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"This project presented a unique set of challenges for any contractor. As my home was built in 1911, the basement windows are just above ground level outside. The ceiling height is quite low and – as a result – neither myself nor any of the previous homeowners have installed a drop ceiling. In fact, since the home was first built, nothing had been done to the basement ceiling, except for several coats of paint. Moreover, as the years have passed, the ceiling has continued to accumulate more and more additions from repairs, renovations, installations, and all other modifications the home has been subject to. Prior to this project, the status of the ceiling was a complex and hideous amalgamation of ceiling joists, cross braces, ductwork, plumbing pipes (metal and PVC) and valves, Romex, other wire bundles, electric junction boxes, vents, gas lines, old phone and television cables, icemaker supply tube, clamps, hardware, brackets, hooks, clotheslines, and any other imaginable thing that people like to nail up to a naked ceiling. In short, it was a mess. Visually and aesthetically, I wanted a contractor who could come in and reduce all this clutter on the eyes. Since a drop ceiling was out of the question, Dryfall ceiling paint seemed the best option to me. I thought back to my previous experience with Haniyf and his company, Mark of Elegance. Even though I had been collecting other quotes, I knew he was the man for the job, due to his pursuit of quality in his work and his experience and knowledge as a painter. This was not an easy project. Haniyf, as always, discussed all the apects and ramifications of this job prior to quoting me on it. He budgeted ample time for the prep work, which was – in my opinion – the most difficult yet important part of the job. If the ceiling had not been properly prepped, the paint job would only have lasted a very short amount of time. As he always does, Haniyf wrote up a very detailed description of the work he and his team were to perform. Prep work included scraping all loose and chipped paint from existing areas that had been painted, sanding down to the wood (where needed and where possible to reach), removing all nails and hardware with no purpose. Also, all shut-off valves, walls, windows, furnace, hot water heater, and appliances were to be masked off prior to painting. Haniyf's quote included painting all exposed ceiling areas (joists, PVC, pipes, ductwork, wiring, cables, gas lines, hardware, etc.). In short, anything that was above a pre-agreed upon line was to be painted black to "homogenize" the overall look of the ceiling and give it that industrial or warehouse appearance that is popular in many restaurants, nightclubs, music venues, design studios, and contemporary businesses. Once I had accepted Haniyf's quote, we agreed to conduct a walkthrough to review the objectives of the job and the ceiling's pre-work status. This is another of Haniyf's strengths as a contractor: not only does he listen attentively to his clients, he also communicates very well so as to avoid, beforehand, any misunderstandings or possible errors in executing the actual job. We had a clear understanding of exactly what the goals and objectives of the job were and the crew began. First, all remaining furniture, cabinets, or miscellaneous items were collected into one area. In all, there were 4 zones which were to be prepped and painted: the main area, laundry area, office, and a back room. The crew worked feverishly to scrape and sand the wooden surfaces. This was – for me – the single most impressive part of the job, due to the amount of sweat equity and simple hard work involved. Everyone wore respirator masks and many of the areas really required a lot of elbow grease and dedication. At this juncture, Haniyf's work ethic again rose to the occasion. Had it not been for the effort of Haniyf and his team, the final paint job never would have lasted. Other contractors that I had contacted did not include much prep work and not a single quote included any sanding. I personally believe that Haniyf went beyond the call of duty to sand after scraping, but I took photos to document what an amazing job the crew did of prepping all the surfaces. Obsolete hardware and old rusted nails and screws which served no purpose were also removed. All the webs, dirt, paint chips, and sanding dust were cleaned up and vacuumed from both the floor and the ceiling. Work stretched out over several days. Each morning the team would show up at the agreed-upon time. If ever there was a change in schedule, Haniyf always kept me abreast and informed of the situation. There were never any surprises or days of work missed. As discussed, the walls, windows, and vents were carefully masked off, along with all shut-off valves and gas valves. Haniyf even thought to remove outlet covers prior to painting and he covered the neutral, hot, and ground receptacles to avoid painting inside of them. The hot water heater, furnace, washer, dryer, and sink were all either masked off or draped with drop cloths to protect them from the paint. One final walkthrough was conducted with me just to make sure we were all on the same page. Once half the basement was painted, all the furniture, cabinets, or miscellaneous items were then moved back into the painted areas. That way, the other two areas could be painted without any clutter on the floor. At this point, Haniyf had noticed that some of the old ductwork was exhibiting slight signs of mineralization or efflorescence. Even though the flat black Dryfall was adhering and covering well, there were some tiny white specks of salt residue or mineralization showing through. Rather than to simply forge ahead and ignore the issue, Haniyf lightly sanded these areas and actually repainted them to completely eliminate the issue. He then instructed his team to wipe down the remaining ductwork with mineral spirits to minimize any type of mineralization from "bleeding through" the paint job. Again, this was indicative of his excellent work ethic and pursuit of quality. For these reasons, I will always work with Mark of Elegance when I need quality work done with attention to detail. The team went on to finish painting all remaining areas. Then Haniyf went back in touching up any spots that may have been missed or only lightly sprayed. With so many years of dust covering all the items suspended up in between and across the ceiling joists, a lot of work had to be done ahead of time. Blowing off all that fine dirt and those dust particles was just another portion of the prep work. Paint had to be sprayed at so many different angles to obtain an even, thick coverage. In the end, the job turned out fantastic. The basement ceiling has a brand new, clean, fresh, contemporary look instead of being a visual distraction and nightmare. After completing the work, the guys cleaned up all the waste materials, debris, empty paint containers, and trash. They carried everything out, folded up their drop cloths, and packed up their tools and equipment. A final vacuuming of the basement floor and I was left with a spotless basement. Big kudos go out again to Haniyf and the guys at Mark of Elegance for a superb job. After squaring up on the payment, I was so impressed with their work that I ended up giving Haniyf a $100 dining certificate to a favorite Mexican restaurant so he and his two main assistants could enjoy a nice meal. I have hired a lot of contractors over the years. Trust me, you cannot go wrong when you hire Haniyf and Mark of Elegance. Their work is top-level, completed on-time, without any hassles, and for a competitive price. Thanks again, Haniyf!"

"Absolutely phenomenal work! The paint job on my basement ceilings and walls was flawless. The team was highly professional, efficient, and delivered outstanding results. Great value all around! I’ve recommended this company to many of my friends, and they’ve all been just as impressed as I am. Highly recommend!"

"We hired Clean Cut Painting for a $20K job based on their quick quote and no deposit. While work started fast, the experience went downhill. There were surprise charges, and key items like door handles and outlet covers were removed but never reinstalled. Paint was left on floors, tile, and even on our carpet. When I brought up the carpet damage, Matt said, ?It needed to be replaced anyway??even though we had told him it wouldn?t be. Wall hardware and mirrors were removed with permission, but instead of being reinstalled, everything was tossed in the garage and mixed with trash. On the final Saturday, Matt worked briefly and left his crew to finish. I watched them rush cleanup the moment he left, leaving a mess. I later told Matt he should?ve told his crew he?d be back to inspect?it might?ve led to a better outcome. While I appreciated the fast start and no deposit, the lack of professionalism, poor finish, and dismissive responses mean I wouldn?t hire them again."

"Friendly, prompt and great communication. Highly recommended!!"

"Amazing! The visual paint team are Rockstars! I’ve been trying to think of another room to paint just so we can use them again!"

"Ben, Paul and team are excellent! They show up timely each day and take pride in their work. We painted all of the interior walls, trim and custom details like cabinets as well as the exterior of our home and are very impressed with how everything turned out. Each step of the way, they want to be sure you, the client, is pleased with the work and diligently complete the job. If you’re looking for a skilled and reliable paint company, Ben and team are for you!"

"Great job by Chris!"

"Excellent company. Timely, good communication and very affordable while doing great quality work"

"Mark was fantastic to work with for our bathroom remodel in October 2023! He provided quality work at every step and offered design feedback, as well. Mark was easy to communicate with and always responsive to questions. His attention to detail resulted in our beautiful master bathroom!"

"The drywall repair was completed in a professional manner with great respect paid to me and my property. I would hire this company again."