Best Specialty Finishes in San Jose CA
Electrician
Note, the 5 star reviews reference large jobs, where Vinh was onsite. I went through a pretty shitty experience so it's my duty to share to the Yelposphere. Vinh this is my warning: you know what you did, so don't bother to contact me.
Vinh fit me in within 1 week and coordinated via SMS and photos. The Yelp quote system makes you fill an extensive form to explain your job -- he didn't read it and made me explain it all via phone again but I was eager to get it done and therefore completely flexible to his timeline and recommendations. I have screenshots of our chat I'll upload later for proof. Summary:
- Pale lime green to creamy yellow, no trim, no doors painted, just walls in 1 bd with 1 window, 1 closet. He said it should take 2 coats. He quoted a price. I knew it was high, but allowed it given the timeline and the lack of other painters available. I did not argue, and said I'd be providing the paint.
- I wanted eggshell. He said oh, no ... flat would be better, it'll dry faster.
- Me, paraphrased: I'm going to go buy Behr then. Do I need to get anything else? Like primer? He said, No, paint today includes primer, no need. He did NOT have an issue with Behr.
- I wanted holes patched. He added $100 to patch holes.
- In our prep phone call he said he'd be bringing one guy, his best guy.
DAY OF
- Vinh arrived on time 10 am + TWO guys. He upsells me on how his business could have handled room prep that I hired another guy for, and how they do handiwork and other things. He leaves to be onsite for other jobs.
- They used cheap plastic, untaped, putting in the least amount of effort to protect my floors and furniture. End of job they even put a paint can on my CARPET and checked AFTER to see if it was dry. (Dude. Use a paper bag. Or the ground outside. There was totally paint on my couch after.)
- His best painter, M, handles the cut - outlining of the wall with brush. The other guy, handles the patching and walls. I was too late to catch that before the painting of the wall began they did NOT sand and prep the patched holes and smooth surfaces down. This should be INCLUDED in the paint job, ESPECIALLY for the price charged. That's a GIVEN to check with patching.
- At 11:30ish, they take a one hour break. During their break, I check -- the wall coat is OK, but the cut is streaked and totally see-through and uneven. So I call that out and M makes excuses but I say, that is going to need three coats.
- They proceed. Note, this is the FASTEST job ever; the whole time they keep mentioning how they have to go to another job. Clearly, Vinh wanted to use me for a fast buck for little effort and who cares if I actually get a great paint job. They started at 10 and left before 2 - inclusive of their 1 hour break.
- After: The paint is still green tinged and I ask M what's going on and he says he told the boss he doesn't like how it looks and I see the paint is still drying. M calls the boss and the boss (Vinh) keeps talking OVER me while I try to explain that with low light I can't completely tell and would like to do a 3rd coat and he says -- $100 more dollars. He actually tells me to get a lamp and hair dryer and use it on the wall because he wants to solve this right now over the phone (since he's busy ...). He has a business to run and can't be onsite for every job and I shouldn't have used Behr (!). I say, you didn't say you'd charge me this price and ONLY do 2 coats to get the right color. He says he's doing me a favor allowing the 3rd cut.
THIS is what pissed me off. He starts being utterly disrespectful and mansplaining the truth away. Says he has to pay his guys (not my fault your 1 guy became 2!) and that he'd promised only 2 coats.
I asked, is my being a woman a problem? He says he's not like that and talks about his awesomeness as a business man who doesn't need to make $$ he's so successful and how life's about going home at night to wife and kids, all to excuse away treating me like shit. His ACTIONS were speaking way louder than his words.
He wanted to just be done with it and kept flipping between conciliatory and talking all over me so I couldn't get a word in edgewise. Then offered to coat 3 - the next week. He had too much of my time and money, and didn't even deserve that. So I hired a pro off another app to come do the trim, fix the patch errors and drip stains and hard nap roller marks, and paint another wall coat to fix the fast, sloppy job they'd done. He did it all for $150.
The painters were capable - but needed direction and a non-shady owner. Sorry, I'm not made of money to just throw it away. I expect to not be held hostage to get the color I paid for. I have never in my life had a painting team nickel and dime me $100 a pop for what should be included in a paint job. Patching small holes? You literally smear a spatula dude. And now I have flat paint walls that mark up easily b/c you were about a fast job, not a good one.
Women and smaller jobs beware.
Vinh fit me in within 1 week and coordinated via SMS and photos. The Yelp quote system makes you fill an extensive form to explain your job -- he didn't read it and made me explain it all via phone again but I was eager to get it done and therefore completely flexible to his timeline and recommendations. I have screenshots of our chat I'll upload later for proof. Summary:
- Pale lime green to creamy yellow, no trim, no doors painted, just walls in 1 bd with 1 window, 1 closet. He said it should take 2 coats. He quoted a price. I knew it was high, but allowed it given the timeline and the lack of other painters available. I did not argue, and said I'd be providing the paint.
- I wanted eggshell. He said oh, no ... flat would be better, it'll dry faster.
- Me, paraphrased: I'm going to go buy Behr then. Do I need to get anything else? Like primer? He said, No, paint today includes primer, no need. He did NOT have an issue with Behr.
- I wanted holes patched. He added $100 to patch holes.
- In our prep phone call he said he'd be bringing one guy, his best guy.
DAY OF
- Vinh arrived on time 10 am + TWO guys. He upsells me on how his business could have handled room prep that I hired another guy for, and how they do handiwork and other things. He leaves to be onsite for other jobs.
- They used cheap plastic, untaped, putting in the least amount of effort to protect my floors and furniture. End of job they even put a paint can on my CARPET and checked AFTER to see if it was dry. (Dude. Use a paper bag. Or the ground outside. There was totally paint on my couch after.)
- His best painter, M, handles the cut - outlining of the wall with brush. The other guy, handles the patching and walls. I was too late to catch that before the painting of the wall began they did NOT sand and prep the patched holes and smooth surfaces down. This should be INCLUDED in the paint job, ESPECIALLY for the price charged. That's a GIVEN to check with patching.
- At 11:30ish, they take a one hour break. During their break, I check -- the wall coat is OK, but the cut is streaked and totally see-through and uneven. So I call that out and M makes excuses but I say, that is going to need three coats.
- They proceed. Note, this is the FASTEST job ever; the whole time they keep mentioning how they have to go to another job. Clearly, Vinh wanted to use me for a fast buck for little effort and who cares if I actually get a great paint job. They started at 10 and left before 2 - inclusive of their 1 hour break.
- After: The paint is still green tinged and I ask M what's going on and he says he told the boss he doesn't like how it looks and I see the paint is still drying. M calls the boss and the boss (Vinh) keeps talking OVER me while I try to explain that with low light I can't completely tell and would like to do a 3rd coat and he says -- $100 more dollars. He actually tells me to get a lamp and hair dryer and use it on the wall because he wants to solve this right now over the phone (since he's busy ...). He has a business to run and can't be onsite for every job and I shouldn't have used Behr (!). I say, you didn't say you'd charge me this price and ONLY do 2 coats to get the right color. He says he's doing me a favor allowing the 3rd cut.
THIS is what pissed me off. He starts being utterly disrespectful and mansplaining the truth away. Says he has to pay his guys (not my fault your 1 guy became 2!) and that he'd promised only 2 coats.
I asked, is my being a woman a problem? He says he's not like that and talks about his awesomeness as a business man who doesn't need to make $$ he's so successful and how life's about going home at night to wife and kids, all to excuse away treating me like shit. His ACTIONS were speaking way louder than his words.
He wanted to just be done with it and kept flipping between conciliatory and talking all over me so I couldn't get a word in edgewise. Then offered to coat 3 - the next week. He had too much of my time and money, and didn't even deserve that. So I hired a pro off another app to come do the trim, fix the patch errors and drip stains and hard nap roller marks, and paint another wall coat to fix the fast, sloppy job they'd done. He did it all for $150.
The painters were capable - but needed direction and a non-shady owner. Sorry, I'm not made of money to just throw it away. I expect to not be held hostage to get the color I paid for. I have never in my life had a painting team nickel and dime me $100 a pop for what should be included in a paint job. Patching small holes? You literally smear a spatula dude. And now I have flat paint walls that mark up easily b/c you were about a fast job, not a good one.
Women and smaller jobs beware.
San Jose, CA