Pedro Zapata & Sons Painting & Tile

Pedro Zapata was referred to me by an associate. In late April, 2013, he and I set an appointment for an estimate. Mr Zapata gave me a combined estimate of $2,400 for the extensive replastering, repair, and painting of a three-story hall's walls (excluding the painting of the doors and moldings) and installing shoe moldings in five rooms of an apartment in a Victorian-era building. He indicated that he had 25 years of painting experience and had repaired/replaced plaster work with mesh screening and that he could start in about two weeks. I accepted immediately, sending him a one-third deposit. (I had previously gotten two estimates for the hallway project and three for the shoe moldings, and combining both jobs, Mr Zapato beat them by at least $800. One guy, when I indicated I was ready to start, actually raised his price.) I was satisfied upon viewing the completed shoe moldings job which was finished within a week, and the moldings didn't need painting. Mr Zapata said he would start the hall the following week and would need the specific paint color numbers. I forwarded him another third of the total cost and gave him the brand and numbers for the specific paint. At the end of the following week, I returned and was very impressed with the finished plaster work, but disappointed with one of the paint colors. Instead of being mahogony, it was a roan, reddish brown color that not only didn't match the doors and moldings, but which I didn't like at all. Pedro said he would redo that part of the job if he could get that paint, explaining that the paint store didn't have the specific color number, but chose one that they thought was close. I gave him a partially-full can of the mahogony paint and told him, if necessary, I would travel to Bayonne (New Jersey) where I had purchased the paint six years ago . Afterall, the doors and all moldings would have to be completely redone. He called when the work was redone, and I was satisfied that he corrected this mistake with the right color at no extra charge, and I paid him the balance on May 17th The only issues I have was the coating of plaster dust everywhere and a few tiny areas were the mesh is exposed. I would definitely recommend Mr Zapata for the quality of his work and for taking responsibility for a mistake without giving me a hard time and then making a prompt correction.