These guys range from the amateur just off the boat to the seasoned professional, who will usually be wearing the standard issue white painters pants and white shirt and carrying a satchel of some kind bearing the tools of his trade (and often his lunch!)... his 5-in-1 scraping tool, his paint brushes, and some mineral spirits and rags for cleaning up after a days work... and sometimes a even small radio to while away the work day on the job.
The questions for the homeowner is: "Is it safe to hire one of these guys to work at my house?"
Most people have heard the story of Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted from her home by Brian David Mitchell--a homeless man that had been hired by Elizabeth's father for a few hours several months earlier to do odd jobs around the family's home. Fortunately Elizabeth was found alive 9 months later--only 18 miles from where she was taken--still with Mitchell.
That is obviously and extreme example but one should be mindful of all possible outcomes--even the extreme ones--when making any decision in life. I've had mixed success over the years with hiring "the guys on the corner". Some have been excellent painters, some so-so--but they all had a story--there was always a reason why they were unemployed (and sometimes unemployable). Sometime it was attitude. Sometimes it was alcohol or drugs. I've found that they always start out on their best behavior, all smiles, willing to do anything for the chance to work. But usually within a day or two--often only a few minutes or hours--their true colors would show.
For the most part, the only risk you take with the guys on corner is having to repaint something that was done shoddily. But most of the guys hanging out at the paint store have at least SOME basic painting skills--and some of them are actually very, very good at their craft. And with the tougher economic times and the collapse in the housing & construction industries nationwide, I see more and more guys out there on the corner looking for work--many of them familiar faces. I feel for these guys--especially the ones I know--but the age old fable of the grasshopper and the ant is as true here as anywhere else. You can't fiddle all summer and rely on the kindness of stranger in the cold winter months. Or you may find yourself out in front of the paint store looking for day labor.
To be safe, if you are going to use a guy that's hanging out at the paint store, don't use that guy on a project INSIDE your home (if you are living there). If the house is empty (i.e. before you move in or after you move out), sure, why not, what's he gonna steal? Or if he's painting the outside of the house or the garage... again, fairly easy to contain the damage if something goes south. But you don't want a guy who you don't know rummaging through your jewelry box or your medicine cabinet when you're not looking.
If something were to go south after you pick up a guy on the corner to have him do work for you (painting or otherwise), the main thing you want to do is stop the bleeding as quickly as possible, don't argue about pennies, just firmly but politely tell him that he isn't doing the type of work that you need done and that you'd like to just pay him for whatever hours he's worked so far. No hard feelings. Don't get into an argument with the guy and get shanked over $20. It's not worth it!
Of course, hiring a "professional" doesn't guarantee that some of the same things won't happen--but at least you'll have an easier time finding the guy if it does. Assuming you are smart and you got a firm bid and a contract for the work he's doing you should now have a phone number, a full name, a business address, an email address, a website, etc. Many professional painters are bonded and/or insured as well--and some are members of organizations like the BBB or Angie's List and don't want to risk getting negative feedback from customers--so they'll typically do anything within reason to make you happy and protect their good name.
So, think carefully before picking up that guy in the white pants at the paint store... you never know what his story is... but you can be pretty sure that he's got one.
(If you've had any positive or negative experience hiring day laborers for your projects, please share them with us!)
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