Shelton Painting Inc

If you don't want to read my lengthy report, know this one thing: They are the absolute best at what they do. It's as if some kind of external force zapped them with a magic "whatever" or they drank some kind of secret potion or they made some kind of extra-terrestrial deal with the "Woggles" on Planet "Humblecrumb" that turned them into the painter equivalent of "Superheroes." Here's the long story: We have three premium (read "very expensive") fiberglass entrance doors with leaded glass and an oak pattern that were manufactured by __ okay, I don't really want to write the name of the door manufacturer because I am going to trash them. I'll just call it a fellow or say "Fella" for short. Anyway, these doors needed to be stained to match a specific stain color in our house. Fella did a lackluster job of staining our first set (they looked painted) and they sent us new unstained panels (the door without the frame). I went onto Angie's List and started calling all of the top rated painters. Several of the ones I spoke with (in no particular order, though it was probably alphabetical) sounded like they didn't have much experience with or confidence in staining fiberglass (it's a process that requires a lot of experience in the technique). When I finally called Shelton and spoke with the owner, Todd, he demonstrated a tremendous amount of knowledge about the process and I concluded they probably had the ability to do it right. He said he had a painter on staff who had a lot of experience with staining fiberglass (and making metal doors look like wood). We scheduled a date and on that set day, Dan (the salesperson) and Jim (the expert painter) came out to the house to start the work. The two of them went downstairs where the doors were stored and 5 minutes later they came back up with the can of stain that my wife and I had matched at a local chain paint store (no, I said LOCAL chain). They looked at the base color of the stain with its two injections of tint and the wooden stick that had been stained by the store and said "This is not a match to your color. This is going to be too dark and the wrong type of brown" They wanted to make sure this was done right so off they went to the paint store to get a new match on the stain. (Our kitchen cabinet was the matching item and they took a panel with them.) A little while later, they came back to the house. The salesperson, Dan, wanted to make sure that I would be satisfied with their work and we spent some time talking about details. He expressed that it was important that we, the customers, be happy with their work. The next day they went to the store and picked up the stain. They came back feeling very confident that they had a good match. Jim setup the area by covering furniture with drop cloths, taping protective paper to the floor and the walls and starting the process of cleaning the shelf dust off of the doors. When it was time to stain them, he started by staining a small obscure area and showed it to me to make sure I would be happy with the result. He knew all of the tricks of the process. He brushed on the stain, waited for a while and then wiped it off with a rag. Then he dry brushed it. He stepped back and looked at the door and then assessed where he needed to either apply more stain, wipe, or dry brush. This guy is an absolute perfectionist and very nice too! He did a coat of stain on both sides of every door and left to let it dry for the day. The plan was to apply two coats of polyurethane and wait about 18 hours in between for the coats to dry. That first evening, I got a call from Dan (the salesperson). I had forgotten that I mentioned to Jim, in passing, about my concern with the polyurethane odor. Dan called to tell me that he had researched products and unfortunately since I used an oil-based stain that I couldn't use a water-based (low VOC poly). They were obviously paying close attention to all of my concerns. The next day, Dan and Jim came to the house to put on the first coat of poly. Dan called to let me know that he had called the rep at the stain company (Old Masters) and they were able to direct him to a product with lower odor for the interior part of the doors and that would help reduce the smell. Also, they were setting up fans to help blow the odor away from the main living space. They really went the extra mile to reduce the odor, which was a very classy thing to do. The second poly coat also looked great and we love the doors. They did a great job on the polyurethane coats. Here's the best part: They made these fiberglass doors look like real wood. These guys accomplished what the manufacturer couldn't do under perfect factory conditions. It would be like getting a paint job for your unpainted automobile and the place you went to did a better job of painting than the car manufacturer. Just crazy! I want to leave you with a little analogy as the final part of my fiberglass staining tale: Have you ever watched certain professional tennis players on TV and thought to yourself: "these guys make the game look easy." You and I both know that being great at tennis is not in the least bit easy. It takes a lot of practice just to get good enough to hit the ball over the net 3 times in a row. It's just that when someone is really great at what they do, it makes the thing they are doing look easy to do. Well, this guy Jim makes staining fiberglass look easy. However, there has to be a good reason why the other top painters on Angie's List who I spoke with didn't have much confidence in or experience with staining fiberglass doors. There must be a reason why a major millwork company (Fella) couldn't make their own doors look great with stain. There must be a reason why the internet is filled with stories of frustration from homeowners who tried staining their own fiberglass doors unsuccessfully. I think the reality is that fiberglass doors are very difficult to stain but clearly not for Shelton Painting.

I contacted Todd about our painting job and he came over the next day, looked at our project and provided a bid. We decided to have him do our painting and he made arrangements to have the project started the next day. It only took the guys two days to complete our project (5 painters) and they did a fantastic job. The place was very clean when they left and looked like they had never been there, except for the newly painted walls! I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a painter and will use them again in the future. My mother in law is also going to use their services to have her place painted after seeing them working and the completed job.

It could not have gone better. They arrived on time and did a great job cleaning up as well. Beyond the quality of their work, they are simply nice people to work with. I will not be looking for painters again - I've got my company for life with these guys. You will not go wrong hiring them.

Everything went great. They were very professional, on time, and responded quickly.

After agreeing on the scope of services to be provided we received an estimate - which matched final cost. We asked them to match two of the paint colors to small samples I had. I approved the colors and when they were applied one I decided one was just a bit darker than really wanted. They were happy to go back and get a different paint which was a perfect match. Team was professional and they truly care about quality. We also had them do interior painting several years ago and that experience was great too.

In a word, OUTSTANDING! I worked with Dan, owner/estimator. All meetings were right on time to the minute. Very professional and knowledgeable. Work included all painting and some wall patching. I had planned to do the patching but he recommended against it as they could do a better job. He was right! Arrived right on time (8:30 AM) with a crew of five. All went right to work the minute they entered the condo and operated as an integrated team. They protected everything with plastic. I was impressed. Worked the first day to dark, approx 6 PM then returned with two the following day to finish which was approx 1 PM. Beautiful work, attention to detail was commendable and FAST. Both Dan and the crew kept reassuring us that if there were any problems to be sure to point them out. So far none noted. Hands down, the best contractor I have worked with to date. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Cost: $1500 + a box of donuts.

They were very reasonable. They did a great job. I was very pleased. They cleaned everything and made sure to keep things clean. The followed up immediately if any issues arose. They communicated very well. It could not have gone better.

We have used Shelton Painting before so we knew that it would be a good experience. After the roof of our dormer room was replaced it was suggested that we do the interior as soon as possible to avoid any further leak problems. Todd was prompt and gave me a written estimate on the spot. His team removed the old ceiling tiles, replaced the insulation, put up a vapor barrier (this was suggested by our roofer), and put up a drywall ceiling. They also removed some old wallpaper border and painted the ceiling and walls of the room over a 2 day time frame. The true test will be after the winter season!

This is the third time we have worked successfully with Shelton, and first time at this house. After a pressure wash of our stucco, we determined that both stucco AND trim work needed to get done. It was a really big decision to paint our stucco. Fortunately, I trusted Todd, Dan and his crew to get it done right. Not only do they have a great color consultant and very good products with which to paint a breathable layer on the stucco, they also offered trim repair at a very reasonable price and done in a way that did not slow the process. They were really responsive when I triple-checked to make sure the color was right before we used 50 ? gallons on the house. Shelton insists on painting two coats even with the higher quality paint, which I think is worth the investment for not much more cost or time than one coat. They even came back and painted trim work for the egress window we finished later on gratis to make sure everything was complete. We have had so many compliments on how nice our freshly painted house looks. People go out of their way to tell us as they are walking by. We are very happy with it, too. Todd remembers everything you talk about and does everything he says his team will do, and makes sure it gets done right. If you are a visual person like me, take notes on your conversation, because not all the details get written on the bid, but they do get done. In contrast, other bidders had fancy proposal sheets. However, they did not anticipate hidden details before the project started like Todd and Dan did, and did not take the time with me as they did either. Because both Todd and Dan were thorough at the beginning, there were no added on costs once we agreed on the proposal.

The overall experience was excellent. Todd came to our house twice to discuss colors and ideas. He referred me to an excellent color consultant at Sherwin Williams. She spent an hour at our house and helped me choose the right colors (many of our walls run together so colors are tough to match). Todd brought a crew of 5 guys and they were able to paint about 2,000 square feet, refinish ceilings, and touch up varnish on windows in three days. The only down side was they were at hour house pretty late on all three days however we would have preferred this over a job that took up to a week. The crew was very clean and cognizant of our baby (made sure they kept his door shut and cleaned up each night). Todd's price quote was more competitive than most of the bids we received and he used better paint (Low VOC Sherwin Williams). I would highly recommend Shelton Painting and we will use them again for another project in the future.

It went beautifully! Several guys came out and got the job done quickly. Finding a company like Shelton is exactly why I joined Angie's List. One of the best companies I've ever had work on my house. Also I got a 5% Angie's List discount with coupon. Price would have been $6500. Discovered some tricky places that had been missed. Todd Shelton and 2 guys came out right away.and took care of everything.

Todd came over within a day or two of my calling and gave me the estimate. Todd is a super-nice guy (you wish he was your brother-in-law) and while he was here also gave me a referral for some exterior wood that needed replacing. The painting needed to done after some plaster work and before the carpeting went in. Todd accommodated my scheduling needs with no problem. On the day of the job, Todd arrived with his two workers and they set up while Todd then went to get my chosen point color and brand. His two guys went straight to work, hardly even talking amongst themselves. They laid plastic over all the carpet (even though it didn't matter since it was being replaced) and before I knew it, the ceilings were already done. They had brought blowers to speed the drying of the ceiling and took their lunch break while it dried. Within a short time they had put the color on the walls, patched a couple of imperfections, and then painted over them. It went so fast I don't even know how they got such a perfectly clean line between the newly painted ceilings and the walls. They did the whole job in less time than it would have taken me just to tape around the trim. Todd came back as they were finishing to make sure everything was done to my satisfaction. I had always done interior painting myself, but I may never do it again because they were so efficient and it looks so much better than my work. I had had Shelton Painting quote me on a previous job, and I hadn't used them because I went with the lowest bid. I wish now that I had, and I will probably use them exclusively in the future.

Excellent. They had a cancellation so we were able to get on the schedule quickly. Took them two full days. It was a pleasure.

Shelton Painting was wonderful from start to finish. Todd came out for an estimate within a week of calling. He was thorough and answered all my questions. A crew sprayed the interior of our newly dry walled 1000 sq ft garage. They stained 2 levels of decking and steps. They painted the trim on our very high English Tudor house. I felt sorry for the crew on 40 ft ladders. The crew were wonderful. Todd was out almost every day. We will hire them again for all our painting projects. We have already recommended them to friends!

Timely, nice work, good clean up, completed all the details including extra screen doors. Recommended a good carpenter for deck repair.

I was impressed by their prep work. They first powerwash the entire house, then scrape, and then power sand all the rough edges of the old paint to get a smooth surface. Then they apply two coats of high-quality paint. It looks very nice and I am happy with their work.

I called, left a message, and heard back from Todd within a couple hours. He came out the next day for an estimate. Todd was very thorough in describing what exactly would be done. I was told time frame would be about 3 weeks. Once I accepted the bid, I got on the schedule earlier than that--the work began within the next week. The crew did a great job with prep work and cleanup, and the end product looks fantastic. They did such a good job. Todd did a thorough walk-through with me after work was done to inspect it. I was extremely happy with the entire process.

I I hired them due to their rave reviews and boy I wasn't disappointed! Todd and his crew are the best! I got the feeling that I was getting a fair deal and that Todd was a straightforward person. I felt that he had my best interest in mind. He even recommended a handyman I could use for other projects around the house who has also been wonderful. I will use them again in the near future and would highly recommend them to everyone else as well. I appreciated the 5% discount coupon too.

The best overall experience I encountered by any type of contractor. I called and spoke to Todd Shelton, he came out to meet with me and walked me though the entire process, he was very professional. We have had a problem with this home from paint peeling within a year after painting and this has been the third time in 10 years that we have had our house painted. Todd took the challenge and had the house extensively prepped and went over the process that he thought we should take to get better results. He also offered to come by once a year to inspect our house so we can jump on the problem before it gets out of control. (wow) I also decided last minute to have my deck rails cleaned and stained. No problem, Dan, Todd's Partner, was out to pressure wash my deck right away. Todd and Dan had a crew out to my property to prep and paint and the crew worked throughout the day non-stop, the attention to detail by the crew was impeccable. Dan restored my deck rails to a new appearance, he did an excellent job, making sure every square inch was cleaned, and stained. Both Todd and Dan were out several times during the entire process to make sure everything was going according to plan. The crew was polite and very mindful of their surroundings making sure everything was clean throughout the process. The final outcome of the project was worth every penny spent. I would definitely recommend Shelton Painting to anyone because you are not only hiring a talented crew, but you also are hiring a company that will treat and care for your home as if they were working on their home.

It went well, Todd gave me the estimate, the painting was scheduled quickly and completed on schedule. I was told to call if there were any problems, there were none. The quality of the work was excellent. I would use these painters again.

The estimator was very fast. He eyeballed each room and handed me the estimate before he left. It took about five minutes. This was a 5 day job. The estimator said that it would take 4 maybe 5 days depending on how much patching was needed hidden underneath the wallpaper. Several guys arrived and I ended up leaving for work. At the end of the day they had covered furniture and floors with plastic and had taken down all the wallpaper except for the bathroom which they were leaving until last in order to minimize disruption to our lives. These guys did a great job in finding and patching any defects in the walls. I monitored some of the defects and before I even pointed them out they got fixed. They were always telling us to point out any imperfections so that they could address them. I liked that and appreciated that they found most of them before I pointed them out. Triple bonus points go out to Dan who stayed late on Friday night to do fine touch ups in our bathroom because it wasn't up to his high standards. Beautiful job guys!

Everything went very well. They were fast, in and out, cleaned up well, and had fair prices.

Excellent work, fast and professional. Would use again.

When I did not hear back from Shelton after my Angie's List inquiry/email, I called them directly. So I would recommend doing that right off. Todd came out within a day or two and gave me a written estimate as well as some ideas/advice on tackling the light fixtures prior to having the ceilings done. Todd also warned me ahead of time that the crew could possibly be a bit late due to traffic levels across the metro. The work was completed on time and looked beautiful. I would use Shelton Painting again.

I really liked this painter and since I also liked the one I choose, it was hard to make the choice.