The Zen of House Painting
by Constance Young

Who would have imagined that my terrible choice of contractor would become a lesson in Zen Buddhism? My Zen-like journey started after I responded to a short notice on a Bulletin Board of the local online Freecycle network, a grassroots movement that aims to turn one person’s trash into another person’s treasure. The notice was basically a recommendation for a handyman who had successfully completed some odd jobs for the man who was recommending him. I thought, “I need to have my house painted and can’t afford the high price of professionals, so why not give it a try?”

I phoned this person and he came to my house to give a cost estimate. I will call him Mr. Scary because of his menacing demeanor and two ominous scars on his face. Immediately I sensed that I didn’t want to “commit” entirely to the man. Still, I assumed he knew enough to do a power wash, and so we agreed that he would first “power wash” the outside of the house.

To make a long story short, Scary used a much too powerful nozzle on the power washing hose, damaging the siding. He also refused to use a drop cloth, so I was left with a carpet of paint chips, which he refused to clean, saying flippantly, “The lawnmower will take care of it.” When Scary contacted me again to find out when he was supposed to come finish the job—i.e., paint the house, I told him politely that I had found someone else to do it. His answer: “I already wasted too much time on you.” Then he hung up.

I may have blundered in my first step towards getting my house painted, but the man I ultimately hired to paint my house (let’s call him Zen Housepainter or “Z. H.”) ended up teaching me many useful lessons about hiring and working successfully with contractors. I list some of those lessons here in no particular order:

Lesson #1. Ask the Silent Salesman. “Everyone gives good references,” my Zen Housepainter instructed. “The most reliable reference is the Silent Salesman, or the work itself. This is a very visible trade,” he explained, “and my products are available for viewing by passersby.” True to his word, after we had met and talked, he drove me to see some of the houses he had painted. He also gave me the phone number of a former client with her permission to call and visit the house he’d painted. It was done in a meticulously dazzling yellow, and the owner praised him effusively, volunteering, “He is such a perfectionist.”

Do your research. I had visited two local hardware stores for references and gathered a handful of business cards, subsequently e-mailing or calling some of the contractors to get cost estimates. Some people gave very low bids, some higher, but although money was certainly a factor because my funds are very limited, in deciding on “Z. H.” I relied on what I usually think of as my gut, but which the language of Zen refers to as “intuitive insight.” I went with the flow.

Sealing the deal. “Z. H.” came with a pad on our first meeting and sat under the quiet shade of a tree. He seemed knowledgeable about his craft and also shared relevant personal details: He is a very spiritual person (obviously I am too, hence the Zen connection); he was a “military brat” so he is very disciplined; he is “very physical person” (an endurance bicyclist in his spare time), which he informed me is an important quality for the job (something I hadn’t realized). And best of all he assured me that he wanted to do a good job for me.

Doing the Job Right. “I know you’ll be happy with what I do,” he told me. SOLD! In my experience, many contractors are only interested in the money, doing the job fast, and getting out. Some even juggle a few jobs at a time, leaving one house partially primed or painted for weeks while attending to another. I learned later that “Z.H.” was indeed highly disciplined and had a firm working schedule. “Z.H.” at work exemplified the Zen principle of training the mind and body to become one. Even in a sunny 100° heat, he worked from about 8:30 to 4 or 5 pm, with three well-defined breaks. Once he started a house, only rain and weekends interrupted his climb to perfection.

“Z. H.” even told me that the money wasn’t that important, and after some negotiating, he lowered his price as proof, further convincing me that he really wanted to do the job. This is important because no one wants to be considered an afterthought. He also had a clear working plan:

Zen Housepainter’s Nine Steps to an Excellent Exterior Paint Job

Gauge sun lines. The contractor should identify sun-lines (how the sun moves around the house), to identify areas that must be dry. (Surfaces must be dry before painting).

Gauge Access points. The contractor must gauge access points, and remove interferences (tie back plants, and so on).

Prime. “The use of a primer is very important.” He primes the base wood and the entire house, recommending white instead of a colored primer so the painter won’t miss spots when colored paint is laid down.

Scrape.

Sand.

Caulk.

Fill nail heads, usually with oil putty or exterior patching compound.

Finish painting the trim.

Finish painting the body of the house.

More do’s and don’ts. The surface must be clean (free of mold, dirt, atmospheric salts and other contaminants), and dry—never paint a wet surface. Also, the surface must be sound, with no flaking paint, rotten wood or loose boards. Ladders should have “mittens” on top so as not to damage the new paint job.

I might add that “Z. H.” and his part-time assistant did several extras for me, including removing a rusty awning and rusty gutters (which he carted to the scrap heap with my approval), and re-installing some good gutters. He also came well prepared with many ladders and planks of wood to stand on.

Choosing colors: After I had completed my research to narrow my brand choices based on online recommendations (e.g., Consumer’s Report online), we discussed color. He uses Benjamin Moore (recommended online), and since my house is over 130 years old, he suggested their “historic color” line. Even before signing a contract, he loaned me a string of color chips to help me decide, and made suggestions, even vetoing my original choice (a historic dusty pink, which may have been OK for a Victorian but not for my unassuming old farmhouse). Another interesting snippet: “People don’t like blue houses,” he said. When I chose a soft green with white trim, he added “Geniuses like green.” (Nothing sells like flattery.)

If you, like I, want an exceptional job that will have “curb appeal,” adding to your house’s resale value, or simply pleasing your own eyes, consider “Z.H.”’s criteria for choosing a paint contractor:

Tips for Choosing a Good Paint Contractor

Must be “fussy” (a perfectionist)

Should be neat in appearance (a clue to how the house might look)

Should be fit—90% of your cost is labor” and the job requires endurance (“It is a physical trade”).

My addition: he or she should have a clear, well defined plan that considers “staging” and engineering the house for access.