As I sit here, I’m seething. When I posted a few weeks ago, I thought we were days away from painting and almost done. Well, the painters are not painting. The owner doesn’t return calls until I’ve called him 4 or 5 days in a row; the painters don’t show up when he tells me they will, which results in another round of unanswered phone calls. The beginning of last week they came on a Sunday and painted all day, but didn’t finish. The next day it rained and I had to practically threaten him on the phone to get them to come back and re-install my downspouts to handle the rainstorms. The weather didn’t cooperate for the next few days, but yesterday and today it’s been almost 60 degrees and they certainly could have finished the painting, but nothing’s been done. I’ve called and left messages with no response. I’m about finished with this guy. If they haven’t been out to paint today, and I get no phone call by tonight, tomorrow I’m going to call and fire him and we’ll just wait until spring and hire another contractor to paint.

I’m outraged at the total lack of concern or response and I wonder how in the world he manages to stay in business. I guess this is why his estimate was so low. I called his references and he got great reviews, so I just don’t understand.

By the way, the contractor’s name is Rick Ames and his company is Ames Custom Painting in Churchton, MD. If you’re in that area and thinking about hiring him, consider yourself warned.