Decisions Decisions...

By Heather

I love helping people out with their paint choices and I really do mean that. However I can't make it any clearer that I can not make your decision for you. Firstly, because I am strictly not allowed. Because if you buy that color, take it home and hate it, bring it back and say that I told you to buy that color we have to eat that and give a another can of paint for free, therefore, I cannot make this choice for you. On average I get at least one of these customers once every other day...today...I had three. And I really wouldn't have minded accept that I'm sick, can hardly breath let alone talk, there was a truck to unload, the tint room needed cleaned, and all the regular stock needed put on the shelves. There was a lot to do in that eight hours that I was there and I had already lost the first hour due to making a delivery and running to the bank for change and the stores receipt slips from the past few deposits.

At first its kind of fun to watch them grab up at least 12-15 color chips staying around the same color or shades of that color then moving onto a completely different color option. I ask them the normal questions, what room are you painting? What is the price range you'd like to stick to? Are you looking for a subtle or drastic change? How large is this room? What is the main source of light in this room? What color are the walls now? What sheen are they currently?



Now to me this is fairly standard for me to figure out the kind of paint you need, what primer you need, what base you need, if you need to wash down your walls first, whether or not you need a paint with anti-microbials in it, if you have kids so that you'd need a paint with a low/no VOC or odor options, the durability that you may need depending on the room (kitchen, bathrooms, and kids rooms/play areas). I in no way mean for this to overwhelm you. I am simply narrowing down what you need for your project and getting you the best price for what you need.



I know that when people come in for a can of paint they are coming thinking "just a can of paint" and I know that all the questions I ask are things that most DIY (Do it Yourself) customers don't even think of. Most people don't think that paint performs to different rooms and expectations.


Me explaining this process of elimination only takes maybe five to ten minutes. But today I got these individuals that came in that were the most indecisive individuals I have ever met. They asked me every question in the book, questions that didn't even pertain to painting their wall and then got confused by almost everything I told them. Whereas if they just slowed down to listen to me they would have had answer enough for that one singular project that they came in for. Not the twelve different projects they were pondering on doing. They couldn't figure out all surface enamels for specialty surfaces apparently. "Will this work on wood?" ...does the phrase ALL surface enamel not get through somehow? "Does that mean I can use it on my porch railing?" I spent my lunch beating my forehead off the side of the building today.