Comparing A Plus Painting & Repair and Precision Paint Experts
A practical way to line up two painting bids when the real unknown is what's hiding under old paint: soft fascia, rotted sills and the change orders that follow.
Looking for an A Plus Painting & Repair alternative? Start with the repairs nobody can see yet
Some North Central Florida homeowners collect a quote from A Plus Painting & Repair and another from Precision Paint Experts before choosing who paints their house. That's a smart habit, and this page isn't here to judge anyone's bid. It covers one narrow topic that trips up a lot of comparisons: wood rot discovered mid-project and how each proposal handles the cost of fixing it.
Two quotes can look nearly identical on the first page and still end in very different final invoices. The gap usually opens the day a scraper sinks into a fascia board that looked fine from the driveway. Humid summers, sprinkler overspray and roof runoff do slow, quiet damage to trim, window sills, door jambs and the bottoms of corner boards across Alachua, Marion and Levy counties.
Where rot tends to hide on local homes
Before comparing numbers, walk the house with each estimator and ask them to probe these spots. A bid written after someone actually pressed an awl into the wood is worth more than one written from the curb.
- Bottom ends of door casings and garage door jambs that sit close to splash-back from concrete
- Window sills and the lower corners of trim where caulk has failed
- Fascia and rake boards under valleys or missing drip edge
- Porch post bases and the first course of siding near grade
- Shutters and decorative trim pieces fastened tight against the wall
How a written change order should read
A painting change order is simply a short written agreement to alter the scope after work has begun. A good one names the location, describes what was found, says what will be replaced or repaired and with what material, and states the added cost before the work happens. If a contract is silent on this, ask both companies how they'd handle it so you aren't negotiating on a ladder.
Some bids include a repair allowance — a set amount of carpentry built into the price — while others quote repairs only after they're uncovered. What matters is that you know which one you're signing and that any extra work gets your written approval first.
Photos help here. Ask that any hidden damage be photographed before and after repair, so you have a record of wood rot repair before painting that matches the invoice.
How Precision Paint Experts approaches hidden damage
Our estimates are free, written and itemized, so repair work appears as its own line rather than folded into a lump sum. We generally schedule the walkthrough within 48 hours and send the written quote within about one business day after it. If damage turns up during prep that wasn't visible at the estimate, we stop, show you, and put the proposed fix in writing before any added work begins.
We're a Newberry-based, licensed and insured Florida contractor with more than 15 years of painting experience, and we send a certificate of insurance before the job starts. Exterior work carries a written workmanship warranty of up to 10 years plus the manufacturer's product warranty. You can read more about our crew on the about page or see what goes into a full exterior repaint.
Questions worth asking every bidder
Put the same questions to both companies and compare the answers in writing. Also confirm any contractor's license through the Florida DBPR online license lookup and request a current insurance certificate from each one.
- Did you probe the trim and sills, and which spots concern you?
- Is there a repair allowance in this price, and how is it tracked?
- Who decides whether a board is patched with filler or replaced?
- How will I be told about added work, and do I sign before it starts?
“Your estimate is free, written and itemized. The prep is on paper, the products are named, the warranty terms are spelled out — and the crew that walks your project is the crew that paints it.”
The Precision Paint Experts standard · Newberry, FL
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal for an exterior painting price to change after work starts?
It can happen when prep uncovers damage nobody could see at the estimate. The safeguard is a contract that explains how changes are proposed, priced and approved in writing before the extra work is done.
Should rotted wood be filled or replaced before painting?
Small, shallow soft spots can sometimes be consolidated and filled. Rot that runs deep, crumbles at the edges or sits where water collects usually calls for replacing the board. Ask each bidder to explain the choice for each location.
How do I compare two bids if one lists repairs and the other doesn't?
Ask the second company to break out its repair assumptions in writing. Comparing a price that includes carpentry with one that excludes it isn't a fair comparison for either contractor. You can add our free estimate to the stack.
Quality Workmanship Backed by a Written Warranty
Every project gets a written workmanship warranty — up to 10 years on exterior projects — on top of the manufacturer's product warranty for the coatings we use. The terms are spelled out on your estimate before work starts, so you know exactly what is covered and for how long.
Helpful Next Steps
Ready to Get Started?
Tell us about your project and get a free, written, itemized estimate — usually back within one business day of the walkthrough.