Cut No Corners Painting is a top rated company on Angies list, here are some of our many testimonials.
Description Of Work:
We recently spent $22,000 installing energy-efficient Andersen Renewal Windows and a sliding glass door with unfinished wood on the interior frames and saches (see my review of “A Cut Above Exteriors” who did an excellent job on the window installation), and we wanted to find a painting contractor that could stain them to match the existing wood trim around the windows. I experimented on samples provided by the window installer and quickly learned that matching the existing wood exactly is a really tricky thing to do. We asked the window installer for a recommendation for a painter who had worked with their windows, and although that painting contractor was very nice and seemed knowledgeable, his price was way out of the ballpark — $4900, and he estimated it would take a crew of 4 an entire week to finish the project. We then turned to Angie’s List to find A-rated painting contractors that had won awards, offered coupons, and whose ratings indicated that they had experience is doing wood staining. We got 3 bids ($1475, $2215, and 2900 including discounts) and we are confident that all of them would have done a good job. Walt Murfin from Cut No Corners Painting impressed me from the outset — I called him at 5:30 PM on a Friday afternoon and he answered my call and said he was driving and would call me right back, which he did. We arranged for him to come over to give us an estimate, and we were very impressed with his knowledge and past experience in working with staining projects and windows in particular. Walt said that he is referred by Pella Windows, and he had done a lot of work with them. Walt explained that our existing wood had been stained and then coated with a semi-gloss lacquer. The high bid contractor was going to use polyurethane for the finish coats, and Walt explained that over time the polyurethane would peel because it just forms a layer over the stain. The lacquer, on the other hand, re-dissolves the existing lacquer, and therefore chemically bonds with the existing lacquer finish. Since I am a Ph.D. in biochemistry that made perfect sense to me. Walt gave us a price right on the spot–he just figured how many hours it would take and then gave us the price–and he followed up with a written quote by e-mail the next day. We were a little hesitant to go with the low bid, which was $3,425 less than the high bid, and $740 less than the next lowest bid, but we decided to go with them, and we are very glad that we did! We had them do several other areas where the existing wood trim had faded, and we also had them remove wallpaper and repaint a bedroom for us. See separate review for that project, which they did for less than the quoted price because it did not require a coat of sealer to be put on after removing the wallpaper. As you will see from the description below of how the job went, Walt and his crew really did live up to their name “Cut No Corners Painting”, and we highly recommend them for wood staining jobs.
Member Comments:
“Walt and his crew showed up at 8:00 AM sharp on the next Monday as promised. His staining expert, Frank, mixed up a custom stain using Sher-wood stains from Sherwin Williams (by mixing 2 different colors into a base color) , and came up with a very good match. He then put several coats of clear lacquer finish on the sample pieces of the window saches and wood trim used around the sliding glass door. The existing wood is a dark chesnut color with lighter reddish-gold undertones that show through the lighter parts of the wood grain, and we felt it still needed a bit more color to bring out the highlights. Frank suggested mixing some cherry stain in with the lacquer and that did the trick, yielding a perfect match even though we were dealing with 3 different types of wood in different places. Meanwhile, Frank’s assistant Oscar was busy masking off around the windows, and covering surfaces with plastic and paper (see photos below). Frank and Oscar set up a workshop in our garage, so they could put the sliding window saches and sliding glass door on sawhorses to stain and spray on the lacquer finish. The day they were here was one of our rare snow days in Portland, and they covered all the window openings with plastic to keep some of the heat in, and the weather out. Fortunately, the lacquer dries very quickly (in contrast to the polyurethane that the high priced contractor wanted to use), so they were able to get the windows put back in on the same day. They did half of the windows on one day, and came back the next day to finish the rest of them. Frank and Oscar were both very helpful and courteous, and Frank is a real artist and perfectionist. There was one section of wood where the grain was very open and that left a fairly large light section that looked funny. Frank fixed that by hand painting another coat of stain into the lighter section to make it blend in better with the rest of the wood. They put on two coats of clear lacquer, followed by one coat with the cherry stain added in, and a final clear coat to seal that in. They meticulously removed the tape, paper, and plastic, and Oscar had done such a super taping job that with the 10 large windows and one 8-foot sliding glass door that they stained there is not a single place where there is any stain on either the white walls around the windows or on the window glass–amazing attention to detail and craftsmanship. There was one window sill where the former owner must have tried to fix it himself by using polyurethane and the lacquer caused it to bubble the surface. Frank was not happy with that and he came back the next day (even though he was not feeling well) to sand it off, restain it, and re-spray the lacquer coats to make it perfect. We were so impressed with their work that we had them spray several places (around the front door and a decorative wood rail between the entry and dining room) where the existing wood stain had faded over the years for a slight extra charge.”
Steve Carlin
Description Of Work:
Painted one bedroom, nook walls, and ceiling in 2 tones, leaving trim unchanged. Punctual for estimate, and able to schedule within a week. Polite and neat. The paint job is excellent.
Member Comments:
“Very happy with work and results.”
Ann Stout
Description Of Work:
Walt showed up right on time to give me an estimate, and was also punctual on the day of the work. He and Frank moved the furniture away from the walls and covered it. They also completely cleaned up when done. My walls look great!
Member Comments:
“The job went great. Even though this was a small job-den and dining room-they gave it a professional attention. I am very happy with their work.”
Barbara Greenebaum
Description Of Work:
Walt and his team repaired cracks in ceiling, uneven molding, cleaned and stained window casings and painted most of our interior ceilings, walls and trim. We are getting ready to sell our house so we wanted it to look really nice.
Member Comments:
“Walt and his team did an amazing job. They were fun to have in the house, professional, excellent craftsmen and they were easy to deal with. They left the house neat everyday and we did not have to leave the house or move our pets because the paint they used was very gentle on us but super effective on the walls, trims and ceilings. We recommend them and will use them again for other projects.”
Barbara Saunders
Description Of Work:
Interior painting.
Member Comments:
“Bid was lowest of 3 workers; came on time and did a high quality job in a timely manner. They cleaned up well, would recommend them to anyone else and use again if needed.”
Paul Safran
Description Of Work:
The project was painting windows, window casings and window trim in an 80-year-old house. The areas to be painted were in diverse states: some new, primed Tilt-Pac windows; some window casings that were partly sanded almost to bare wood; other window casings with chipped, rough or uneven paint with years of paint buildup; and some bare, unprimed wood trim. Cut No Corners patched and repaired any areas necessary, primed those areas and then painted all of the windows (including the exterior of all of the Tilt-Pac windows).
Member Comments:
“Overall, the project went well. One always expects an A+ performance from a contractor, and I would give this a B to B+. Walt (the proprietor), Oscar and Frank (the painters) were great to work with. They were punctual, friendly, professional, clean (for the most part) and talented. The Tilt-Pac windows have vinyl strips that can’t be painted (otherwise, the window warranty is void) and originally, paint got on those vinyl strips. When we called that to the company’s attention, someone came out the same afternoon to strip the paint from the vinyl. On the exterior of the windows, some paint was scraped off, evidently because the windows were moved up or down before the paint had a chance to dry. Some areas that were worked on weren’t cleanup terribly well.”
Michael Wilson
Description Of Work:
Painted the exterior of my home
Member Comments:
“The estimate I got from this company was not the highest nor the lowest and ultimately, it was Walt, the owner, and his belief in his employees workmanship and his willingness to really “cut no corners” is what sold me. Unfortunatly, once I paid the deposit, I heard no more from them and after a couple of week and several calls, got Walt to confim a date. Once they got here, things went pretty smoothly. What I most appreciated initially about Walt was that he notice some repairs that were needed prior to painting and had a handy-man to send who charged a reasonable fee and did a nice job. Also, I was not sure of what colors to use and Walt also had an excellent designer to recommend-who for a fee, (Alicia Tomasi Asociates 503-246-0666), helped us decide what colors we liked and we are pleased everyday with our choice. Our neighbors who had no help, painted their home drab, uninspiring colors. Too bad…Also, Id like to mention the very best painter in this company is Frank. He is customer oriented and detail oriented and without his work on this project, I doubt it would have come out so well. He is a huge asset to this company.”
Holly Marstall
Description Of Work:
Small painting job of an interior stair well with a two story wall. Too difficult for me to do myself without proper equipment and experience.
Member Comments:
“Called three painting contractors from Angie’s List, including Cut No Corners Painting. Left voice mail for Walt Murfin, who returned my call within an hour and made an appointment to come give an estimate. Walt showed up on time and due to the size of the job, gave a simple hourly estimate for time and materials. Estimate was in line with others we received. Selected another contractor based on perceived additional value presented in formal bid document.”
David Capps
Description Of Work:
They painted 3 bedrooms, hall, living room, foyer and ceilings in all rooms. This included caulking and painting newly installed crown molding in all the rooms and 2 built-ins…they painted all the closets also. They primed and textured one full wall that had been newly wallboarded and 3 smaller places where old intercoms had been removed in the bedrooms.
Member Comments:
“They were very responsive to my initial request for an estimate and we were able to arrange a day that I had off for Walt to come out and do an estimate. There was some carpentry that needed doing before all the painting could be done. He gave me the referral of a very competent contractor/handyman who did the work. Frank and Oscar were the leads on this project…very nice people, who did a great job. I was comfortable enough with them that I let them in and just went to my work, and my trust was justified. When I need more interior painting I will definitely call them to return. I also received a discount on the total cost since it was over $1000.”
Toni Lonning
Description Of Work:
Wallpaper removal and interior painting.
Member Comments:
“Work was completed on time; crew foreman provided great suggestions.”
Marlow Fischer
Description Of Work:
We needed our upstairs hallway painted a more neutral color scheme as we have put our house on the market. The original colors were bright yellow, turquoise and vibrant red (the colors matched a movie poster). We were concerned that the bright colors could be covered effectively, and quickly and at a reasonable cost. After getting 2 other estimates that ranged from $3000 to $2200, and after reading the reviews of Walt’s company on the List. I figured I should at least get an estimate. He was very professional and gave me an estimate on the spot. I would hire Cut No Corners again in a heartbeat, AND I will tell everyone who needs a good painter to call Walt. We already told our Realtor.
Member Comments:
“The crew of 3 came at 7:45am and was done by 4:30pm! The same day! Frank and his guys were very clean, neat and quick! The bright colors cannot be seen (they used a good primer) and put 2 coats of the Benjamin Moore color we had picked out. The woodwork and walls look great, and we met our July 1st deadline with time to spare.”
Jane Staugas
Description Of Work:
Painted interior of 1500 sq foot two store home. They painted only a few ceilings and no closets.
Member Comments:
“Walt came out and gave an estimate right away. He and his crew were prompt and were left in our home alone, while we were at work. They completed the job in two full days. We contacted Walt to set up a time for him to do the work and it took him a couple of days to get back to us. Overall, Walt and his team were professional and were pleased with the outcome.”
Laura Carreau
Description Of Work:
Removed wall paper from master bathroom and painted walls, ceiling, door, and trim. Patched damaged wall in another bathroom and repainted the wall.
Member Comments:
“This was an excellent experience from beginning to end. When we originally contacted Walt, he came over the next day and provided us with an estimate. Based on that, we agreed to have him do the work. We scheduled a date for the job and they were here promptly on that date. Shortly after they started work, it became apparent that removal of the wallpaper would be much more difficult than anticipated because it had not been applied correctly. Walt came by to assess the situation and decided to take it on himself. He was able to leave the wallpaper on and smooth the surface so that he could paint over it. The change involved some extra time but he told us right away when we could expect the job to be done and he achieved that easily. We are very happy with the end product and, despite the complications, Walt was truly a pleasure to deal with. We would definitely call on him again!”
Chuck Lenard
Description Of Work:
Painted interior of 2 story house-single coat.
Member Comments:
“Walt arrived per appointment and gave an estimate on the work I needed done. It was very reasonable and he gave me the Angie’s List discount as well. He also recommended a handyman and a duct cleaning service I used which also worked out very well and have good reviews I’ve already submitted. Walt’s crew started on my schedule and all workers were very much on task and very professional. Walt came by on several occasions to check on their work and progress. In addition one of the workers, Frank was pretty much in charge of the rest of the crew. He was very personable and attended to all of the small items that needed special attention such as cleaning and caulking cracks filling gaps, etc. The experience was very positive and finished on schedule per the written estimate. I would use them again and I am requiring my new tenants to use them for any cosmetic changes they will make on the house when they move in.”
Rose Galante
Description Of Work:
They painted my house garage and they also painted my shed.
Member Comments:
“I think they did a good job at painting my house. The people who painted my house where very friendly. They always where on time every day they had painted the house.”
Holly Marstall
Description Of Work:
Walt and his crew painted the interior of my house. I called on a Wednesday, Walt bid that Friday and we started the next Monday morning. They were through by Wednesday. I have an older home with lots of years of paint so there was patching and trim work to do plus all the closets, trim and doors.
Member Comments:
“I came home every night and am amazed at the transformation. I have had friends over and they can’t believe the difference the painting made to the interior – not only is the house no longer dim and dingy but I have found new features that I missed. Care was taken, I have no complaints.”
Rhonda Eckroth
Description Of Work:
Painted existing baseboards, window casings, door trim, and new doors (all white).
Member Comments:
“Walt was very professional and fair with his pricing, so I selected his company to paint inside my home. The first day was spent on prep-work. The next two days were spent painting. I had started this project on my own, but ran out of time to finish. Walt’s crew made short work of the situation and did way better job than I could have done myself. Walt’s staff also moved around heavy furniture to paint some of the areas needed. Money well spent! Side note: I was having new doors installed at the time and Walt agreed to take the doors after they were finished, then paint them at his shop. His staff was very flexible with my busy schedule and had the doors returned over the weekend. I have recommended his company to a few colleagues.”
Mike Whipple
Description Of Work:
We originally wanted them to repaint three rooms after a re-pipe project. This involved several different kinds of paint (Oil based on trim and molding). We asked for separate quotes on additional work in case we decided to add on to the contract. They were NOT the cheapest painters we approached but their professional attitude and attention to detail led us to hire them.
Member Comments:
“Couldn’t have been better. We hired them to do about $4000.00 worth of work and when we saw the quality and attention to detail, we ended up adding a number of rooms and detailing. The workers were on-time, clean, respectful and very diligent. They cleaned up everyday without fail. Walt and Frank were a pleasure to work with.”
Peter Krainock
Description Of Work:
Painted all wall, ceilings and closets.
Member Comments:
“Very well.”
Arthur Smith
Description Of Work:
I added a bathroom and bedroom to the basement of a duplex unit which I own and I talked to several painters before I settled on Cut No Corner’s Painting. The interior of the bedroom (w/ closet), bathroom and common area as well as stair case walls and several doors required painting. Walt came out and met with me, took time explaining what is involved in a professional paint job and the numerous ways contractors “cut corners”. He gave me more insight to the process of a professional paint job. After reviewing several bids, I called Walt to tell him his bid was close but that I was going to go with the other contractor due to price. Walt and I talked a bit and he offered to match the other company’s price. I gave the work to cut No Corner’s Painting, since I felt very confident in Walt’s company’s ability and I haven’t been disappointed.
Member Comments:
“Walt offered also to “touch up” a couple of spots that needed to be refinished with joint compound, primer and paint along with the prep and painting of the basement rooms. Everything looked wonderful and Frank one of the professional painters, who painted the basement, was a delight to be around; very accommodating. After that work had been done, I had three walls in the upstairs main unit that needed repainting and I called them to help me with that, since now my tenants were occupying the unit. Walt sent Oscar to paint the two bedroom walls and one kitchen wall and he was very professional and offered to assist me with a couple of small repairs! I’m very impressed with the kindness and professionalism of Cut No Corners Painting and am happy to give them a strong recommendation! “
Khrystle Hopper
Description Of Work:
Cut No Corners painted the interior of our home. Walt responded right away to my initial call and scheduled a free estimate at my convenience that week. He then did the paint job 2 weeks after the estimate. The cost was the same as the estimate, minus the 10% Angie’s List discount. His crew was very courteous and tidy. When the job was all done, the house looked great (the paint job and the clean up).
Member Comments:
“Excellent- would highly recommend. Crew very friendly, professional and polite. Came right on time every day and left the house clean each day. Moved furniture for free.”
Karen Dellinger
Description Of Work:
They removed the old wallpaper in a bathroom, which proved to be more work than expected (apparently the walls were not primed before the wallpaper was installed). Then they created a smooth surface on the walls, applied primer and textured the walls, to match the other walls in our home. Then they painted the walls and ceiling with the Devine Paint we had chosen. The finished room is perfect.
Member Comments:
“They are real professionals. The bumps in the road that were encountered (clogged drain; chipped woodwork) were quickly and easily remedied, and the project continued as planned.”
Terri Mundt
Description Of Work:
Complete interior painting.
Member Comments:
“Excellent.”
Steve Gray
Description Of Work:
The entire interior of my home was painted including ceilings, wainscoting & all baseboard moldings. The entire staff at Cut No Corners Painting was extremely professional & executed a high quality of work. Cut No Corners was fantastic to work with. At the beginning of the job, I decided to have all the baseboards painted. Cut No Corners accommodated this request at a fair price & squeezed in this extra work to meet my tight time-line. If you are looking for a professional, high quality, trustworthy company, hire Cut No Corners!
Member Comments:
“Overall I had a great experience with Cut No Corners. They were very professional, extremely detail oriented & clean. Walt and Frank were very easy to communicate with and upfront about any extra charges. I would highly recommend them & will most certainly use them again!”
Julie Pingle
