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contract for topsides painting

2K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  miatapaul 
#1 ·
Would anyone be able to provide a sample contract for topsides painting? I'm re-painting my 18' daysailor and consider the price I'm paying to be on the high side and just want some language to assure that I'll be getting the quality I've been promised by the contractor.
 
#6 ·
No, I mean from the water line to the rub rail including the boot stripe and accent strip. I don't have the facilities or equipment to fair and paint since I'm renting. I don't mind paying for the work, but I want some assurance that I get what I pay for.
 
#7 ·
How about:

No drips, runs or sags....

No orange peel.

No bleed through on the taped edges.

No over spray on anything...including the neighbors boat..

Are you going to remove deck fittings or just tape around them?

Sand, Primer, Sand and then final paint? How many coats?

What type of overall quality are you looking for? Is it going to be an Earl Schwib $199.00 special or something a bit nicer?

The contractors idea of a paint job and the time and effort may be different then yours. Prior preparation to the final coat of paint is key.
 
#8 ·
How about:

"No drips, runs or sags....

No orange peel.

No bleed through on the taped edges.

No over spray on anything...including the neighbors boat.."

That's actually the kind of language I'm looking for, and I'd really like to see either specifications or contract verbiage that would hold up in (small claims) court. I trust the guy but I've been burned before on home improvement type work from guys that talk a great game but don't provide language like that in some sort of agreement.
 
#9 ·
I wouldn't be suprised if most contractors would not sign that document. The only leverage you have is their reputation. You could agree to withholding final payment until you approve the project. Maybe pay up front what the material costs are, and pay the labor after (probably a larger portion of the bill).
 
#10 ·
I agree the key to having professional work like this done is the reputation of the vendor. Trying to develop a detailed contract defining all the factors determining a quality job is not practical.

You want to start with someone who does quality work and the best way to establish that is to look at a few jobs they've done. Ask for the names of 4-5 boats the vendor has painted, talk to those owners about their experience. Look at a couple of those boats carefully, then choose your vendor accordingly. The work order should allow you to retain 1/3 or so of the cost til your final approval.

I have had two boats painted and have only good experiences with the above practice. In one case I noted to the vendor some minor dust that I saw in close inspection of the painted hull - he immediately agreed to do another coat, which came out perfect.

Professional yacht painting runs $150-200/foot, I would expect a lower rate for small boat with less area.
 
#12 ·
How did you find this "contractor"? Is he a person known to you or other boaters in your area? Word of mouth and reputation among the locals seems to be the best bet for a job well done. Are your expectations set to high? Your concerns should be vetted before hand by others experience with this "contractor".
 
#14 ·
All good advice, thanks. I've got a couple of weeks before he begins work so I'll see if I can get some references from him and have a look at his work. The yard owner who recommended him told me he had just recently finished changing the color on a 47' Hatteras that turned out beautiful. In the end I'll get some before and after photos for review here.
 
#15 ·
Good luck determining the "quality" you have been promised, unless you are in to colorimeters, light sources, reflectivity and such. Or the painter has specified and AGREED to some number of runs, or XX sq inches of defects, or 12 bugs or dust hits. Simply removing and replacing every piece of deck hardware, window frame and such can add $XXXX to a job. I would guess that that job on your 18' would add several hundred $$ to the job, assuming none required added labor to remove and replace. Each item then has to have the mounting points cleaned, faired and sealed. Cracks in the gelcoat as well.

There is just so much subjective and "art" that goes in to a good paint job and a lot of it, you will not see for years.

I have (on a very few occasions) provided a statement that the boat will be "run free", no orange peel, less than XX sq inches of dull finish, etc AND I WILL repair at MY expense AND - ASSUMING that the customer pays for my prep. If it is merely a clean and spray type job desired by a customer AND he wants perfect, then all bets are off. A good paint job is about 75-80% prep work, and almost always beyond the "normal" work of a yard/shop/painter and what the customer is willing to pay for.

If you consider the price to be "high side" - it probably is, and unless the painter is a perfectionist, you know his work, and have seen more than one or two reference boats he has painted....you are wasting your money, as there is no easy way for the two of you to agree on "quality"

Good luck, as the only contract I have ever seen, is usually an estimate that states so many $$ per hour, material costs and a ball park for XX hours. And then a few paragraphs/clauses on the back as to how those numbers may sky high, and you will still pay.

If you are that worried about it, trying to give him money, you need to find another painter/shop.
 
#16 ·
Have you ever been to an auto body shop for a repair?

Same work, no contracts ever, and the typical car in them is worth way more than your boat.

Any reasonable painter would say to himself "This guy wants a written contract? He's trouble, I'm walking away." that's just the way it is.

You want to see samples of what his work is. If he's a vagabond painting in open lots, that's a warning. If he's a BUSINESS with a properly climate controlled EPA_conformal PAINT BOOTH, that's something else again. Guess which one will cost 4x more? But not have any flying insects caught in it, either?

Get referrals, and find out just how and where the job will be done. And if it is outdoors, remember rain or heat or cold can tie up your boat for a month and then, ooops, it may be too late in the season to do the job.

A good paint job is gonna cost. If you can't find someone who impresses you...keep looking over the winter. Take your time.
 
#17 ·
I'm a masonry restoration contractor, to be honest if somebody came at me with a "contract" above and beyond what is spec'd and outlined in my quote I would either run or triple my price at a minimum. Over the years I've developed a good sense for customers who will be a PITA, my price reflects that.
 
#19 ·
The nice thing about a 18 foot day sailor is that it could be painted in a automotive paint booth. So I would get some quotes from a decent auto body shop. Leave it there in the fall and let them paint it when they have the labor sitting idle, that can save a lot if you are flexible about when it is done. If you can find shops used to doing commercial trucks or Corvettes they would even have fiberglass experience. There are many paints that can be used but anything that will last will be expensive. Anyone who is well below market could possibly do good work, or could be a hack, and that is just a risk you have to take, if you go that route.
 
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