El Gato Painting & Restoration, Inc. provides a complete range of interior and exterior painting services for residential and commercial clients throughout the South Bay and Tri-Valley. In addition to painting all types of surfaces, the company has the in-house capabilities to perform drywall patching and cosmetic dry rot repairs, stucco patching, deck staining, and more.
El Gato Painting & Restoration’s meticulous approach to painting has been an important aspect of its long-term success. It’s one of the few painting companies that will spray and back roll, which improves adhesion, coverage and longevity. Also, since it offers a six-year unlimited warranty, it’s very thorough when it comes to making sure every job is done properly.
El Gato Painting & Restoration’s technicians stay up-to-date on the latest products and techniques in the painting industry. They attend weekly training and safety meetings to ensure they’re maintaining high levels of quality in their work, and they know which products, materials, and applications are necessary to achieve the best results.
“We want every client to have a positive experience, so we always do what we say we're going to do and make sure they're happy with each aspect of our work. We're prompt and honest, and we cover all our bases to ensure high-quality, long-lasting paint jobs.”
If you’re planning a painting project, make sure you protect yourself by getting a line item bid from your contractor.
Interior and exterior painting projects are notorious for going over budget, but you can avoid this situation by having your painting contractor outline not only the price of your job, but the parameters and details as well. Painting companies offer different services, materials and features, so price alone isn’t enough to get a feel for what you’re really buying.
Start by asking your contractor if the bid reflects a fixed price or time and materials. Fixed price bids detail a specific amount of work at a set price (also known as a not-to-exceed price), while time and materials (T&M) estimates are usually line item documents that outline the cost of time and materials for each step of the job. Both types of bids have pros and cons, but you should feel comfortable with the amount of detail regardless of which you choose.
Next, make sure the details of your project are included in the written estimate. For your protection and the outcome you’re expecting, ask for all brands, materials and details to be listed (this should also include the grade of paint). “Some people lose faith in painting contractors because they don’t keep their promises, so it’s important to get a written estimate that includes all the details of your job so you know what to expect,” says Ken Slosarik, owner of El Gato Painting & Restoration, Inc. in Sunnyvale. “Good estimates aren’t just pieces of paper with numbers on them—they should be precise and include details like the size of the house based on surface area of square footage and any needed preparation work. The contractor should also identify issues like peeling stucco or cracked wooden windows and list them separately.”
Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it's even more important for painting contractors that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For El Gato Painting & Restoration, Inc., the key to achieving and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction is simple: emphasize careful preparation on every job, regardless of its size. "Anybody can apply a coat of paint, but if the preparation isn't done correctly, it won't last," says owner Ken Slosarik. "We know our customers expect quality and value, so we take our time and make sure our preparation is as thorough as possible."
El Gato Painting & Restoration has been providing interior and exterior painting services for residential and commercial clients throughout the South Bay and East Bay since 1977. The company has the training and equipment to paint all types of surfaces, and it's also qualified to perform drywall and cosmetic dry rot repairs, stucco patching, deck staining, and more.
Unlike less experienced painting contractors that take an "assembly line" approach to each job in an effort to maximize their workload volume, El Gato Painting & Restoration takes a meticulous approach that includes utilizing a 21-step preparation checklist to ensure the stability and cleanliness of every surface to be painted. "Our clients really appreciate our attention to detail because they know their paint jobs will look better and last longer," says Mr. Slosarik. "They're the most important part of our business, so we make sure we're always there for them when they need us."
Another distinguishing attribute of El Gato Painting & Restoration is its dedication to using industry-best techniques and products, including a chemical stripper that removes lead-based and badly peeling paint. "We can remove more old paint from surfaces with this method than with traditional sanding," explains Mr. Slosarik. "By getting down to the bare wood instead of painting over old paint, we're able to make each paint job last longer and keep potentially dangerous particles from becoming airborne."