Alan's Fine Finishes

Alan and his crew had a HUGE job ahead of them when they started late Fall '13. Our 104-year-old home needed extensive paint removal and wood repair in order to prep for a big paint job. Of the three painters I interviewed, Alan was most knowledgeable on older homes, had the best and most relevant referrals, proposed the most comprehensive scope of work, and seemed genuinely excited about our project. With the help of a designer, we chose a 7-color palette to transform our home from the baby blue disaster it was to the dramatic, historically consistent Victorian we wanted it to be. Alan was happy to indulge our adventurous plan for this project, and helped us tweak the application based on his experience and eye for color.
Shortly after getting started, the weather turned making it very difficult to continue work. On days without rain or snow the crew would work on sanding and patching, but no primer or paint could be applied at low temperatures. During the winter Alan worked when possible, and otherwise kept in communication to let us know when we should expect him back. As soon as the weather broke, Alan and his crew were back working on the house, and they were able to make good progress in late winter and early spring.
From my experience in construction, I know that the key to a good paint job is preparation and selection of the right products. Alan and his crew worked diligently to prepare the house for finishes by pressure washing, scraping, sanding, and patching the various surfaces. They repaired soft spots and replaced rotten clapboards, cornice pieces and trim boards. Alan uses only good-quality caulk (not the store-bought cheap stuff) and professional tinted bonding primers to ensure adhesion of the finish paint to all surfaces. Final coats were Sherwin-Williams Emerald with satin finish - their top of the line product with lifetime warranty.
Workmanship was excellent, better than any I have seen in 17 years inconstruction. All painting was done by brush with the exception of a deck coating applied to the concrete porch with rollers. Vertical trim boards were painted on three sides; most painters only paint the face and let the siding color run onto the sides of trim. Crown moldings, quarter rounds and other cornice pieces were painted an accent color; lines are clean at adjoining colors with all work cut-in nicely. The brick foundation was painted with a heavy coat of product designed for masonry. The Tuscan porch columns were painted with accents at the base and cap - Alan would have added additional detail to the columns but on close inspection we found they did not match one another. Several windows needed re-glazing, and Alan even helped rebuild two attic windows that were beyond repair. The garage was also painted (including the overhead door) along with the exterior doors, storm door, and all window screens.