Key tips for ironclad painting contracts to avoid getting screwed
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BrushStrokeBoss
·2mo·59 replies·56 participants
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BrushStrokeBoss⭐ ExpertOP2mo
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Been painting for 15 years now, mostly residential exteriors and interiors, and I've learned the hard way that a solid contract is your best defense against scope creep or non-payment. Always include a detailed scope like square footage, surface prep with sanding and priming using BIN for any Bondo spots to stop those damn bubbles, and specify brands like Sherwin-Williams Emerald for the topcoat. We're in Texas so heat and humidity make everything expand, so add a clause for weather delays without penalties. Throw in payment terms: 30% down, 40% at rough-in, balance on completion and walkthrough. I saw a guy in the Painting Contractors Facebook group get hosed last month over vague wording, so use simple language but cover change orders in writing only. Edit: forgot to mention, get everything signed digitally with something like DocuSign to keep it legit.
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FixItFelix9⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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Man, had a client add on three extra rooms after we started, no extra pay, because the contract didn't specify. Felt like a total crap-show.
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SparkPlugMike⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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That's why I always have a line item for additions over 10% of original bid. Saved my ass twice this year.
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ShingleShark2⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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Texas heat? Try dealing with clients who think 'quick dry' means paint in the rain. Contract or not, some folks are idiots.
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WireWizard6⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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Haha, remember that job where the cat knocked over the paint tray? Client laughed, but without a mess clause I ate the cleanup cost.
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GroundFaultGus⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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Use AIA templates as a base, they're solid for painters and cover most bases like liens and warranties. Customize for your local regs.
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WattTheHeck3⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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AIA? Never heard of that for small jobs, but yeah, adding a warranty limit to one year helped me dodge a repeat call.
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PipeDreamer15⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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For priming Bondo, BIN is gold, but test a small spot first or you'll be sanding forever.
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NotAnElectrician11⭐ Expert1mo
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Tested it on a door frame last week, no bubbles, client happy.
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WattTheHeck3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Anyone using Housecall Pro for contract templates? Integrates payments nicely.
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SparkPlugMike⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Screw these PE-backed firms buying up painting outfits, now everyone's nickel-and-diming contracts to death. Makes us independents look bad.
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NotAnElectrician11⭐ Expert1mo
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Same here, been burned on two jobs this season with vague scopes. Hurts when you're just trying to keep the brushes moving.
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BoltBoss2⭐ Expert1mo
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Insurance companies and these tight-ass contracts are killing small painters. We band together or get rolled over.
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ShingleSlinger3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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skip the arbitration clause in those insurance-tied contracts or you'll be stuck in hellish proceedings that drag on for years and cost you a fortune in legal fees.
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LockoutLulu⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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what's the worst arbitration nightmare you've seen on a painting job? i had a client drag one out for 18 months and it damn near bankrupted me.
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V2463🔧 Apprentice1mo
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those damn clients think they can drag you through hell with their bs change orders and then cry to arbitration when the job aint perfect, its a racket to screw us hardworking painters outta our pay.
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WireWizard⭐ Expert1mo
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had a client last month who changed the color three times and then claimed i didnt match the sample, damn near lost two weeks pay fighting her bs in small claims. these homeowners act like we're their personal servants, its infuriating.
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FloorFumbler3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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homeowners think they can rewrite the damn contract mid-job and we're just gonna eat the cost, pisses me off every time. fought one last year over a stupid trim detail and it cost me three days in court bs.
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V4142🔧 Apprentice1mo
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dont sign off on any color changes without a written addendum or you'll be fightin that battle every time i saw a guy lose his whole job over it.
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FrameFreak⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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had a client add on three extra rooms mid-job then bitch about the timeline, refused to pay the $800 change order fee. screw those entitled homeowners, they think we're their personal decorators.
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V8330🔧 Apprentice1mo
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damn insurance vultures got me on a job last month, wouldnt pay out cuz my contract wasnt detailed enough on the prep work. we gotta start sharin templates or were all screwed.
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PickAndGrin2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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always spell out your prep in bullet points like 'power wash all surfaces, scrape loose paint, prime bare spots with sherwin-williams loxon' and get em to initial each one before starting.
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ChillMaster⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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man, i've gotten burned so many times without initials on the prep bullets, it's the same old story every damn time. you start and they nitpick everything, wish i'd learned that trick sooner.
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BrushStrokeBoss10🔧 Apprentice1mo
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yeah man, been nitpicked to hell on prep work myself, wish id initialed every damn bullet from day one.
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ScrewLoose⭐ Expert1mo
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hey what kinda changes do they nitpick the most on prep work, like sanding or priming?
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FloorFanatic2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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screw initialing every bullet, just slap a clause in there that says 'prep means whatever the hell i deem necessary' and watch the picky assholes scatter. ive done floors for 10 years and let me tell you, homeowners nitpick like its their job, but one time i had this lady bitching about a speck of dust after i power-scraped the whole damn subfloor. i told her straight up, sign this or im out, and she backed off faster than a cat from water. contracts are for protecting us, not turning into lawyers playground. dont get me started on those angi leads, they hook you up with cheapskates who want benjamin moore quality for home depot prices. imo, make em pay a 20% deposit upfront, non refundable, or walk away. yeah, its controversial as hell, but it weeds out the time wasters real quick. saved my sanity on more jobs than i can count.
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V3563🔧 Apprentice1mo
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those damn homeowners always try to weasel out on the prep details, it's like they think we're mind readers or somethin, makes me wanna scream every time.
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HammerTimeGuy4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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yeah those homeowners are the worst, always skippin the fine print on prep. what kinda clauses you guys usin to lock em down on that?
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ScrubLord2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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man, ive been burned twice this year by homeowners bitchin about prep they ignored in the contract. same shit here, always gotta spell out the surface sanding and priming or theyll claim it wasnt done right.
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MulchMogul⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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stuck a clause in my contracts for detailed photos before and after every job, and it's saved my ass twice now without a single dispute. turned my painting side hustle into a six-figure gig this year, no more bullshit from picky homeowners.
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ScrubLord⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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homeowners are the WORST, always actin like they never signed off on the prep work we spelled out clear as day. last job i had this clown try to lowball the final payment cuz 'it didnt look like we sanded enough' even though the contract had every damn detail. we gotta start hittin em with liens just to make em pay up.
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DuctTapeKing3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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had a similar BS job last month where the homeowner claimed the trim wasnt prepped right despite the contract pics i took, almost filed a lien just to shut her up.
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SparkPlugSue3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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yeah man, had the exact same BS last month where the homeowner claimed we skipped the primer even though it was all in the contract, total pain in the ass.
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PolishPro3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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yeah i make em initial the bullets too but last job the homeowner drew a smiley face next to power washing and called me a slacker for not jet-skiing the siding lol
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MulchMogul2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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had a customer do the same crap, doodled hearts next to the prep work and then bitched i didnt use enough coats, total BS.
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HammerTimeHero5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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never start a job without a signed contract spelling out every damn detail on prep and coats, or you'll end up chasing payments like i did last summer. had a client claim 'verbal agreement' on an extra primer coat and stiffed me half the bill. trust me, get it in writing or walk away.
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HaulHero3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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always include a change order clause that requires written approval and a 50% deposit on extras to keep clients from pulling that verbal BS.
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PestPatrolPaul⭐ Expert1mo
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had a guy swear on his mom's grave he'd pay the extra for that fancy trim, then ghosted me - now my contracts got a 'no verbal promises, or i hunt you down with a paint roller' clause lol.
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SparkPlugGuy2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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verbal bs is why i once painted a whole kitchen purple after some 'just a little lavender' chit-chat. now my contracts got that change order clause locked in tighter than my ex's grip on alimony.
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EaveEater3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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dont ever let them add change orders without a new signature or youll eat the cost like i did on a $2k repaint job last year. those homeowners will swear up and down its 'verbal' until the check clears.
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CircuitSurfer2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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been there myself, ate a $1.5k hit on a wiring job when the homeowner pulled that verbal BS after we started.
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KeyMaster992⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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i make every change order get signed off before i lift a brush, and it's saved my ass on jobs up to $10k. no more eating costs 'cause now they own every detail in writing.
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V3676🌱 Newcomer1mo
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man, i learned that the hard way on a $2k job where the homeowner kept adding crap without signin off and i ended up eatin the extra paint and hours, total BS
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PaintSplatterPro⭐ Expert1mo
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yeah, nothin says 'ironclad' like a contract that ends with 'ps: no more free cat hair removal' 😂
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RollerRogue8⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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always spell out the prep details in bold caps like 'SANDING ALL SURFACES TO BARE WOOD' so they cant doodle over it. then specify exactly two coats of sherwin-williams duration on the main areas, no skimping. been burned once without that, wont happen again.
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ShingleShark2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Add a line about unforeseen conditions like rot or lead paint discovery, and require written change orders for any extras. i've had jobs where the homeowner added trim mid-project without that clause, turned into a nightmare chasing payments. specify your payment schedule too, like 30% down, 40% at rough-in, balance on completion. keeps the cash flow steady and weeds out the deadbeats early.
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KeyTwister3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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stuck that unforeseen conditions clause in my contracts five years ago and its saved my ass on two rot surprises already, now i never start without the down payment locked in.
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BowlBreaker🌱 Newcomer1mo
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man, got screwed on a paint job last month cause i skipped the down payment and the homeowner bailed after we prepped, wish id seen your clause sooner
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MopAndGloGuy2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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absolutely, i add a clause that anything over 10% of the original scope needs a signed change order before i touch it. also throw in a lien rights notice right up front, it scares off the non-payers without much hassle. saved my ass on a sherwin-williams emerald job last summer when they wanted to expand the scope verbally.
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BreezeBoss⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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yeah man, verbal scopes are the WORST, got burned on a benjamin moore job where they tried to add trim work after the fact and wouldnt pay up.
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RoofRat876⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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always add a clause for lead testing if the house is pre-1978, saves you a ton of hassle when the inspector shows up mid-job.
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TrackTormentor⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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yeah, got burned on a pre-1978 job last year when the inspector shut us down cold without that clause, total bullshit.
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LiftLad⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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i tried gettin initials once and the homeowner thought it was a marriage proposal, ended up with a doodle of a heart instead of a signature. now i just make em sign a napkin with 'i promise not to sue' scrawled on it lol.
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TarpTitan2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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also throw in a clause for unforeseen crap like rot behind the siding, bill it at $85 an hour extra after we notify em.
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CircuitSmasher⭐ Expert1mo
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i once had a customer initial every bullet, then claim i didnt prime the doghouse. now i add 'and whatever else the cat knocks over' just to keep em laughing... or suing.
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LiftAndHaulHarry⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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screw the detailed contracts, i just make 'em pay half upfront and tell the picky assholes to sign or GTFO, saves me a ton of headaches.
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LockPickLarry6⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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hell yeah, half upfront or bust... had one guy ghost after i started on his beige bathroom, now i make 'em pay for the roller fuzz too 😂
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SparkPlugStan⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Up in Minnesota and yeah, the cold snaps delay everything, but a good contract with force majeure covers it. Feel your pain on the payments though.
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RustyNailBob5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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yeah minnesota winters are a total pain in the ass for scheduling, had a job drag on two weeks last year cuz of that crap. payments suck even more when the client's dragging their feet on the final check.
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DuctDoctor10⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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minnesota winters dragging jobs and payments? sounds like mother nature's way of saying 'pay up or freeze your balls off' 😂
