Thread: Blind, Retarded Decorators LTD

Originally Posted by Bung

I agree. Anyone can paint

yes, but most people can only do an average job. If you have ever seen a proper paint job, you would know what I mean

it is all in the preparation, which amateurs do not do really do properly

Originally Posted by Bung

I agree. Anyone can paint, it isn't hard and takes time but a lot of us farangs have that. Stay out of the corner shop drinking every afternoon complaining about your lives and will have a satisfying job done. You just need to move around the house with the shade to avoid the sun. Easy.

Bung, your thought process only applys to us in the western world. For some reason, painting is not a Thai specialty. Maybe because they usually don't have the money to paint anyting and have not acquired the minimal experience to paint anything. Most of us have painted at some point in time and have learned how to do a half way decent job at it. My brother-in-law is a great mason and apprentice builder, but his painting skills are zero even though he said he could do it with no problem. In my recent fence and gate build he showed his skill in masonry and did a great job of doing the entire block wall with great detail. When it came to the painting, he said for me not to worry and that he could do it alone. It only took 5 minutes for me to grab a roller and brush and start in behind him to fix the shite job he was doing. I detailed the entire fence, which I didn't mind and learned none of my wife's family knew anything about painting. Now it makes sense to me why the impovements that I paid for are still in concrete grey with no color added.
Spend the money to hire a good painting crew and take the time to obtain references and look at previous work. I would not leave it up to the little lady since you may wind up hiring a crew with zero experience. If you want a good job done to our standards, you need to do your homework and not head out of town when it is in progress.

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Bung, your thought process only applys to us in the western world

and it is wrong anyway

I'm just about to start re-painting a 3 bedroom villa, the whole of the inside the outside aint to bad just do the woodwork outside, I'll post some photo's, I've already jetwashed the decking around the pool and sandwash steps.

Are you going to hire an experienced crew or are you letting the little lady tend to hiring local village people?

Originally Posted by DrAndy

Originally Posted by Bung

I agree. Anyone can paint

yes, but most people can only do an average job. If you have ever seen a proper paint job, you would know what I mean

it is all in the preparation, which amateurs do not do really do properly

Terribly sorry, but I always understood from my contacts in the building trade the general consensus was that if one could stand up and take a piss one could be a painter.

In the pecking order of things the average painter and decorator was a cut above the hod carrier.

Still, that this activity represents something of a challenge to the typical Thai chickenhead comes as no surprise. What is to be done with them? The great architect in the sky creates a race of women of such bounteous beauty that even the most jaded becomes beguiled then he complements his work with a species of man most would hesitate using as target price in a coconut shy such is their unreliability.

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Are you going to hire an experienced crew or are you letting the little lady tend to hiring local village people?

The guys have worked for me over 2 years and I wont be letting the little lady do anything, I do the hiring and firing

Originally Posted by FarangRed

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Are you going to hire an experienced crew or are you letting the little lady tend to hiring local village people?

The guys have worked for me over 2 years and I wont be letting the little lady do anything, I do the hiring and firing

Maybe you can hire them all out to do the painting the rest of us need to have done. We don't seem to be having much luck asking family and hiring local talent that say they can paint. You could start a new business as a painting contractor.

That would be original?

Originally Posted by somtamslap

Originally Posted by superman

I'm dreading having my house repainted. I hate employing them as I know I'm not going to be happy with the end result.

Seriously, better to take a few weekends and DIY...the whole thing has caussed me much unnecessary confrontation and general shite.

Nonsense. That's how Thais paint - messy without consideration. Regardless, if the work is being done by "professional" painters or an immediate family member. Simply put, if you want the job done in a manner that doesn't compromise your senses, do it yourself.

Originally Posted by thegent

Originally Posted by DrAndy

Originally Posted by Bung

I agree. Anyone can paint

yes, but most people can only do an average job. If you have ever seen a proper paint job, you would know what I mean

it is all in the preparation, which amateurs do not do really do properly

Terribly sorry, but I always understood from my contacts in the building trade the general consensus was that if one could stand up and take a piss one could be a painter.

I guess my father's years at college were wasted then.

Hehe, you pay peanuts you get monkeys I can laugh because I'll never be in this situation as I'm a painter and decorator myself but I can relate to his story. One day in Angeles City a long time ago I told an owner of a pub I'd do some painting for him, the day I was to start I was in my bed with a hangover when he sent someone to get me. When I started about 3 hours later I thought I was going to snuff it. No aircon and a rough head to boot I started to watch the telly and was drinking gallons of water when he walked in. I told him no way was I doing any more, he laughed and said he'd get a local guy in. He was a young filipino about 25yo and when he started he was very good, done the lot in a couple of hours. Next time get some good painters and supervise them, stay with them and keep them right. There are some good ones around!

^ I tried my hand here in Thailand at painting and decorating, not my house but someone else's 18 million baht properly. Spent more time in the swimming pool than with a roller..good dosh mind...

Somtamslap, you crack me up. I want to be your literary agent.

Originally Posted by reispr01

Somtamslap, you crack me up. I want to be your literary agent.

Jobs taken.

^ I think there maybe a tale or two in the painting and decorating effort...one of the best laughs I've had...

Get on it slapper.

Originally Posted by Rigger

Originally Posted by superman

I'm dreading having my house repainted. I hate employing them as I know I'm not going to be happy with the end result.

I would not get involved with that stuff, tell the wife to arrange it and then go out.

For a YEAR?? It'd take about that long for the mess to weather away... You're lucky though, family appears to give a toss about the state of the place.

Could always start a list of reputable tradesmen (in all fields) on here? Apologies if similar exists already, I'm not known for either skill or patience with these barstid machines...

Originally Posted by DrAndy

Originally Posted by Bung

I agree. Anyone can paint

yes, but most people can only do an average job. If you have ever seen a proper paint job, you would know what I mean

it is all in the preparation, which amateurs do not do really do properly

Average way above and beyond the very best of Thai paint jobs I've seen!

As Bung says most of us can do a reasonable job; painted a town-house around 7yrs ago with the usual experience gained back in the UK, father-son! Bitch of a job over here, paint's forever going off in the roller/brush, even after pressure-washing old paint still peeling off in places once the new had dampened it. Gloss just didn't brush out as I was used to, sticky almost (all expensive paint too, from Global?), thinned it 10%, very little pigment, 3coats now required. Luckily remembered an ancient airless sprayer at the bottom of some pile or another, saved the job!

Swore never again.
Ok, I'll give you that 'average' but WTF, next time I go in front of the numptys, sheet up, make sure they do it right, missus cleans & bollocks them, I follow on behind cutting in. They foking hate you working with them checking up less chatter, ciggie breaks, more attention to detail. I reckon they just get away with what they can? If you can't be arsed neither can they.
Admittedly, not a perfect job but still looking ok 4yrs on? Moved now anyway!

I had a painting business in phnom penh.
Australian gear,the best rollers,brushes and drop sheets.
Guess what?
No barangs wanted to pay for a proper job.
Either DIY or shut the fuck up.

Originally Posted by Simon43

I remember when the ex's Issan family were building my hotel in Phuket. There was a guy atop a roof painting turquoise paint along the ridge tiles - to match the colour of the main roof tiles. He went onto the roof a bit too early when the dew was still about.

So he slips and is sliding down the roof at high speed, still holding his 1 litre can of turquoise paint. The building is single storey, so the fall will not kill him, but it's gonna hurt him, especially as he will fall into the swimming pool which is still empty...

As luck would have it, his village mate is standing in the swimming pool, and makes a brave attempt to break the fall of the guy. He achieves this, but cops the 1 litre of paint into his open mouth!!!!

The result is a quick trip to Thalang Hospital, where he was coughing up turquoise paint for hours. Luckily, I had been a tight-arse and only bought thin Thai paint, so not a life-threatening situation.

I have a few stories to tell about the building work that these guys did. doing the final, artistic touches was not their forte

Simon

I miss life in Thailand...... 'tis a hoot. as long as you stay on Valium.

Find someone who has had a decent job done and pay them accordingly their contract price but on the proviso that payment will not be made until it is to your satisfaction. But of course hang around to supervise this will save you later frustration.

Originally Posted by cambtek

I had a painting business in phnom penh.
Australian gear,the best rollers,brushes and drop sheets.
Guess what?
No barangs wanted to pay for a proper job.
Either DIY or shut the fuck up.

Now why am I not in the least surprised?

I'd be tempted to start 'free' tuition for the monkeys with your available skills, just to see the 1/100 done something like decent?! Then again; what do you know, stoopid Farang can't teach Pooyai Paint sweet F.A...