# Any Painters here?



## Firecracker (Aug 19, 2005)

I have ceilings to Paint and I had a guy come over giving me a Quote for $ 100 per ceiling/per room. I buy the Paint, he will tape it off and paint it.
He is on Lay off and it be straight cash. 

Now I know nothing about current prices, can someone tell me wether thats a good price.??

Its pop corn ceilings & cathedriel ceiling (sp) 
It already been painted once, so no Priming needed.
Our WHOLE house is about 2000 sq BUT not all of it needs to be done. Master bath and Daughters room is already done.

Just looking for Input


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## LushLife (Mar 3, 2008)

A hundred bucks per room sounds rather inexpensive.

Is he spraying?

Personally, I wouldn't let him in my house as it sounds like he won't be carrying any liability insurance - if he damages something your homeowners ins. won't cover it. Also, if he is badly injured (assume no work comp) then I hope your homeowners liability limits are high enough for all of his medical, rehab & lost wages...


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## Firemedic (Apr 5, 2005)

I hope he is not spraying. To paint a few ceilings is not worth the hassle of cleaning the sprayer. The price sounds right, but as LL said, I wouldn't hire him without insurance. I owned a residential/commercial/light industrial painting business for 6 years before I sold it. I have never seen a "professional" tape off to paint a ceiling. Their cut-in lines should be tight enough to 86 the tape.


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## Firecracker (Aug 19, 2005)

he is a neighbor of mine, so I dont think he would sue me but thanks it gives me something else to think about.

he said he would not spray,,,,, 

Like I said I have NO idea, I just want my Ceilings painted lol


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## zx10r2004 (Sep 24, 2005)

its a good deal as long as you trust the guy. i have worked in painting for 10 years and was taught not to use tape.


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## Firecracker (Aug 19, 2005)

cool, thanks..... figured people here are much smarter then me on things like that.

I know I dont want to mess with the ceilings, I'll do the walls but no thank you on the ceilings and after 9 years !!!!!! I think its DUE !!!


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

zx10r2004 said:


> its a good deal as long as you trust the guy. i have worked in painting for 10 years and was taught not to use tape.


 Tapeing with a popcore ceiling is a good idea.Reason being it would be hard as hell to cut in a straight line with a brush.The norm would not to use tape with a smooth finish but you dont have that.Long as he tarps off everything sounds like a good deal.Elk5012 paints for a living PM him.I use to for many yrs.Thats how i would do it myself,Mich


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

Tape? That's for Cristmas presents! Any painter worth his wooster paint brush never uses tape. Is it worth it you say? Let's see. You will need to drag out the tarps, and your trusty "widowmaker" step ladder. Cut in all around the ceiling dragging paint pans and ladder while moving the furniture. THEN, roll the ceiling from the floor with a paint stick, clean up all the equipment, AND move back all the furniture. ALL while hearing the wife say "you missed a spot!". Yeah, it's worth a few hundred dollars to have it completed while you sit back and relax!


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## Firecracker (Aug 19, 2005)

lol I am the wife !

and he would be the one saying *toots* you missed a spot, he is very * detailed* 

And he has a VERY good Ladder, nothing cheap or widowmaking lol


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

OOps! That's what I get for ASSUMING!:lol: Would be a great Christmas gift for all of you though!


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## Firecracker (Aug 19, 2005)

yup Mike is not home so I have to do all of it now ..... so I asked him wether I can start Painting the Ceilings, he told ummmmm NOP you cant because of your Back go ask ******* how much he charges. So i did


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

Nice!


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## Firecracker (Aug 19, 2005)

well ,, good and bad on everything


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## spice64 (Dec 1, 2004)

I'm a painter with about 22 years of experiance. If someone was going to use tape on my cielings I would be scared. Popcorn or not. the problem is paint will get behind the tape and now you will be paying your cheap painter to paint your walls. I can cut any cieling to any wall better without tape than anyone can do it with tape,(TOOT TOOT) Not bragging I just have a ton of experiance. Make sure You get 2 coats so its not blotchy and make sure all is droped out. The popcorn will broadcast pretty bad. If You have any other questions P.M. Me. Larry The Lazer.


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## Elk5012 (Mar 27, 2008)

Thats not that bad of a price. If you have popcorn ceilings, spraying is the way to go. Not only can you get your rooms done fast you won't pull any of the texture off. Only time you get paint behind your tape is by pushing it under the tape with a brush. I'd have 2 coats applied. It's better to get more rooms done at once to get the best deal.


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

Elk5012 said:


> Thats not that bad of a price. If you have popcorn ceilings, spraying is the way to go. Not only can you get your rooms done fast you won't pull any of the texture off. Only time you get paint behind your tape is by pushing it under the tape with a brush. I'd have 2 coats applied. It's better to get more rooms done at once to get the best deal.


 Reason i was going with the tape deal is with a popcorn ceiling.Your going have to Cover the walls.Most painters know to just use the blue tape 3 M and you be fine.Dont forget the painter is only as good as the guy masking .Im use to do alot of airless spraying.Like Elk said thats the way to go.Reason i dont paint no more is im too dam picky :lol:.Sad but true ,Mich


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## Elk5012 (Mar 27, 2008)

I've been painting for over 20 years and blue tape is my hero for masking to finished work. It leaves crisp lines and releases great with no damage. Michigander I'm with ya on the too dam picky, but the return customers like the quality and keep me busy.


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## Firecracker (Aug 19, 2005)

The guy preferd one room at the time , to me didnt matter 

Thanks all ,,,,,


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## Elk5012 (Mar 27, 2008)

Firecracker said:


> The guy preferd one room at the time , to me didnt matter
> 
> Thanks all ,,,,,


It's a setup deal , once the rooms are taped off it takes only a couple minutes to paint each one. So as one room is drying another can be painted, and then go back for a second coat. I'd rather get $350.00 for four ceilings in a day than $500.00 for four ceilings on different days and have to clean out the sprayer each time.


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## spice64 (Dec 1, 2004)

Would someone seriously consider spraying this?:tdo12:


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

spice64 said:


> Would someone seriously consider spraying this?:tdo12:


 With a popcore ceiling yes.Or it going to be a hell of a mess.It can be done but its to each it own.I would be worried about the popcorn coming off with the roller.What if parts of the popcore start to come off ?As a painter i would not want to deal with that chance,Mich


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

I've been painting almost 25 years and I'm with Elk and Michigander on this one, spraying is the way to go especially a popcorn ceiling. If he knows what he's doing and you trust you'll get a good job how ever he does it then $100 a ceiling is a deal. Popcorn ceilings suck cutting in,it can definitely be done but a good painter could tape, dry brush the corners and spray a lot quicker, if it wasn't a popcorn ceiling then I'd cut and roll but like Michigander said what if a chunk or two comes off, that would turn into a major project and kill your profit margin for sure.


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

If I remember correctly she had mentioned that the ceilings have already been painted once before. This will ensure that the popcorn will remain in place! Spraying is for new construction only in my opinion. Overspray is too hard to control without taping and covering everything and that would eat up alot of time.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

Big Reds said:


> If I remember correctly she had mentioned that the ceilings have already been painted once before. This will ensure that the popcorn will remain in place! Spraying is for new construction only in my opinion. Overspray is too hard to control without taping and covering everything and that would eat up alot of time.


Just because it been painted before doesn't mean it won't come down, just means if it does it will be in bigger pieces (seen it happen) and as far as covering things you have to cover everything to roll them .... unless you are using splatter proof paint.... yeah right :lol:

You can spray without hitting the walls so covering them isn't necessary

Every painter has his own preferred method and one's no better than the other,it's all just personal preference.


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## Elk5012 (Mar 27, 2008)

Slodrift said:


> Every painter has his own preferred method and one's no better than the other,it's all just personal preference.


My opinion also. If you can make a profit another way and keep the client happy, go for it. As for texture falling off, most people use popcorn to cover bad ceiling drywall or plaster, and you don't know how well the prep was before they textured it. I stay clear of a roller on textures.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

Elk5012 said:


> .As for texture falling off, most people use popcorn to cover bad ceiling drywall or plaster, and you don't know how well the prep was before they textured it. I stay clear of a roller on textures.


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## spice64 (Dec 1, 2004)

So let Me get this strait , You want to set up a work area, set up a sprayer. drag it and all its lines thru someones house hallways etc. Go buy tape in various colers Tape off everything, Plastic all the walls, furniture, windows, nick nacks the dog the cat, tape in your cut line, spray the cieling, BACK ROLL what yu sprayed "cuz if you dont its gonna look like a monkey painted it". cut in to the tape cut in the corners remove all the tape(of various colers)take all the plastic off the windows,the dog the cat then clean the sprayer ? Lets face it, sprayers have a lot of places and an ocupied home aint one of them. If your afraid of rolling the cieling dont do the job at all, It will have to be backrolled evan if you do spray it. Buy the time you could get the sprayer off the truck I could be done with the 1st room heading for the 2nd.


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## sweatyspartan (May 24, 2004)

I'm an average guy and I do all of my painting myself (I have a hard time paying for something that I can do...CHEAP in other words). I also don't trust my hand for cutting in straight lines. I always use tape. My little secret (and yes...it takes longer) is to put up the tape and on the edge of the tape that you are painting, run a tiny bead of caulk along it. Then rub your finger along that seam taking most of the caulk with you. Then go over that area with a damp rag (remove excess caulk if needed). The caulk seals the tape and doesn't allow for any paint to seep underneath. Yes it takes me longer, but my lines are razor sharp!

Just a tip for those of us who aren't pros


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## Firemedic (Apr 5, 2005)

spice64 said:


> So let Me get this strait , You want to set up a work area, set up a sprayer. drag it and all its lines thru someones house hallways etc. Go buy tape in various colers Tape off everything, Plastic all the walls, furniture, windows, nick nacks the dog the cat, tape in your cut line, spray the cieling, BACK ROLL what yu sprayed "cuz if you dont its gonna look like a monkey painted it". cut in to the tape cut in the corners remove all the tape(of various colers)take all the plastic off the windows,the dog the cat then clean the sprayer ? Lets face it, sprayers have a lot of places and an ocupied home aint one of them. If your afraid of rolling the cieling dont do the job at all, It will have to be backrolled evan if you do spray it. Buy the time you could get the sprayer off the truck I could be done with the 1st room heading for the 2nd.


For once I actually agree with Spice!:lol:

You forgot to add the overspray going into the cold air return and traveling throughout the whole house.


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## spice64 (Dec 1, 2004)

10-4


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

spice64 said:


> Buy the time you could get the sprayer off the truck I could be done with the 1st room heading for the 2nd.


I doubt that!!

To each their own.


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## Firecracker (Aug 19, 2005)

yes it has been painted before, not by us but from the Place we bought it from.

I dont need it to be 100% perfect but I do want it done 99% good lol.. Its just real dingy and *light tan* looking with almost 10 years of the same Paint, I think its time to update it a but


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## mattl (Aug 6, 2005)

Either way you do it, some paint is going to get on the walls either from dripping off the popcorn at the edges or from tape not sticking. Cielings should always be done first anyway. Make sure you have the wall paint handy to re-cut any wall areas. If you're spraying and you have to back-roll texture...sell your airless and get into wallpapering  . If the cielings have been "factory" painted it's probably just colored texture, swipe it with a broom and see what falls off. If this guy isn't a pro don't let him spray and if he is going to roll it have him go to Sherwin Williams and buy a 1" colossus roller cover and have at it....oh btw 34 years experience :yikes:


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

mattl said:


> If you're spraying and you have to back-roll texture...sell your airless and get into wallpapering


 :lol:  Couldn't agree more!


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

mattl said:


> Either way you do it, some paint is going to get on the walls either from dripping off the popcorn at the edges or from tape not sticking. Cielings should always be done first anyway. Make sure you have the wall paint handy to re-cut any wall areas. If you're spraying and you have to back-roll texture...sell your airless and get into wallpapering  . If the cielings have been "factory" painted it's probably just colored texture, swipe it with a broom and see what falls off. If this guy isn't a pro don't let him spray and if he is going to roll it have him go to Sherwin Williams and buy a 1" colossus roller cover and have at it....oh btw 34 years experience :yikes:


 Matt if you do proper tapeing and masking. You dont need to backroll airless spraying.Dont do that broom thing .Thats just asking for a headack.You know crap will fall off.Its popcorn.Mich


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## mattl (Aug 6, 2005)

That's my point on both Mich.


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

I've owned my own painting business for 8 years.

Price sounds cheap. If you trust him, go for it.

Nothing wrong with taping. 3m painters blue is the best stuff around. It makes things FASTER, especially on a textured ceiling. 

If he's spraying and has a good tip in his airless, it'll come out flawless WITHOUT backrolling. (I'd never not backroll a smooth surface though). The room has to be covered in plastic completely though, which can take time. I tend to shy away from spraying unless I deem the shortened paint work is worth the lengthened prep. I find empty rooms easiest to spray.

I paint my ceilings before the walls and then freehand the wall line, but cutting in strictly a ceiling SUCKS on your neck. To compound the suckage factor, he'll get about 4" per brush dip on popcorn, it'll take him a month to cut in a room, and the line will look like crap if he freehands it. On top of that, if it requires a 2nd coat, he'll be in your place for a month. 

That said, I won't hesitate to tape any ceiling, given the right circumstances. If done properly, it will produce a razor edge that is IMPOSSIBLE to match freehanding.

I tape all my trim also. Espically when it requires a 2nd coat. You'll paint circles around someone freehanding. A good painter can tape an entire room in a short time and paint it even faster. You just have to use a quality wall paint, or the tape may peel it when you pull it.


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## double trouble (Nov 20, 2003)

I spray a lot of decks and sprayed all my doors this summer ,but we rolled everything else.I have sprayed new homes too. especially trim. we rolled my popcorn ceilings in my last house.some came down but very little.It can be cut in pretty well with or without tape. It can be done either way but I would not personally want to have rooms sprayed in the winter. They just do not air out and the spray will be in the heating system if it is forced air.
I think spraying is for new or unoccupied living areas. It just makes too much mess. The potential for disaster is too high. 
The price is very fair.tough call


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## spice64 (Dec 1, 2004)

make sure to let us painters know how everything works out.:lol::lol::lol:


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

spice64 said:


> make sure to let us painters know how everything works out.:lol::lol::lol:


 
LOL There does seem to be a lot of painters on these forums. Who'd have thought a simple painting question would evoke 40 responses????:lol:


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