I could title this, "where's Craig??"...Note - this review is based on work that was done several years ago. (I am new to this site and I thought that others might want to know about our experience with this guy, notwithstanding that the interaction occurred several years ago).
We were actually on "Holmes on Homes" and we knew about Craig through the show. We hired Craig Lowe sometime after our episode was aired to repaint our house interior and exterior. We expected a good job because of our connection to the Holmes crew.
Craig quoted the job (highest quote of three obtained). Craig told me that he would not be able to paint --too busy---but that he would personally inspect the crew's work to ensure high standards....
After an extended delay, his crew finally showed up...great bunch of guys who admitted that the painting job was secondary to their aspirations as musicians and therefore if they had a late gig, they may not make it in the next morning....
delays and more delays.....and the workmanship wasn't worth the premium paid either.
Some highlights - Craig was not friendly when we finally were able to track him down to review the work. (He did not show up at all during the weeks of painting...) His crew had painted our front-door but there were brush strokes visible in every direction. Reluctantly and with attitude, he had his crew repaint the door with a sprayer. But they neglected to protect our walkway stones with drop sheets and therefore left black spray on our stones in the outline of a door....nice touch. They never took steps to clean or power-wash the stones that, to this day, show signs of their workmanship....
I do not recommend them at all! There are plenty of good painters who are fully dedicated to their work....and not just looking for some income to purchase an amp and guitar....
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Customer's reply to Craig Lowe:
Hi Craig - thanks for the prompt reply....Pursuant to your request for more details re the painting itself (and by the way-I don't read any ad homonem or personal attacks against your crew in my review...), I can advise that my wife had to walk through the house with a brush to cover up missed spots and paint blotches left by your company...There were several areas where they had poorly 'cut-in' and got paint on adjacent surfaces...
You should have been onsite at least once during the painting to ensure quality...
The front door, as you correctly recall, was a total disaster. You are correct that it was painted 3x times! The first time that it was painted by your company the door was left as a mish - mash of brush strokes in every direction and because we were using a black paint the brush strokes were quite visible and in all honesty it looked like a child's poor attempt...
The second time your company painted the door they used a sprayer that had previously been used to spray oil-based paint and was not properly cleaned. When our latex paint was added to the spray reservoir, it thinned out and did not coat the door properly.
I recently spoke with my wife about the experience.....my wife just reminded me that:
1. Two days into the painting, my wife noticed that your crew was painting around the ceiling-fixture plates, outlet covers and switch plates...they had not been removed! Your team had to go back and remove the covers/plates to repaint! (I suspect some might be surprised to learn of this when they try to remove the faceplates resulting in paint chipping away….) It is a good thing that my wife was here to notice this!
2. In the process of repainting our door, the hardware was not removed and your company through inadvertence, inexperience, carelessness or neglect, sanded the finish off the pass-through set (handle and lock).
3. Fortunately you agreed to reimburse us for the cost of the handle-lock set, but you also promised to install it after painting the door. You reluctantly agreed to come out on a Saturday to repaint the door and replace the handle - lock set. We waited all day for you but you were a ‘no-show’. I wrote to you and in reply you responded with an aggressive missive advising that you could not make it to our house on Saturday because you were out of town with your band on a ‘gig’ and that you did not *owe* us a phone call. You further instructed that we get our own contractor or locksmith to replace the handle….(which we did at our own cost)....
4. You finally agreed that you would paint the door yourself and you did eventually come out to paint the door, but you did not remove the hardware and the circular brushstrokes are still readily apparent. Others have commented on this.
I may post pictures so that others can judge for themselves.
Not a good ending to an unfortunate exercise.
In my view, what separates the good from the not-so-good is the 10% of the job known as the "finish"...the 10% that shows the quality and the caring. Anyone can paint....but the good ones can finish well.
And while I liked your crew we never had them over for dinner nor did we buy wine for them....
Perhaps you are recalling that we did this for the Holmes staff and crew after they did a great job for us.
good luck,
jacques.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $4,500.00
- Company Response
I would like to have seen more of an evaluation of the actual paint job rather than what seemed like personal attacks on myself and my employees. What actual painting deficiencies were there? I did inspect all the work and did a walk-through with you and you told me you were very happy with what we had done. I also repainted your front door a third time personally to ensure you were satisfied. As for my employees, you had them over for dinner twice and gave them a bottle of wine upon completion of the job. I feel you need to separate how you felt about the paint job with how you and I might have felt about each other. The paint job was solid. If there is overspray on your walkway, please give me a call and I will arrange to have it removed.
Craig Lowe 416-875-5419