had to include mileposts for payment since none were een mentioned.
Contractor completely missed the sides of the house - that was over $2k more
Charged to remount and repaint gingerbread - another couple thousand suprise
Seperately charged for PortaLet - you have got to be kidding me - how could you NOT know you would need one for a 7 week job
Constant supervision was required and progress reports,  work planning information was almost totally lacking.
Many suprises for next day sent via email after 9 at night - some requiring procuring house sitters at last minute.
Nita seems to feel she is an artist that has the right to override/ignore your choices - even when they are in writing in the contract

Maybe I am just being too pickly - I grew up doing this kind of work with my father and am probably still holding others to his standards - but %#% it - he was a professional with a long career working for prominent clients.

Nita,  and crew,  did produce very nice results - not at all what we expected - but very nice.
If we had not spent an inordinate amount of time checking on her the results would have not been nice - I think people would have been laughing at the gingerbread mishmash.