Who do you report your lousy home painter too?

Question

Built my home 2 years ago, the first 6 months the house started to get orange spot all over the outside of it, the house is yellow. They came once that year and only did some touch up and said they would come back to finish the whole house. We called and called and they promised to come back but did not until last year and that was after I spoke with the owner and chewed him out, then he had the nerve enough to say, WE WILL BE THERE WHEN WE WILL! They show up months later, last Sept and did a small section again and said they would have it rapped up the following week, keep in mind all of our windows were and some still are covered in plastic. Still no sign of them and now they claim they will get to it this spring sometime! In the meantime all the model homes around my house are being painted in two days by the same guy which is our builders brother. Seems like once we closed on the house we are totally forgotten, they don't give a rats ***! What can I legally do to these people? My home is a little over 6 thousand sq ft and is nicer than all these model homes so you would think they would get mine done and over with.

This is my first home and I am totally lost as to what my rights are as a new home owner. Any advise would be greatly appreciated, you can also email me.

Answer 1

They have already been paid by the builder for painting your home. If they have to go back that means time off from another job that they are yet to get paid on.
I'm not saying that as an excuse for them just saying that is probably the reason.
There is no excuse for how you are being treated though.

You should have gone through the builder from the beginning since new homes usually have a guarantee from the builder for a certain length of time.

I don't know how long that builder's guarantee is but you might check into it - the builder might be able to light a fire under the painters butt whether it's still under the builders guarantee or not.

If not, you might file a complaint with the BBB, contact your local news and see if they will do a story on it, etc.

Not much help I know, but if you contact the BBB, send your complaints to the builder and painter in writing, sent certified mail return receipt, take pictures of the spots, you may be able to build up a good enough paper trail to take the painter to small claims.

I don't know what kind of material you have on the outside of your house that they painted - wood, stucco, etc.

If it's wood, they throw up houses so fast these days that the wood they use usually isn't totally cured. It could be the water or sap from the wood coming through making those spots. Or the painters may have painted not long after a rain storm and didn't give the wood or stucco time to dry.

Or it could be that the paint itself is bad.
Construction painters usually use "painters grade" material inside and out. Generally pretty fair to poor quality paint.

Even if you get them to correct it, you might consider, at some point, re-painting with a higher quality paint and using different painters.

Start with the builder. If the builder won't help then move onto a letter campaign to both the builder and the painters.
If they still drag their feet, maybe talk to the local news station or file your complaint with the BBB and build up your small claims case.

Keep as detailed records as you can if you think you might file against them. - make copies of "everything", send everything certified mail return receipt, take pictures, etc., etc.