Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  12/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Actually with a branch office located in **************, but owned by ***** ****, ********* Wa. I hired to paint my house, the lack of prep work prior to spraying new paint over the top of the old pealing and flaking paint with no scraping, sanding or primer has produced paintwork that can literally be flicked off of the siding with a finger. Im certain a pressure wash in the spring will result in the paint flying off in chunks. There are ares they replaced siding but used damaged boards that the manager admits flew off the truck on the highway encounter to my house. I spoke with the manager, *****, 4 separate times regarding how poorly the paint was being applied, he assured me hed talk to his worker but nothing ever changed. Wires were pulled loose while removing siding, improper removal technique of the old siding resulted in damage to other boards as well. The entire house needs redone. ***** said well you have a two year ************* will touch it up in the spring. I told him I dont want substandard work and just think I should get a refund. He said he would check with his superior in *********. *** since now filed a grievance form the company emailed me, its been 4 days and Ive not heard from anyone, including ***** even though Ive tried reaching out multiple times. I am currently working on filing a small claims action against them. There seems to be no interest in customer satisfaction. I need a refund so I can get my house painted properly in the spring

  Business response

  12/20/2024

  SMILE-A-MILE PAINTING
  ***********************************************
  *******************************
  
  12/13/2024
  
  *** *****
  *********************
  ********************
  
  
  Dear ***,
  
  We are in receipt of your attached grievance form and the emails containing a few photos and your plans moving forward. Thank you for being so detailed and bringing your concerns to our attention.  
  
  We are a community-based company who places our highest priority on customer satisfaction. Please know that your concern is very important to us and that it will be fully investigated. Part of our investigation is reviewing all of the information weve received.
  
  To better understand the situation and conduct a full investigation, please send the following:
  -Please send additional photos of your home, specifically the areas of concern
  -Include 4 photos of your home (***********, South, and West sides)
  -Further explanation of desired outcome and why you feel its deserved
  
  Please be aware that our office has a protocol to address our customers who have concerns, part of our protocol is to assign your information to our management team for full review and investigation. Please be patient. Our management staff is working to review your request and should have a progress update shortly.
  
  If you think of anything else, please dont hesitate to send it to us for review to ************************************************************.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  Chelsea
  Executive Manager
  ************************************************

• Initial Complaint

  12/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I hired smile-a-mile to paint my house. The contract said the would pressure wash, sand, scrape, caulk, clean, and follow manufacturer specifications on on surfaces. However, they skipped the 3 most important parts, they did not sand anything, they did not scrape any of the old paint off and they did not ***lace all the caulk that came off. Instead, they did multiple rounds with the pressure washer and ruined my siding! After pressure washing my house multiple times they just sprayed the paint over top of old paint that was hanging off my house. So now the finished product looks like trash and is defective. Paint needs to stick to the house in order to be effective but all over my house I have paint ready to fall off because it was never sanded or scraped before they painted. I needed to confirm my assessment so I had the paint *** from ******* ******** come to my house and see if they would do anything about it because it was there paint. The 2 ***s told me this was a better business bureau complaint. But they did confirm that this was a p*** work issue and not a paint issue. My fear is that now I am going to have to re-side my entire house because Smile-a-Mile decided to skip important steps.Whats worse is the Owner of the company knows it was a terrible job. Instead of holding his company or crew accountable he told me that there was really nothing more he could do because they couldnt go back and start over. Basically saying, the damage was already done.I had a supervisor come to my house 3 times during the 2 weeks they were p***ping and paint to show them all the steps being skipped and they assured me they would have it fixed but they didnt do anything!!!!

  Business response

  12/20/2024

  SMILE-A-MILE PAINTING
  ***************************************** Ste 110
  *******************
  
  12/20/2024
  
  ***** *****
  ****************************************************************************
  
  Dear *****,
  
  We are in receipt of your attached BBB complaint and the photos of your home. Thank you for being so detailed and bringing your concerns to our attention.  
  
  We are a community-based company who places priority on customer satisfaction. Please know that your concern is very important to us and that it will be fully investigated. Part of our investigation is reviewing all of the information weve received.
  
  To better understand the situation and conduct a full investigation, please send the following:
  -Please send photos of your home prior to painting
  -Please Include 4 photos of your home (******************, and West sides)after painting
  Please include information on when the siding was last painted and/or installed
  
  Please be aware that our office has a protocol to address our customers who have concerns, part of our protocol is to assign your information to our management team for full review and investigation. Please be patient. Our management staff is working to review your request and should have a progress update shortly.
  
  If you think of anything else, please dont hesitate to send it to us for review to ***********************************

  Customer response

  12/24/2024

   
  Complaint: 22661345
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I dont understand how I can do what they asked when this only allows me to enter 5 photos. However, I added photos of the manufacturers paint application. As you can see it says to use oil based primer on my cedar siding and they didnt. You can clearly see paint is just dangling off my house because they didnt scrape it off. They just painted over chipped paint. You can see the wood underneath because the paint is so thin and they didnt use proper primer. All of these things were in the contract that they sent me. These are not things I am asking for because I am *****. No, these are things they promised to me that they would complete but they did not do. Its not too much to ask for a company to live up to there promise and a contract is a promise. Paint application per manufacturer specifications, scraping, and sanding were all part of the contract and were all neglected. I have a lot more photos but I can only add 5 at a time I guess.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *****

• Initial Complaint

  07/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Contacted business 6/10 for quote.Accepted estimate for facia trim, accents, and patio paint 6/11.Paid $1,371.79 deposit 6/11 of 50%. Paint team scheduled for 6/17. Power was scheduled for 6/14 Power wash team came as contracted 6/14.Painting team did not arrive 6/17. No communication.Painting team arrived 6/20, did not finish job.Contacted for payment on full job 7/1. Stated ob was not completed. Consultant came out to site to verify patio was no painted. Both of us took pictures.Our house went under contract to sell, paint was cited as condition of sale same week.Consultant stated painted will be out Thursday, July 4. No show, no call.Reached out again to get patio completed.Painter team confirmed to come 7/11 or 7/12.Sometimes between the 11 and 12, the patio facia and ceiling was completed. Patio still unfinished.Contacted Monday, 7/15, for consultant to come out 7/16. Got paint reconfirmation they will complete job 7/18. Other painters came to work on another job, said no other painters came.Explained under contract for purchase and paint was holding up house sale. Closing date 7/26 is now in jeopardy. Purchase closing date 7/31 now in jeopardy.Contacted main office 7/18. Left message. Called consultant. Told painters were coming. Still nothing.

  Business response

  07/25/2024

  Paint job is complete as of 07/18/2024.

• Initial Complaint

  04/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  3/5/24 Paid the deposit to start painting back of the house painted. This service manager **** promised they were professional & could do the painting on time as I explained to him we had a time frame to complete so we may place our house on the market. We are having a professional photographer come & take pictures for the *** listing. This service still has not completed the painting and in the process has damaged our stripping on the French doors. Two sets of doors and now four door stripping's that are damaged. Painting started 3/15/24 and still today 4/9/24 the entire paint job is not complete, it is almost a month and they are painting the back of the house! 3/15/24 Painting finally begins after we contact manager that no one has showed up to paint. On this day about 3:00 PM painters start to paint. They stayed & painted until 8:00 PM & did not finish however did miss a lot of spots. At this time they did not properly mask the bottom stripping on the French doors they just painted over the stripping. This caused the stripping to crack and now is completely damaged. When they left there was & still is paint spots on the deck, chips of paint on ************ incomplete areas of painting, areas where paint did not adhere properly and the damage to the stripping's. 3/17/24/ 3/18/24 I inform manager **** that this is unacceptable. I sent him photos of the French door damages and explain to him there is areas that still need painting & the mess on the deck. I ask him to please send a crew to complete painting and clean up as well as fix the French door damage. I am out of space for typing so I will say this. My *********** are tired of dealing with this company. They just keep coming over for a few hours a day to fill in a job and have not finished. We once had this house painted completely in one day! Smile a Mile painting is only painting the back of the house & has damaged our French doors!

  Customer response

  04/09/2024

  We are also concerned with the time length of this paint project. It took so much time and back and forth for the painters to get here with what the called touch up. We have had our share of promises from this company that they would take care of the problems and we do not trust them anymore. Tomorrow 4/10/24 we are having a professional contractor look at the french doors and give us a quote for the cost to take the door off the hinges and replace the stripping. These door were put in by a professional contractor and the stripping was factory made for the doors. They must have consistent and equal balance once they are in place. This is not something that a non professional person can do so we are not going to have the painters do it. In fact we do not want the painters here anymore this job has gone on long enough. I am looking for compensation to fix the door and compensation to have the balance of the trim painted, paint removed from the doors, paint removed from the deck.  

  Customer response

  04/13/2024

  Our contractor has reviewed the stripping damage and located the parts to fix the French doors. He has scheduled us for 4/18/24 late in the day to apply the stripping. Once we receive the total amount for the materials and his labor we will upload his invoice. There is still the matter of the unfinished paint job, paint on the deck, paint that we applied incorrectly, paint on the glass part of the French doors. We (actually mostly me since my husband is limited for work because he is disabled) will clean up the deck and paint as much as I can. We have a our house to be listed on MLS and the photos being taken this coming Wed for the listing. This will take hours of my time taken away from cleaning the inside of my house for the actual listing. I will be expecting compensation to me for having to finish the painting job and clean up that I was paying for this company complete.  

  Customer response

  04/13/2024

  Correction on text: Paint that they applied incorrectly not we. 

  Customer response

  04/15/2024

  Today 4/15/24 I have to start cleaning up more on the deck where paint chips and drops of paint are. We have our agent and photos being taken this Wed. We must clean the paint and repaint ourselves in some areas that were missed as well as not painted correctly. We are hoping to be able to remove the paint off the deck with solution we purchased at *********** These photos that are being added were taken today and I have more if Smile a Mile needs to see them. I am just sending these for I am out of time and need to get busy cleaning. 

  Customer response

  04/23/2024

  Hello, hopefully this file came out correctly on your end. It is a copy of the invoice we paid for the French door stripping to be replaced that the painters painted over and damaged. This invoice is for one set only there is another set of stripping on order and after that has been replaced I will upload another invoice for that set. After the contractor has fixed the second set I will add the total cost and the time and cost that applies for our labor to clean paint off our deck plus, glass doors and missing (not finished paint job)  

  Customer response

  05/06/2024

  We request compensation and have sent figures to Chelsea ******* of smile a mile painting. We have uploaded cost to replaced french door trimming on all fours doors due to painting damage.

  :

   

  Customer response

  05/06/2024

  Compensation requested for damage stripping and finishing painting our self

  Sale receipt # **** $329.00 we paid to have new stripping for doors

  Sales receipt # **** $230 we paid for second set of French doors stripping to be replaced

  Our labor to finish the painting ourselves @ 25%  $185.00 

   

   

  Business response

  05/06/2024

  Hi *******,
  
  I have some understanding of your project and I need additional information.
  
  Customer complaints are important to us and when things like this happen we have a strict protocol to open an investigation with our management team. Id like to assist you in this matter and Ive attached our grievance form so we can get started. Please fill it out with complete and detailed information.

  Also, in looking at the photos, can you confirm if this was prior to our touch *** or after and did we replace the weather stripping at the bottom of the doors?

  Please feel free to attach any photos or additional information that *** help with our investigation.
  
  All correspondence can be emailed to *****************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Chelsea
  Smile-A-Mile Painting

  Customer response

  05/08/2024

  On this day 5/8/24 I have email a customer Grievance form to ********************** management at their request. 

  Along with the form most all the photos that are in this complaint and my time line document of activity was sent. Request for deduction to the any balance due was in writing now we await for the response from them. 

  Customer response

  05/09/2024

  Hello, 

  This message is in regards to complaint # ******** I have been trying to respond to your message that said it needed my response. I am sorry but I am not the most computer literate person on earth here and cannot get the red notification message that you sent to me off. What I have done is that I have spoke with a person name ******** who called me and I tried to send her a message as she requested. It was pictures and a time line of the project. Some how I made contacted ********************************* which is okay and she sent me the form to fill out in my personal email. I did fill it out on 5/6/24 and sent her photos as well as the time line I documented of this project. 

  I also included the dollar amount we are requesting for compensation. All information exactly what is in the BBB file went directly to ****************** on 5/6/24 in an email to ********************************** I wanted to inform you so that BBB would not think I did not respond to the message. I am just not that great on the computer and know enough to type and sent plus some upload. So please know that I am still very interested in getting this issue resolved. 

  Can you take off the red message flag for my response after yo verify with her that I have contacted her and filled out her form? I also uploaded it to BBB hopefully it went through okay

  Regards, *************************

  Business response

  05/13/2024

  SMILE-A-MILE PAINTING
  2014 S. HWY 97 Ste 100
  *******, OR 97756
  
  05/13/2024
  
  
  Hi *******,
  
  We are in receipt of your customer grievance form,timeline, and email containing photos. Thank you for sending the detailed information.
  
  Your concern is very important to us and please rest assured that its being fully investigated. Part of our investigation is to thoroughly review all of the information weve received.
  
  In attempts to gather complete and detailed information, please also send the following:
  
  -Photos of the french doors and weather stripping prior to painting
  -Please send a photo of the full backside of your home painted
  -Further explanation on calculation of your time and breakdown of requested billing adjustments
  
  Please be aware that our office has a protocol to address our customers who have concerns, part of our protocol is to assign your information to our management team for full review and investigation. Please be patient. Our management staff is working to review your request and will contact you.
  
  If you think of anything else, please dont hesitate to send it to us for review to ****************************.
  
  Please be aware that our company has a protocol to address our customers who have concerns, part of our protocol is to assign your information to our management team for full review and investigation. Please be patient. Our management staff is working to review your request and will contact you.
  
  If you think of anything else,please dont hesitate to send it to us for review to ****************************.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Chelsea

  Customer response

  05/14/2024

  Hello, I am receiving the same email messages from Smile a Mile painting in my personal email as well as here at BBB email.

  I have sent a message to them today 5/14/2024 approximately 3:32 PM that I will be working on their request this week. I will continue to keep BBB 

  informed on our conversations per email, text or phone calls. Please know that I am unable to see how to respond to them here in the BBB form unless

  I reject or close the case. Right now it appears that they send a message to your site and the same message to me personal email so I guess I will just respond

  to both. Thank you, regards *******

  Customer response

  05/18/2024

   
  Complaint: 21551334
  
  I am rejecting this response because: It is not up to the us to show that French doors were not previously damaged. There for we do not have pictures of the door stripping since we had no reason the take photos of these. They are not very old they were installed in *********************************** our house hold there are only two people, my husband and myself no kids not pets, and not heavy traffic use of these doors. 

  In the contract of Smile a Mile painting the prep work in it's self states that all mask will be done to protect windows doors, concrete and roofing. They have failed to do this and in results have damaged our French door stripping. It was upon the painting company to take photos of the stripping if they were damaged and point out to us prior to painting they would not be responsible. Since it is in their contract that they will mask and protect I fail to see where it should be our duty to send photos of door stripping prior to painting. As a previous compliance associate for a major firm in quality control we always trained our staff to document prior damaged and incidents before proceeding any work.   
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** Or *************************

  Customer response

  05/29/2024

  On this day of 5/29/24 we have sent an email answering other request that Smile a mile painting has asked for. The first request about french door photos prior to painting has been answered on this BBB form to them a few weeks ago. 

  The second request for a photo of the back of our house has been answered in an email picture sent to them today 5/29/24 Attn: to Chelsea ****************** third request of how we arrived at the charge of $182.25 was calculated on our part was also answered this day in an email sent to Chelsea ***************** charge a rate of $17.07 per hour for we are not professional painters however it did take us 10 hours and 40 Mins to finish painting seconds that were missed by the painters and cleaning up paint off the deck and etc. as previously noted in our detailed report. Professional painters make approximately $24.62 per hour per (Indeed) for the central ****** area (***********) So $17.07 per hour for 10 hours and 40 mins came out to the $182.25 for our non professional rate of painting. This was added on to the dollar amount of the repair and replace of the damaged French door strippings which was noted that we had to hire a professional person the replace (please see receipts that were sent prior to this. Regards ************;

  Customer response

  05/29/2024

  Correction: Painting sections that painters missed or did not paint (not seconds as written by error) 

  Business response

  06/06/2024

  Hi *******,
  
  Thank you for sending the requested information. We appreciate your feedback and value you as a customer.

  After reviewing your concerns about the need to replace the weather stripping, we found there can be a multitude of reasons for failing weather stripping,including the age and pre-existing condition of the weather stripping and sun damage that *** have played a significant role. Also, as detailed in our terms and conditions, weather stripping is one of the items for which we are not responsible.

  However,we understand the inconvenience this situation *** have caused you and, in the interest of maintaining a positive relationship, we are willing to offer a discount to settle. We will reduce your final bill by $559, bringing the amount owed to $729.

  We hope this adjustment meets your satisfaction and addresses your concerns.

  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
  

  Sincerely,
  Chelsea 

  Customer response

  06/06/2024

   
  Complaint: 21551334
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The actual product service description of Smile A Mile painting specifically does not say they are not responsible for weather stripping. It actually states in writing that they will (mask to protect windows, doors, concrete, roofing, etc) protecting doors includes weather stripping since it falls under masking!! etc means weather stripping and masking to protect means mask before work begins! 

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** Or *************************

  Business response

  06/19/2024

  I want to extend my apologies once again for the inconvenience caused regarding the issue with the weather stripping.

  As discussed previously, we are discounting your final bill to cover the cost of the weather-stripping replacement. This adjustment reflects our commitment to resolving this matter. Please review your updated bill reflecting this adjustment.

  I also want to include that our service terms and conditions (attached) do outline the limitations of liability related to items like weather stripping, considering pre-existing factors such as age, wear and sun damage. However, in this instance, we are making an exception to assist with the costs incurred.
  

  Your satisfaction is important to us, and we appreciate your understanding in this matter.

  Chelsea 

  Customer response

  06/21/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and although we feel the amount they have offered us did not cover everything the balance of the bill has been paid. They did not take into account that the ********************** was incomplete and in some areas it was not painted properly and they did not compensate us for the time it took for us to complete the painting job by ourselves. I sincerely hope that they review their internal SOPs for future business and provide better service to the public while they are in business!  

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** Or *************************

• Initial Complaint

  09/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  ************ agreed to do a job for me on 8/10 for $2500. I gave them a $1250 deposit on 8/8. On 8/10, they did not show up to do the work. I called the office and they told me the job was not on the schedule. I requested a refund, which they agreed to provide. They have never given me the refund. This is fraud. Don't use this business. They are flaky liars.

  Customer response

  09/11/2023

  This merchant has refunded my deposit funds.

• Initial Complaint

  08/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company over promised and under delivered. This would be a very simple if they just would of told me they were not able to fulfill my project in the dates that i've requested. I have spoken to multiple people at the company with continuously getting the round around. They are refusing to let me speak to their manager ******* over the issues that is at hand we are requiring them to fix the issue with their customer service and then trying to tell me that we will pass the message along to the manger. We are demanding/not requesting, demanding a discount of $1000 as we had to sit in their office for over three hours trying to get ahold of their manager and with no resolution in site.

  Business response

  08/23/2022

  Dear *******,
  
  We are in receipt of your complaint regarding your painting project and I appreciate your feedback. In reference to your timeline, Im sorry that it took longer to complete your project than we initially intended and that we were unable to complete your home in one day.
  
  Im also sorry that you felt the need to sit in our office for over 3 hours after speaking with our manager,*******. We have a strict protocol in place for our customers who have concerns and that involves the grievance form. Unfortunately, on that form you did not share a desired resolution and you also communicated with our manager, *******,that there was no issue, just that you wanted additional painters. Because of this we allowed our painters to continue and even sent additional painters out when they finished their project that day.
  
  My team did pass along your feedback regarding their incompetence, that they are liars, that we should no longer hire 19/20 year-olds, and that they are horrible people and we should fire them. I appreciate your feedback, however I feel that this is inappropriate towards our team.
  
  Our goal is always to satisfy our customers, but I will also stand up for my team who has made thousands of customers happy and serviced many people who appreciate their hard work.  
  
  Again, I am sorry that you feel this way about your experience with our office staff. From my understanding,youre satisfied with your painting and its complete. In attempts to settle your account, we agreed on a discount of $450 and the balance was paid.
  
  Im not sure where we go from here or if theres anything we could do to make you happy.
  
  We wish you the best.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Chelsea

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩