CertaPro Painters of Berkeley is a full-service painting contractor that serves residential and commercial clients throughout Alameda County. In addition to handling every aspect of interior and exterior painting, the company provides cabinet refinishing, staining, power washing, acoustic ceiling removal, epoxy coatings and more.
Owner Soumil Amin is a lifelong Bay Area resident who studied Economics and Business at UC Davis before establishing CertaPro Painters of Berkeley. “Running a painting business is less about the actual commodity and more about finding the right people, making sure they’re empowered and building a positive culture where they enjoy coming to work,” he says. “Our employees care about this company, and their dedication shows in their excellent paint jobs.”
CertaPro Painters of Berkeley emphasizes the importance of customer education and communication throughout every step of the painting process, from estimating to project completion. “We cover all the bases,” says Mr. Amin. “Our clients may only have to paint their homes once every 10 to 15 years, so we make sure they have clear understandings of what they’re getting.”
“We do business based on a set of core values: We deliver what we promise, respect the individual, have pride in what we do and practice continuous improvement. Our ultimate goal is to treat our customers the way we would like to be treated. Every time we enter a new situation, we ask ourselves, ‘What would we need to make ourselves comfortable? What kind of outcome would we like?’ Our outlook puts things into perspective for both our employees and customers.”
Use caution when dealing with paint that contains volatile organic compounds.
The smell of fresh paint may signal a new start or a soothing space, but it also warns of potentially dangerous gasses that can be toxic if ingested or breathed. Volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations inside new or remodeled homes can be dangerously high, because they’re frequently found in flooring, building materials, furniture, paint, waxes and cleaning supplies.
A renewed interest in the long-term effects of these potentially dangerous compounds means more consumers and painting contractors are moving toward low- and zero-VOC paints and finishes. “Paints that have lower VOCs don’t have as many toxic fumes,” explains Soumil Amin, owner of CertaPro Painters of Berkeley. “That means a homeowner can have their house painted and not worry about airing it out.”
Here’s what you should know about VOCs in your home:
• If you can smell paint when you walk into a room (no matter when it was applied), it’s still releasing potentially harmful VOCs. To help clear the air, leave windows open whenever you can.• Th
e U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates VOCs in air, water and land. However, it doesn’t regulate air quality in non-industrial buildings, including private homes.
• VOCs have been linked to “sick building syndrome,” a combination of symptoms that include headaches; eye, nose, throat and skin irritation; and a decrease in smell and taste. Sick building syndrome is generally attributed to working and living in buildings with poor ventilation and biological and chemical contaminants, including mold, bacteria, pollen and viruses.
• Children are the most affected by high levels of VOCs and may experience respiratory distress; allergies; immune system problems; eye, nose and throat irritation; dizziness; nausea; and kidney, liver and central nervous system damage.
To help minimize the occurrence of health problems caused by indoor VOCs, consider the following tips:
• Choose low- and zero-VOC paints when painting living spaces, especially bedrooms or rooms for infants and small children.
• If you can smell new furniture, carpeting, wall coverings, window coverings or other decorative items, they’re off-gassing and may be contributing potentially harmful chemicals to your indoor environment. Air out any rooms with new carpeting or new paint until you can no longer smell them.
• Purchase a home screening kit to measure the total VOC exposure in your house. Indoor air quality companies can also provide this service. However, testing will only determine your rate of exposure; it won’t fix the problem.
• Most items that off-gas do so during the first few weeks and months. You can limit the VOCs you bring into your house by purchasing floor models that have off-gassed in the store, solid wood items with lower-emitting finishes, and new products that contain no VOCs or low VOCs.
• Appliances, paints and furnishes often give off more gasses when a home is warmer and has higher humidity. Keep temperature and humidity under control year-round.
Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it's even more important for painting companies that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For CertaPro Painters of Berkeley, the key to achieving and maintaining customer satisfaction is simple: remain committed to providing excellent customer service throughout every phase of every project. "Customer service was my primary goal from the moment I started this business," explains owner Soumil Amin. "I wanted to open a painting company that delivered a service I could put my name behind. Ultimately, I want our customers to be completely happy with our work."
CertaPro Painters of Berkeley has been providing complete painting services for residential and commercial clients throughout Alameda County since 2003. In addition to handling every aspect of interior and exterior painting, the company provides cabinet refinishing, staining, power washing, acoustic ceiling removal, epoxy coatings and more.
Unlike painting companies that provide the same treatment for every customer regardless of their preferences, CertaPro Painters of Berkeley takes a personalized approach to each painting project–a comprehensive process that's earned the company a loyal, dedicated clientele base. "Every person has a different idea of the perfect paint job, so we make sure to take our time and understand exactly what each client wants," says Mr. Amin. "We listen to what they're saying and deliver on our promises."
To further differentiate itself from its competition, CertaPro Painters of Berkeley offers accelerated services that are designed to get at the heart of every project. Once a customer contacts the company, a representative immediately responds and schedules an in-home estimate. During the first meeting, an estimator talks in-depth with the client and notes the type of job, special requirements and expectations, and other project details. "We cater our proposals to our clients' exact desires and return them within 24 hours," adds Mr. Amin. "We also include a packet with references, our accreditations and basic company information."
