Before hiring RedRock Finishes, Inc. as your contractor, you will undoubtedly have questions. Below, we have compiled many of the questions most frequently asked of us. We hope that we have anticipated many of your questions; but, if not, we hope you will not hesitate to contact us so that we can help you.
Redrock Finishes accepts many forms of payment. Cash, personal, business and bank check, American Express, Discover, Master Card and Visa. We do offer a 2.5% discount when payment is made by cash or check as we will not be charged the processing fee for a credit card transaction. Please be sure to ask for this discount at the time of contract signing.
If you are in the process of selling your house, we recommend selecting a white or off-white color as the choice for interior walls. For the exterior of the home, try to coordinate with the colors of neighboring properties to create a better harmony within the neighborhood.
Should you not be in the process of selling your home it is still recommended to coordinate with the colors of neighboring properties, however the interior walls are your canvas! Light colors may make your area feel larger while dark colors may feel a bit smaller. Accent colors are a great way to combine different areas in a home or just add a splash of color to a single room. Ask a RedRock Finishes team member for assistance if needed. We are here to help in any way we can.
References are available upon request however we do not provide any reference without authorization from our past clients.
While Onondaga and surrounding counties do not offer a contractors license for painting professionals, we are incorporated in the state of New York and fully insured for your protection. We are also EPA Lead Safe Certified.
RedRock Finishes is a new business entity in New York state. Having relocated back to the area from Florida, it was necessary to close our Florida painting company and incorporate in New York state. We were in business in Florida for over a decade serving both commercial and residential clients.
Yes! The use of paint containing lead was banned in 1978. Prior to the ban in 1978, lead paint was commonly used for panting both the interiors and exteriors of homes. The American Healthy Homes Survey (AHHS), conducted from June 2005 through March 2006, measured levels of lead, lead hazards, allergens, arsenic, pesticides and mold in homes nationwide. Based on the survey results, it is estimated that 37.1 million homes (34.9%) have lead-based paint (LBP) somewhere in the building, of which 23.2 million (21.9% of all homes) have one or more lead-based paint hazards. Of homes with lead-based paint, 34.4 million (93%) were built before 1978.
When lead paint begins to deteriorate it can contaminate a household and cause lead poisoning. Even if the paint in your home is in good condition, remodeling and renovation activities can break down paint and cause the lead to emerge. When working with lead-painted surfaces, it is important to contain any debris and clean up thoroughly. People working in those areas should also take precautions to protect themselves from contacting the paint. Personal belongings including furniture should be protected as well when working with lead paint. Always make your painters aware if you know your home has lead paint.
RedRock Finishes is EPA Lead Safe Certified for your protection and that of our team members.
When it comes to paint, you get what you pay for. Just because a certain paint is expensive does not always mean it is of better quality. However, many paints that are of a higher price do contain a higher quality of ingredients, and this accounts for the difference in price in many cases. By using better ingredients, you will generally get better durability, flow, color retention and overall quality. This will help to keep your paint in good condition for a longer time, which saves you time and money in the long run. Ask the painting professionals at RedRock Finishes for recommendations that suit both your needs and budget.
There are some simple tell-tale signs to look for.
Interior Painting Test
• You can no longer wipe dirt or marks from the wall surface.
• Fading and / or discoloration
• Cracks, gaps or nail pops in the drywall
• Current wall color does not coordinate with new furniture & decor.
• Just tired of looking at the same old walls
Exterior Painting Test
• Bare masonry or wood
• Paint peeling or cracking
• When you rub your hand on the surface and you see a chalky residue?
• Gaps or cracks in the caulking around windows, doors and trim?
• Ready to change colors and make your home pop again
10 steps to a quality paint job.
1. If your home or commercial building doesn’t have a weep screed, it is recommended that you trench dirt away from the foundation so that the paint begins 3 inches below the surface; otherwise, you may expect peeling imminently.
2. Pressure clean to remove dirt, dust and contaminants from the surfaces.
3. Scrape all remaining loose paint and sand as necessary. Be sure to verify that lead paint has not previously been used to coat your home or building. All homes and buildings built prior to 1979 should be inspected for lead paint prior to starting any project that may disturb existing paint.
4. Repair all damaged areas with appropriate repair materials. For severely damaged areas, your painter may recommend replacement or restoration.
5. If mildew is present have your painter add mildicide treatment to the paint. This will retard fungus or mildew growth in the future.
6. Caulk all open joints that pertain to keeping the home weather-proof. Discuss any additional aesthetic caulking that you desire with your painter prior to commencement of work.
7. Mask all fixtures and protect all critical areas with drop-cloths or painters plastic..
8. Prime all repaired areas, this will seal the surface and ensure proper adhesion.
9. Apply one or two finish coats. One finish coat is sufficient when you are keeping the same color. Applying two finish coats is always recommended when changing to a new color.
10. Clean up, label all paints with color name and location used, and remove all trash.
In the case of interior walls, every time there is a change in ownership or 8 to 10 years because of pictures, nail holes and general wear and tear. Exteriors: stucco, wood and iron will last approximately 10, 5 and 2 years, respectively.
Back rolling is going back over surfaces that have been spray-painted to close pinholes or ensure evenness. Back-rolling also ensures that the paint will touch up.
Our wood decks have turned grey, some to black, and some of the wood is cracking. what should we do?
First off, the graying of the wood is a natural process as the wood ages. You can have the deck pressure cleaned using a commercial deck cleaner to remove the graying from the top layer of the wood. The blackened areas are usually a combination of mildew and decayed wood that many times can also be removed with pressure cleaning. In some cases, individual deck boards may need to be replaced.
If your deck has not been treated with a sealer or finish, the wood will absorb the moisture and this coupled with expansion and contraction due to temperature changes causes cracking. All wood decks should be treated with a water repellent sealer or finish in order to protect the surface and extend the life of the material. A pigmented sealer or finish will last longer than a clear sealer or finish. For help deciding the finish best suited for your deck, contact a RedRock Finishes team member.
On a regular basis, but no less than every six months, walk your property looking for dry-rot, cracks, water penetration, rusting iron and surface chalking.
Once a year have your home pressure cleaned to remove any accumulation of dirt and mildew from the surface.
Not all painting contractors are built the same. For the most part, any painter can start a painting project, but it takes a professional with the proper knowledge, equipment and team members to complete a project and leave with a satisfied customer.
Many times you will receive estimates that differ by hundreds, even thousands of dollars, usually due to differences in the cost of overhead, labor and materials. However, sometime this is due to nothing more than a person thinking, “how much money do I need to pay my mortgage this month.”
More times than not, the lowest estimate you will receive will be due to one of the following reasons;
- Provided by someone who cannot properly estimate a painting project and will need to come back to you for more money during the project increasing your overall costs. Many times adding up to be higher than the other original estimates from competing companies.
- Provided by someone in another trade who is not a professional painter but needs the money and agrees to estimate the project. While you may save a few bucks, the end product is usually not what you were expecting for your hard earned money.
- Provided by a “Fly by Night” outfit that usually turns out to be not only unlicensed and uninsured, but may run off with your deposit without ever showing up to open a can of paint.
This is not to say that every time you get a low bid that it is not a valid bid by a professional, but you should always question the painting contractor as to why they are so much lower than the competition.
We have been the low bid on projects in the past and after reviewing the competing estimates provided by the clients, had found that excessive labor charges and incorrect estimation of materials by competitors has increased their estimates by as much as 20% in comparison to ours. In the end, each of these situations has proven our ability to properly estimate the projects and come in on or under budget saving our clients thousands of dollars in the process.
We would be more than happy to assist you with color selections for your project. We can meet with you at your home or at your local paint store. We prefer to use Sherwin Williams products but upon request can use another brand that you prefer.
Our painters uses brushes, rollers, and spray equipment. Not all areas can be painted using a single method. We will determine the best application for your project while visiting the location for estimating purposes. Whenever possible, we will avoid spraying as there is a considerable amount of material waste and for many applications will not leave the best possible finish.
RedRock Finishes removes all empty paint containers, plastic covering and debris created during a project from our job sites unless we have been permitted to leave the trash on site in a designated area or dumpster.
Interior Painting:
- We ask that any small or fragile items be removed for the areas to be painted prior to our arrival.
- areas that may be affected during the painting process with be covered as needed with clean drop cloths or plastic.
- Flooring in the service area will be covered with drop cloths or flooring paper.
Exterior Painting:
- When needed, a lightweight drop cloth may be used to cover plants and bushes. We will remove the drop cloth at the end of each day to ensure the plants and bushes are not harmed do to being covered for a prolonged period of time.
- It is always best to have your landscapers cut back bushes and trees prior to painting as it will be necessary to have ample access for ladder placements.
- Concrete, blacktop and wood walking surfaces will be covered with drop cloths as needed.
Yes, RedRock Finishes offers both interior and exterior carpentry services. Should a required repair be outside of our service expertise, we will notify you immediately and recommend a contractor to complete the service should you need our assistance.
RedRock Finishes, Inc. warrants interior and exterior workmanship for a period three years. Should peeling, cracking, blistering, excessive fading and excessive wear occur, RedRock Finishes will contact the paint manufacture and schedule an inspection by one of the representatives. If it is found that a failure was caused by incorrectly applying the material, RedRock Finishes will provide the labor required to apply a new top coat to the subject area. Should there be a material failure, the paint manufacturer carries its own warranty and will cover the costs in accordance to their terms and conditions.
The specific warranty terms and conditions for your project will be specified, in writing, and provided to you upon final payment for your project. The RedRock finishes warranty covers labor only as the material manufacturers warranty will cover material defects. Flooring, driveways, and surfaces that will have vehicular traffic are not covered by RedRock Finishes, Inc. labor warranty. Other exclusions may apply. Speak with a RedRock Finishes team leader for full details and exclusions.
Yes. All materials required for your project are included unless otherwise stated or additional service not included in the original estimate is later requested.
Yes. we schedule each job to be completed in a timely manner without interruption, weather permitting.
The average job will require one to two painters, however larger jobs may require as many as six painters. The number of painters we choose to use for your project will not effect your contracted cost to complete the project.
Our typical day runs from 6:00am to 6:00pm. Our painters will usually arrive at a client’s home or business no later than 8:00 am unless the client requests a later start time and will clean up the work area and leave the site by 5:00pm for interior projects, 6:00pm for exterior projects. We are also available to work evenings and weekends depending on the client’s schedule and needs however there is a premium charge for these time periods.