Bathtub Refinishing Reviews Simple Steps To Avoid Deceptive Bathtub Refinishing Practices – That Will Help You Find A Legitimate Company For Your Project.
Bathtub Refinishing Reviews Simple Steps To Avoid Deceptive Bathtub Refinishing Practices – That Will Help You Find A Legitimate Company For Your Project.
8 out of 10 Consumers Will Get RIPPED OFF And Fall Prey While Refinishing Their Bathtubs… Will “YOU” Be One of Them?
After the economic crash in 2007… And before, the bathtub refinishing industry plagued with a barrage of start-ups.
Any knucklehead with a spray gun and a truck can call themselves Bathtub Refinisher.
Here’s how to protect yourself and find a qualified bath refinishing contractor.
Refinishing Bathtub Reviews # 1
- Avoid the bait and switch game. Many consumers make the mistake of shopping by price alone.
It’s extremely UN professional to quote a price without determining the customer’s needs.
A professional will need to know important information to access your situation properly.
I pity the fool who shops by price alone!
Here’s what happen recently when a customer called one of my competitors and innocently asked “How much for bathtub and tile refinishing” just as most of our customers do.
“I’ve got a special for $700 for both! Would you like to schedule.”
Not One Single Question Asked? He Should Have Inquired About…
- Had the tub been refinished before and needed chemical stripping?
- How many square feet of tile?
- Had the tile wall been refinished before and need chemical stripping?
- Did it need grout work done or replaced before refinishing?
- What condition is the tub drain in, is it worn out and need replacement?
- What Color did they need or, do they want a color matched to other fixtures?
- Would the toilet tank need pulling to spray behind it?
- Was there a cabinet up close to the tub needing removal before refinishing?
- Was the tile going to be different color from the tub?
- Was the tile trim color going to be the same or changed?
- Was non-slip textured going to be added to the tubs bottom?
- What’s included with that price? like damage repair, caulking removal/replacement etc.?
There are actually more questions, but you get my point. Now what would have happened when he showed up?
This project was a 3 day job, and needed an in-home estimate first and priced at 3 times his quote.
It’s not your job to tell the bathtub refinisher what’s needed… It’s the contractors job to pull the information together from questions, photos or in unusual situations with badly damaged fixtures or big jobs like bathtub and tile refinishing to offer an in home estimate.
Refinishing Bathtub Reviews # 2
- Why do so many refinishing company’s hide their real address? Not a good sign and very sketchy! Look for a “REAL” local address and avoid the scams.
Does the company even show a physical local address on their Contact Us page?
Does the company show a local phone number vs. 800 number only on the Contact Us page?
Even if they do show local address and phone on their website, are they using call forwarding and fake address?.
Simply plug any company name or phone number into
Classic Google Maps. If the Company doesn’t show up with a place holder, it’s a fake local listing and not a local company or they have something to hide?
This is important – Then go to street view in Classic Google Map’s so you can see their place of business or lack of. No Address on web site and or fake deceptive map location… Would you want to do business with them?
Google map a bathtub refinishing company to check for real local listing
Deceptive map location. 8 out 10 refinishing company’s hide their location
Refinishing Bathtub Reviews # 3
- If they are UN or Under Insured you’ll become the employer if they are injured on your property. You should ask for a “Certificate of Insurance” – This alone will weed out many problem companies.
Will your homeowner’s insurance cover the injured worker? It’s your responsibility to check. Sole proprietors are not required to carry Workman’s Compensation, putting you at great risk.
It is super simple to ask for and get one emailed or faxed and sent from their Insurance Carrier.
Never accept one from them contractor as it could be doctored, as well for your protection have the certificate made out to you and your address as “Additionally Insured”
It’s smart to get a “Certificate of Insurance” before hiring a bath tub refinishing contractor
What you’re looking for is that they have Workman’s Comp this protects you from a worker being hurt on your property where, you become the employer and must cover cost of injury and lost time from work!
Where the certificate says “EXCLUDED” be sure it’s checked “NO” for not excluded.
General Liability protects your home in the event it becomes damaged.
It’s so easy to ask for and get one; you’ll quickly discover the problem bathtub refinishing contractors.
To see an example business license and insurance certificates… Go here.
See the short video on how to find them.
Bath Tub Refinishing Reviews # 4
- Company’s that don’t answer their phone are often “Fly-by-Nighters”.
A sure sign you’re going to get poor customer support and it is easier for them to avoid your complaints down the road.
So maybe they are some dude with a cell phone working from the back of their truck with no base of operation.
Good luck getting any satisfaction during a dispute over quality or damage to your home. They can easily change their name and phone number.
Don’t answer their phones expect poor customer service.
Refinishing Bathtub Reviews # 5
- Check out the paper work: Will you be hiring a UN-licensed UN-insured bathtub refinishing contractor?
Having this allows homeowners additional recourse from the Home Improvement Commission during disputes over badly done jobs and any possible damage to your home.
Don’t believe what’s advertised always check their numbers, it just take a minute.
Ronald Reagan said it best “Trust But Verify”
Even belonging to Angies List doesn’t protect you. See my article on why… Angies List gets a Big Fat F.
Ask the company for a copy of their first business license. You’ll discover the real date the company started and spot the lies of time in business I’m seeing advertised.
It’s also important to plug-in the company name and or license number in the State license look up and check out their charter to see whether their company is in “Good Standing”.
These numbers are important “TRUST FACTORS” here we see fake numbers being used.
For your convenience here are the links for Government Authority’s in our local market. (Links open in new window)
Refinishing Bathtub Reviews # 6
- The bathtub refinishing trade has absolutely no standards such as car painting & repair with the A.S.E. (Automotive Society of Excellence)
Often they have sloppy habits, poor application techniques, lack of preparations skills and no understanding of the chemistry involved.
IT’S ORDERED
DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
Here’s an 2010 excerpt from About.com says about bathtub refinishing:
“Bathtub Refinishing is in danger of entering the pantheon of home remodeling semi scams–along with vinyl siding and replacement windows.
Quality varies from company to company, and in an informal poll of some homeowners who have had tubs refinished, quality seems to hinge on two things: preparation and skill. A poorly prepared or sprayed bathtub results in peeling paint or poorly applied finish and unhappy homeowners.
Cost also varies, but most homeowners appear to spend around $550 for the service. Some homeowners say that they have paid $250-$300 for bathtub refinishing, but these also tend to be the homeowners complaining about the poor quality.”
Unable to find qualified technicians, it became abundantly clear that a “Certification Program” was needed.
I am very familiar with the A.S.E. I started painting cars in 1983 and I am A.S.E. Certified. It’s a great program that I decided to implement in the bath refinishing trade.
- Proper surface preparation.
- Coating chemistry and adhesion.
- Learn the art of spray application.
- Chemical handling and safety.
Then they apprentice before becoming a residential technician.
The training available to most refinishers is deplorable, 2 and 3 day classes, if they even attended those.
Yes there are other good refinishers out there but they are highly outnumbered.
Any knuckle head with a spray gun and a truck can call themselves a bathtub refinisher.
Two new recruits learning the trade. After a month in training they’ll be ready for an apprenticeship.
You’ll enjoy the quality of our world class refinishers after completing our rigorous bathtub refinishing training and certification.
I suggest in order to be certain the company is of some quality you:
- Ask for money back guarantee. This one will chase away 80%. No one’s perfect and they should get the opportunity to make it right, but if they can’t? See if they’ll put their money where their mouth is.
- Follow the other review ideas in this article.
- Google the company name for complaints and reviews.
- Check them for unresolved complaints with the Better Business Bureau and their grade.
- Get referrals from friends.
- Visit them to see samples of their work.
- Make sure they are not using a fake business address by watching the video, top of this page.
Low priced Refinishing Company’s are mostly commercial apartment refinisher’s known for cut rate pricing and poor quality. They will gladly accept residential work. Unsuspecting consumers get lured in by pricing.
Cheap pricing comes with cheap service, cheap materials, cheap labor and often comes with a higher price when you have to hire a pro to fix the lousy work done in the first place or you’ll need to live with the results?
It’s just silly to shop by price; really… you’re already saving 80% of replacement and by skimping on using a professional just to get a “cheap” deal.
Instead I would ask you to Do Your Homework by checking out the company. Our Bath Refinishing Resources will help get you started. Good luck with your project no matter what you end up paying or whom you choose.
Bridette I’ve read a some good stuff here on bathtub refinishing reviews. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting. I can only wonder how much effort
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I hope you found this article helpful, I enjoyed putting “Bathtub Refinishing Reviews” together for you. Like us on facebook or post a comment, with any questions or suggestions.
About Paul A. Burns
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