Five Star Painting of Raleigh

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The paint crew arrived unannounced one day earlier than the contract specified to start the job, which is good. However, I had planned to remove window treatments that day because the contract specifies doing that was my responsibility. Since I hadn't been told the crew would be early, the crew chief agreed to remove the treatments so they could proceed. My assumption was that since I agreed to allow the crew remove the treatments - so they could start the job early - the company would agree to re-install them. To my amateur eyes, the paint job was somewhere between fair and good. Most of the punch list items weren't serious, but the list did include obvious items such as areas easily seen that weren't painted, areas where the paint was obviously streaked, hardware such as a shelf support bracket not being reinstalled, one railing left unpainted where it's match should also have been painted, etc. There were several places where the paint extended beyond the border where it should have stopped and it was left in place. It took three visits for me to accept that the punch list items were completed. Regarding the treatments, the crew re-installed a few, but a company rep decided it wasn't their responsibility and that work was stopped. The quality of some of the those re-installations was poor (very loose brackets, and important hardware on two sets of drapes not re-installed). The rep and I talked about that and they re-installed one or two more treatments, but not all. In addition to the window treatments, I asked the rep to re-hang a small message board the crew had removed. He refused and told me that in the future he'd only complete work in my house the realtor authorized him to do. This was after I had already paid the full invoice amount of $2966.66. My overall D rating is largely based on that refusal. I did hire the contractor to complete a small associated paint project that wasn't in the original contract, but that was before the refusal. If he had made the refusal first, I wouldn't have authorized the add-on.

It was a very good experience. It was a fair price and it was worth it.

All the work was performed quickly and efficiently. The workmen completed everything in one day, took care of moving everything necessary without damage, cleaned up afterwards, and did a walk through at the end. The owners called a few days later to make sure we were happy with the results. A very pleasant overall experience, and the results look wonderful.

They were excellent and worked a lot of hours. Robin was great he gave me a lot of pointers and explained everything to me in detail. He told me the truth and held nothing back and also ways to improve things. He wasn't trying to milk me or trick me into something I didn't need. He gave me the price it would cost and if it was going to cost more because of problems he would let me know in advance. Pedro and his brother and crew were excellent and did a fantastic job and showed me everything before he did it. When something they did we wanted them to change some they did it right away without any questions. Pedro was always helping us and going way beyond what he was required to do. Dealing with him was great and he is a very nice person and also the rest of the crew was very nice and polite and worked at least 10 hours or more and hardly stopped. We had a few problems with the paint after they finished a week later and I contacted Robin he had them out a few days later and fixed it at no charge. They stand behind their job and will come back and make it right, they just don't walk away and so oh well we did what we said and we won't fix anything we did. I would use them over and over again they take great pride in their work and care about their customers. Thanks Robin, Pedro, his brother and they other men.

The response to my request for an estimate was prompt and accurate. Bruce Jones answered all my questionns in a professional manner, and with a sense of humor. He made suggestions regarding things I had never even considered. The estimate was e-mailed the next day, with reasonable prices. There was a misunderstanding when it came to scheduling which resulted in a 5-day delay. (When we hadn't heard from anyone to set up a time, we had to call to find out when we would be scheduled. They apologized profusely and sceduled us for the next day. The painters arrived promptly, were friendly and professional. They repaired all bumps and holes, removed all switch plates, and moved and covered all furniture and lamps. The job was completed by 6:00 pm, all plates replaced and the furniture was replaced. Maynor and Boris did a fabulous job. We could not find a single flaw. We were completely satisfied with Five Star Painting and would not hesitate to use them again, or to recommend them to anyone.

Everything was done that was expected and the work was excellent. I will definitely use them in the future.

Renee answered when I called and took our information about the job, what we wanted to do, colors we were considering and told they had decorators on staff to help us pick colors, if necessary. Bruce, the estimator, met us within hours of my initial call and gave a guaranteed cost estimate. Even though we used 8 different colors inside our home, the painting crew finished by the completion time promised. This was especially impressive since they had to re-paint a room because our original color selection turned out to be awful! The paint crew corrected every little error (or perceived error) we pointed out and cleaned up at the close of every day. After the job was finished, the supervisor, Chad, came over and checked on our satisfaction. He saw a couple of nearly invisible paint drops, then got down on the hardwood floor and checked every place to make sure nothing was missed. Every aspect of our dealings with Five Star was first class and I would recommend them without hesitation.

Painters did an average to good job as far as quality, and painters arrived as expected and finished in a reasonable amount of time. My problem with them was mainly pricing, especially involving repair work. Original quote to do all work was under $4,000, and I chose the company as part of that selection criteria from the 3-4 quotations I received from painters. After the painters began work, additional charges for repairs amounting to over $500 were discovered. Admittedly, I was anticipating some additional repairs in the $100-$200 range, but $500 increased the cost by over 10% of the estimate to $4,519! (competitors may have gotten the job if that was known initially) Job was completed satisfactorily, and then I received the final bill on my credit card. To my surprise, the final cost had now climbed to $4,609. Bruce explained the additional charge was a fee for using a credit card. He said my wife had been informed of this upfront, but she didn't remember this being discussed. Nowhere on the contract that I signed did it state that a finance charge would be added to the written quote indicated. I honestly believe ALL costs should be disclosed on the contract, including any fee for using a credit card. My final comment again relates to wood repair/replacement. Wood was replaced on several window frames, as a result, I can no longer replace screens in my windows. Replaced wood sections do not have the channel or slot used to attach screens. I was told that there was basically nothing that could be done about it. I guess I can just throw a couple hundred dollars worth of screens in the trash now.

Bruce, the owner, came out to give me an estimate and explained the parameters of the Groupon deal he was offering clearly. He told me to go pick out the colors, and they would schedule as soon as possible. I agonized over it, but finally settled on two colors of Behr paint at Home Depot. I didn't know that 5 Star only liked to use Sherwin Williams paint - which of course is much more expensive! But that didn't affect the estimate Bruce gave me, they stuck to their price - the actual painter who came out had 25 years experience and worked with the local Sherwin Williams store to get the colors right. The living room was perfect - in fact the painter's apprentice took pictures of it on his phone before he left! But the dining room did NOT look the way i envisioned it! I was going for 'Colonial Estate' and ended up with a 'Miami Beachouse' look - yikes! Bruce came out with the local Sherwin Williams rep, and after we all looked at it I had to agree - they matched the colors. It just looked COMPLETELY different when it actually went on my walls. They both advised me to use color samples and actually put the paint on the walls to decide. So, I worked with the local Shrewin Williams store and, although it cost me some money to do the samples they did ALOT to help keep that cost down! And when it was time to come back out, Bruce really went above and beyond to help keep my extra cost down for 5 Star's labor. It was totally worth it - as badly as I chose the first time around, that was how well it turned out with the new colors. The painter told me it was because my trim wasn't white, it was more ivory/cream and that can totally change the color once its on the walls. Yup - it sure did! It looks great now, I couldn't be happier with the way my home looks and I really appreciate 1) What I learned (i.e., always put samples on the wall before you choose your paint color!) and 2) everything Bruce did to make this job work out right in the end! Great job.

Very well. Exceeded expectations

Overall they were responsive and provided great customer service. I would use them again for painting only.

I think it went extremely well. It went a little slower than anticipated, but that was more do to Five Star taking the time to do the job right. I was very impressed with their work, and they really went the extra mile to make sure things were done correctly. That is a rare experience! I will definitely hire them again for any painting and repair type work and would highly recommend them to others.

I do not remember the cost. They were very good. I would recommend them to others. I would use them again in the future.

Overall, I would give Five Star (Raleigh) and "A-," which is pretty good as far as painters go. I have had my 22 year old home painted 4 or 5 times in the years I have owned it (since it was built) and I would say my experience with Five Star is at the top of those 4 or 5 experiences. I imagine that if I were willing to pay double the money, I might have had an experience that I could rate with an unequivocal "A," but price is a factor and Five Star definitely provides the best service around at the price I paid. The pros: 1. They provide a very detailed contract from the beginning, so it is quite clear what the expectations are and what everything costs. The contract can be amended as you go on, but you are always in control of what you want to have done and you know what each thing is going to cost. When they were replacing a few pieces of siding on my chimney that had some rot, they found some other pieces on the chimney that needed to be replaced. They literally consulted me with each additional piece so that I wouldn't be surprised. 2. They provide a range of useful services, including wall-paper removal and wood repair. I needed to have some repair work done to a window that required a more skilled carpenter, and Dave Bartelt (who was the project manager for my job and has, unfortunately, moved on to a different company) was honest with me that he thought his folks did not have the skills required for that part of the job. That impressed me and I was able to hire someone else to make sure that part of the job was done well. 3. They work fast. They send out large crews and get the job done in fewer days than I've had it done in the past. 4. They do what needs to be done to do the job correctly. I have had nightmares with wallpaper removal before. This crew knew how to seal the wall after removing the wallpaper, so that the new paint would stick properly, and it has. I also had one wall that, despite several coats of paint, was getting bleed-through from previous paint. They came back, oil-primed the wall and then repainted it. Problem solved. 5. Their price is excellent. I had several estimates and their price for all aspects of the job was lower. 6. Clean-up was good. Each day they left the house looking as clean as possible. 7. The project manager offered me low-odor paint as soon as we started talking, even though that paint is harder for painters to work with. It was fantastic! 8. In any large job, there are going to be a few things that were not done correctly the first time. I have a good eye for detail and there have been previous paint jobs in my home where the painters were clearly annoyed when I pointed out little things that were not done right. But with Five Star, whenever I mentioned any of these things, the response was always "we'll take care of it" and they did! 9. Everyone, from the project manager, to the on-site manager, to the individual painters, was so polite and respectful to me. The cons (not many - and keep this in perspective - I had a lot of work done over two weeks and almost everything went really well); 1. I think because the crew was so large, a few things were misplaced during the job. These were minor things - two bathrobe hooks and multiple screws from switch plates and a little allen wrench. Five Star offered to pay for anything that was missing. I think this is something they could tighten up on - rather than have the painters carry things in their pocket, maybe there could be a box where all the screws and hooks are placed until they need to be reinstalled. 2. There was some tension between one of the carpenters and the on-site painting manager. The manager was a "get things done and do it quickly" kind of guy and the carpenter was a "do things right" kind of guy (which was actually more important to me), and I could tell he felt really pushed by the manager. The carpenter ended up working a very long day because he found extra rotten boards and the manager really rode him to get it done that day. I spoke to the project manager about this (it happened the first day) and I imagine he said something to the on-site manager, because there were no further issues. Summary: I would hire Five Star again in a heartbeat. They did excellent work at an excellent price. I usually find the experience of having my home painted to be unpleasant - it smells bad, it takes a long time, and I have to clean up the cigarette butts and drink cans when the painters leave. That was NOT my experience with Five Star - everyone was courteous and professional and treated both me and my home with respect. I have four rooms in my house that were not in need of painting this go-round and you can be sure I'll be calling Five Star when it's time to paint those rooms.

Their price was competitive. I had three others and they were right there in the middle. The services they offered were complete and also what I was looking for. They could do it when I wanted it done. They did a good job. The workers were very good but it was hard when they don't speak English. They were very nice and did everything they were supposed to do. They always cleaned up at the end of the day.

They were punctual in coming for the estimate, providing the estimate and doing the work. The work was done in a professional manner and high quality. they cleaned up well and checked back a few days afterward to make sure not additional touch up was needed. The price was a little higher than I expected considering that I had a Groupon discount but was acceptable. the only minor complaint that I had was that, in going back and forth on the price, scope of work and how to do the work, their recommendations changed a bit. Overall, a good experience.

I found them on Angie?s List. They seemed to be competent and know what they were talking about. They were pretty responsive. The quote was for $3500. I did not use them because I was not really in a position to do the work. I would consider using them again in the future.

The job went well. It was on time and on budget, except the job took ? longer than expected. They offered to come back several times to touch up as it is difficult to find shading when paint is wet.

Fantastic work, definitely recommend for any size job.

Crew was efficient, cheerful, and cleaned up after each day. Very polite crew. Mindful of my convenience. They were very concerned that they were meeting my expectations. Price was very competitive, but the job was superior compared to those of prior years (two different companies). To my surprise they used the paint they said they would and did not switch paint brand like all my others did. Repairs were done expertly. Wish I'd had them paint my interior; however, my other two rooms need done and I definitely will phone them.

We had a bad oil stain on our kitchen ceiling, which was quite difficult to remove. William, who led the crew, effectively scraped the ceiling and painted it twice. We were pleased with the crew's professionalism in moving items in our rooms in order to paint the walls. They were fast and thorough. Bruce Jones provided follow-up to make sure we were satisfied, and William returned to smooth out the paint on a difficult bathroom wall that had wallpaper removed. All in all, it was a big job in the hottest time of the year, and we were very pleased with the results. In addition, the crew did the job exactly as we had requested, with colors we selected, and in the manner that we wanted.

It went awesome! They stuck to their word, did great work. Thank god customer service at its finest still prevails.

Very good experience. Adam Gilpatrick, the general manager, called prior to the estimate appointment to inquire about arriving a little early. He answered the questions I had and e-mailed the quote within 24 hours. The bid was far lower than any others, so I called to ask some questions. Bruce Jones provided knowledgeable answers to all of my questions and I realized that the bid was so low because the other vendors quoted two coats of paint. Bruce explained that as long as the ceilings had been previously painted, then only one coat is necessary if the color is not being changed. I could confirm from experience rolling one room with the popcorn staying up that the builder had painted. I suspected that the other vendors would come down into the same range if I asked for re-bids for single coat, but was pleased that Five Star had made me aware of this cost saving measure and decided to go with them. When scheduling the job, Bruce advised me that the painters would move furniture as necessary but that I should pack away as many non-furniture items as possible so as to avoid damage and speed completion of the job. The painters arrived on time and started to prep for spraying. I had advised Adam and Bruce that, with the exception of one small bedroom, I would be painting the walls in the near future and did not mind if they got some spray on them, as long as they were cleaned up. The painter advised me that in the room where the walls had already been painted, because of the texture of the ceiling, the walls could not be taped off perfectly and there may be some spots needing touch up. He offered to do the touch up himself if I provided the paint, but I declined as I did not see anything noticeable. When I checked in after 4 hours, they were almost finished and showed me the rooms that were done. They asked me if there were any spots I was not satisfied with so that they could spray again while everything was covered. After 6.5 hours, they called to say they had finished and I returned home to find everything cleaned up and the furniture put back the way it had been.