Frequently Asked Questions
Which areas are covered, whether the inside is included, what to do about the license, when to paint an exterior in valley heat, and why a south wall ages faster than a north one.
Are you licensed?
Yes. California license number 1012030, classification C-33 — Painting and Decorating — issued 11 March 2016 and current through 31 March 2028. There is also a $25,000 contractor bond with Western Surety and current workers’ compensation cover. You do not have to take our word for any of it: the license number on this site links straight to the Contractors State License Board’s own record, which shows the status, the classification, the bond and the workers’ compensation carrier. Checking a contractor’s license before you hire them is worth the ninety seconds it takes, for anyone you are considering.
What does the C-33 classification mean?
It is the State of California’s classification for painting and decorating, and it is the one this business holds. It covers preparing and coating surfaces — interior and exterior painting, coatings, cabinet refinishing, and the surface preparation and washdown that goes with them. It is worth knowing what a contractor’s classification actually covers, because in California a license is issued for specific trades rather than for building work in general.
Which areas do you cover?
Bakersfield and Kern County, with pages here for Delano, Shafter, Wasco, Taft, Tehachapi and Arvin. Work is also taken on the Central Coast, in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties — that is a long way from Bakersfield, so for anything out there the honest answer is to call and talk about the job rather than assume from a map.
Do you paint cabinets, or do they have to be replaced?
Refinishing keeps the boxes where they are. Doors and drawer fronts come off, get degreased, sanded and finished, and go back on the same hinges; the carcasses are done in place. It costs a fraction of new cabinets with much less disruption. The step that decides whether it lasts is degreasing — cooking oil builds an invisible film on the doors around a range, and paint over it lifts within a year at exactly the points you touch most.
When should I paint the outside of a house in Bakersfield?
Spring and fall are the easy windows. Summer is workable but constrained: most coatings should not go onto a surface much above 90 degrees, and a west-facing stucco wall here is far hotter than the air by early afternoon, so exterior work in July means starting early and following the shade around the building. Winter has the opposite problem — tule fog holds humidity high and temperatures low for days at a time, and paint applied into that cures slowly or not properly at all.
Why does my south wall look so much worse than the north one?
Because it is, and it is not a defect in the paint. The UV load on a south or west elevation in Bakersfield is punishing, and those two walls will chalk, fade and lose their sheen years before the north side shows anything. It is completely normal here, and it is why a repaint is often genuinely only needed on two sides of a house — which is a smaller job than most people expect when they call.
My house has a popcorn ceiling. Can you take it off?
Yes, but there is a step first. Popcorn ceilings are common on Bakersfield houses built before the mid-1980s, and texture from that era can contain asbestos. Have a sample tested before anything is scraped. It is inexpensive, and scraping a ceiling that does contain asbestos is the one mistake on this job that cannot be undone. Ask when you call and we will point you at where to get it tested.
Do you do water damage restoration, roof cleaning or window cleaning?
No. This is a painting and decorating business — California license 1012030, classification C-33 — and those jobs sit outside that classification. Pressure washing is offered, because washing a surface down is what painting it properly starts with, but roof and gutter cleaning, window cleaning and water damage restoration are different trades. If you need one of them alongside painting work, say so when you call and we will tell you who in Bakersfield does it.
What do you charge?
It depends on the size of the job, the condition of what is already there and how much preparation it needs, so there is no price list here. Call or text with a rough description and you can have a number, or an appointment to come and look at it if it needs looking at.
When are you open?
Monday – Friday, 7am to 6pm. Saturday varies — call or text (661) 317-2127 and ask. Closed Sunday. Messages left outside those hours are fine and get picked up.
Can I text instead of calling?
Yes. (661) 317-2127 takes texts. A short description of the job and the part of town you are in is usually enough to start with.
Question not answered here?
Call or text (661) 317-2127.
Still not sure what your job needs?
Call or text (661) 317-2127 and describe it.