To make sure you get exactly what you expect, and to answer any questions you might have, here are the terms and conditions that apply to my work. If you have any questions, please get in touch. I'd love to hear from you.
Access to your kitchen
I'll need access to your kitchen between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, for the duration of the job. That way, you know when I'll be around—and can feel relaxed that I won't intrude on your time in the evenings. It will also give me the opportunity to finish the job in a timely manner.
I'll arrive onsite at the time we've agreed and I'll text you to let you know I'm on my way.
I only commit to one job at a time, so when you book me you can be completely confident that I will turn up. It does mean, though, that if I can't get access to the kitchen at the agreed times for any reason, I'll have to charge you for travel time and lost time at the rate of €25 per man-hour, and €0.25 per mile per vehicle (this will be negotiable).
Nobody like surprises, so we'll agree a price for the job and a timeframe for completion before I start work. That way, you know exactly what is going to happen, how much it will cost and that I'll only stop working on your kitchen when the job is done.
Responsibilities
To avoid any of your property being damaged during the painting, I'll ask you to remove items that could impede the painting process. For instance, clearing items from work surfaces and emptying drawers. You don't need to empty cupboards, although please leave a bit of room at the front of each cupboard.
I'm afraid I can't be held liable for damage to any items not removed from the work area.
If there are items left that I need to clear, I'll do so. If there are a lot of them, though, I might have to charge you €25 per man-hour for moving these items (negotiable on the first day). I'll be very careful. Nevertheless, I can't be held liable for any damage caused by moving items, I'm afraid.
To prevent dust (the arch enemy of the hand painter), and for insurance and safety reasons, you, other contractors, workers, children, pets, or anyone else won't be able to enter the work area while I'm working, unless we agree that between us.
There is a practical reason for this (apart from the dust). If someone damages my work, you'd have to pay for the additional work to repair it at a rate of €25 per hour (minimum charge 1 hour).
If other people do need to be present while I'm working, please make sure they won't interfere with or prevent me from finishing the work to my standards and on time.
Extra costs and changes to the agreed work
So you have complete peace of mind, we'll agree in writing what work needs to be done, by when and how much it will cost. Any changes to that will be agreed in writing by both of us.
I'm sure you understand that there will be an extra charge for work that is in addition to what we have agreed. However, any additional work will be approved in writing by you before I start. That way, you'll always know what the cost will be even before I dip a brush in a paint pot.
As mentioned before, I only work on one job at a time. When you book me you can be confident that your job is the only one in my diary. So if I show up on the agreed date at the agreed time, and I'm unable to complete the contracted work due to circumstances beyond my control (for instance, I can't enter the worksite; other contractors are late with their part of the job; or any other reason not directly my fault), I'll have to charge you a €250 minimum charge to cover travel and lost hours.
The same goes if I can only partially complete the job due to circumstances beyond my control (like the ones mentioned above). If that happens, we'll make another appointment so I can complete the work for an additional minimum €250 charge. If the work left is only minimal by my estimation, we'll agree a smaller charge.
Although your job will be the only one in my diary, if you let me know 48 hours ahead of our agreed appointment that I won't be able to carry out the work, I won't charge you—provided I have confirmed with you that I got your message. The best thing to do is ring me, so we can speak directly.
Promotion/advertising
I take enormous pride in my work and I like to show it to others, so they can see the standard of my work. To help me do this I'll take photographs of the work I've done for you for display, promotion and advertising purposes. However, if there are legal restrictions on you or your property that wouldn't allow me to take pictures, let me know.
Rest assured, I will never reveal your full name or address in connection with the photographs. Your privacy is as important to me as it is to you.
Inspecting the completed work
You will get the opportunity to inspect the work before I leave the job. When the painting is done, we'll inspect it together and make a list of any defects or uncompleted items. We'll do this in accordance with industry best practice: under normal lighting conditions, without magnification, and from a normal viewing position.
This step is very important to me because it gives me the confidence that we've both had a good look to make sure I've delivered to my own high standards. And it gives you confidence that the job has been done properly.
Manufacturer's specifications
I'll ensure that all materials are applied and/or installed according to the manufacturer’s specifications. No corner cutting.
Also, I can provide you with data sheets for the products I'll be using. They aren't very exciting, but that way you'll know exactly what paint I'll be using and how high the quality is.
Industry standards
I will make sure that all surface preparation, coating application, and/or installation meets or exceeds industry standards. You're hiring an experienced, professional specialist kitchen painter—and I take great pride in my work.
My intention is that my work will meet or exceed normal accepted practices in the industry. In other words, I want to give you great service and deliver a paint finish that we can both be very proud of.
Warranty
I stand over my work 100%.
I guarantee the materials I use will be in line with the industry standard or above. My labour is warranted for a period of two (2) years. And when the work has been paid for, you'll be covered by all of the manufacturer's warranties of the products I've used.
My liability under a warranty claim can't exceed the total price charged for the work I've done, though.
To help us deal with defects as quickly as possible, you agree to make warranty claims immediately upon discovering a defect or performance problem.
Please understand that in the event of the substrate or any prior coating failing beneath the paint that I have applied, I can't be held liable for the failure of that substrate or coating. I can only be held responsible for the coatings I applied.
For legal reasons, I have to put this bit in: failure to comply with the terms, conditions, and payment schedule of this agreement will void all warranties. To be honest, though, I've never had a client who didn't do what they said they would.
One last thing, please keep in mind that the warranty doesn't cover general wear and tear. Kitchens are living spaces that get lots of use, after all.
IMPORTANT:
Curing Time
PLEASE NOTE: It takes three to four weeks for the paint to cure. During this time, it is vulnerable and you do have to be careful. I always say, “Treat your kitchen like your own skin for the first four weeks.”
Once it has cured, the paint will be robust, giving you peace of mind.
You can read more about kitchen durability and maintenance here: How to Clear Your Hand-painted Kitchen.
Payments
The work I do for you will be covered by three payments. You'll see these listed in the estimate I send to you when I price the job:
1. A booking deposit of €150 will secure a date or dates in my schedule. This will be deducted from the overall fee for the job. You can pay this in cash, by cheque or by bank transfer. This will be non-refundable after 14 days.
2. The next payment is due on the day I start the work. This will be for 50% of the outstanding balance for the job.
3. The remaining balance is payable on completion. There is a 20% late payment fee if the balance isn't paid within 7 days from completion. But I have never had to enforce that.
Can I answer any questions?
If you have any questions after reading all of that, just drop me a line. I love talking about painting kitchens and I'm more than happy to answer any queries you have.