Background:

Hired a painter for the first time for the last reno, last summer.

Did an excellent quality work at the pace of molasses running uphill in January.

Hired him again to paint the current reno, due to his quality & taking into account I still have other work to do - like stuff in the yard - so his speed would not slow down when I can get it rented. Worst case, I could show it while he's still finishing up.

He was to start Monday (2 days ago), and I said Wed will be one warm day when the exterior trim & shed need to be painted.

Instead, when we met at the property Mon AM, he said he'll start Wed (takes offense when I ask why) Then we discussed how he might like to start hiring help. I say OK - as long as they are working WITH you & up to your standards.

Tuesday AM he called to reassure me he'd be starting Wed and decided to just do it himself. GOOD! Later Tuesday, as I was dropping off the rest of the paint, someone else arrived who said he was sent to look at the job by the first painter. Hmmm.... I think he changed his mind about having help - Okay.

Today:

It was a little after ten when I got there & a different guy I had never met was there setting up a pressure washer. ????

After a while, the guy I met Tuesday came & dropped off a roll of rosin paper then disappeared for the rest of the day until he came back to pick up pressure washer man at 6PM.

First painter took offense when I called to ask where he was, and claimed that is what we agreed to (NOT). He "guarantees" he'll fix it if they do anything wrong. Said he'll be by in about an hour and a half to check on things. (never came)

So, I was there all day working outside on brick paver work & watching pressure washer man work. He had a machine that didn't run too well, a little bleach & a lot of time spraying water. At the end of the day, the house is not clean, but I can tell he is willing to work & trying to do his best with what he had. Talked to him about maybe hiring him in the future for labor work. Also found out he gets $10/hr.

Anyway, when the Tuesday guy comes to pick up PW man, I asked him what he was told the job was, and when would he expect to be done. He never heard anything about exterior painting. Says he and one other guy will get the entire job (inside only) tomorrow.

This is a 2 BR/1Bath house, about 850 sf. Trim needs to be caulked, then EVERYTHING needs to be Kilzed, then 2 coats of paint. Flat white ceilings, semi-gloss white trim, doors, closets w/ shelves & cut in grey walls. I'm thinking that's not possible to do in one day, with proper drying time and neatness required.

Is it possible?

My gut is screaming NO! I want to just call the whole thing off & use a different painter.

What would you do?

It's a contract price for the whole job.

You could really do caulk & three coats in one day? With different colors & sheens? It seems impossible without cutting corners. (but I have been wrong once or twice before ; )

When I called original painter this evening, he said he can call off the subs & do it himself starting tomorrow. I don't know.... it seems he already basically said he doesn't want to do the job by sending the subs. And, the way he's talking about me going back on my word & not being fair, etc - like he knows I just planned to do this all along (Huh?) I just don't see it going well.

I've already called another painter I have used to take a look at the job tomorrow.

I think I need to listen to my gut & err on the side of caution. I just hate situations like this.

I'd grab the ball and run with it.

Thanks for reminding me why I performed

97% of the work, by myself.

a quality paint job requires a primer and two coats of finish paint. DJ, you have a higher standard like I do and it seems RB does. caulking carefully can also be a time sink. in my mind you don't need zinnzer unless you have problem areas w bleed through and then that's a spot treatment.

To those we say sub it all out I say heres your proof. I have enough tenant headaches don't need worker headaches.

Painting contractor joke::::::::

I have seen your completed projects first hand and you do and expect class A work.

Paint takes time to dry and time to cure. How long depends on the amount of humidity.

If you are expecting a coat of killz, two coats of paint and then trim painted - all on the inside....this no longer becomes a mater of how much paint you can spread (12-15 gals using a roller in a day) but how quickly can the paint dry and cure in place. NE is correct about a two person job if it is all one color and its dry - about two five hour shifts and about fours in between.

Where your painter can absolutely do this job - I am thinking you are going to way behind your desired schedule by using them.

Quick follow-on question: If OP hires the other painter, how does OP protect from getting a contractor lien placed on the property by the first guy (who's already shown he has an attitude). I would do the same thing (move on).