# Farrow and Ball



## paulingrad (Dec 23, 2007)

Any of you guys have trouble with designer paints like farrow and ball?

I'm asking because other decorators i work with are always complaining about its limitations: lack of opacity, inconsistent colour mix. We often get it knocked up by another manufacturer but it's never quite the same colour. 

do you buy a cheaper brand as a 1st coat on walls? makes sense, and allows you to fill and spot-in without wasting expensive paint

what do you do?


----------



## dincao (Oct 25, 2007)

Just out of curiosity what do you consider expensive paint ???


----------



## George Z (Apr 15, 2007)

Depending on the finish it is $65 to $120 per gallon.
Amazing to work with, nice thick and rich formulla 
and not too bad environmentally.
We just finished a very large repaint with it, painters loved it.
Two coats of the same is best, 
why use the cheap paint if the customer wants it and wants to pay for it?


----------



## cole191919 (Jan 10, 2008)

I agree with George. I really give my customers the option of choosing the paint brand if they have a preference. Of course, having said that I do recommend not to get certain brands due to my past experience with them. But if the customer wants an expensive brand, then they have to realize the price for their job is also going to go up. It really doesn't make much of a difference to me in the long run.


----------



## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

I've always found these websites like Fine paints of Europe, how they try and walk you through 'selling' their paints by showing how even with an expensive can of paint, 85% of the job is labor, small in comparison. But then it dawned on me - why should I work harder to 'sell' Fine paints of Europe's product, if I am not getting anything extra for it? What's my incentive? So I mark up my labor with more expensive products.


----------



## George Z (Apr 15, 2007)

plainpainter said:


> I've always found these websites like Fine paints of Europe, how they try and walk you through 'selling' their paints by showing how even with an expensive can of paint, 85% of the job is labor, small in comparison. But then it dawned on me - why should I work harder to 'sell' Fine paints of Europe's product, if I am not getting anything extra for it? What's my incentive? So I mark up my labor with more expensive products.


Because you don't sell the paint. That's what the manufacturer does.
You sell the paint job, or the decorating experience.
If you walk out of a profitable job because they want Farrow & Ball 
and you sell them Ace or whatever, you are hurting yourself only.
And most of these people do not care about cost anyway.


----------



## paulingrad (Dec 23, 2007)

George Z said:


> Depending on the finish it is $65 to $120 per gallon.
> Amazing to work with, nice thick and rich formulla
> and not too bad environmentally.
> We just finished a very large repaint with it, painters loved it.
> ...


I'm doing work for a builder, he's picked farrow and ball colours but had them mixed by another manufacturer. He's doing it to save money.

another example: A redec. walls not great condition. most decorators might put a coat on first. you then get a better idea of the amount of filling to be done. therefore it makes sense to put acoat of brand x on first, do the prep, then two coats of farrow and ball. 

putting a designer paint on first would be deemed by some to be wasteful.

paul.


----------



## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

paulingrad said:


> most decorators might put a coat on first. you then get a better idea of the amount of filling to be done


no doubt it is easier to find your imperfections after paint goes up, but I use tinted primer only after fixing any major or obvious imperfections

look at it this way...when the decorators are putting up this paint to see the imperfections, the imperfections then need to be fixed and primed, right? so you end up with having to spot prime on finish paint, whereas if you are fixing the spots and then putting primer on primer, _then_ finishing the walls.....

it just seems like it makes more sense to me


----------



## mistcoat (Apr 21, 2007)

paulingrad said:


> Any of you guys have trouble with designer paints like farrow and ball?
> 
> I'm asking because other decorators i work with are always complaining about its limitations: lack of opacity, inconsistent colour mix. We often get it knocked up by another manufacturer but it's never quite the same colour.
> 
> ...


 
A great MAJORITY of deccies here in the UK don't like F&B.
It's a thing interior designers who wear fluffy cuffs and wear poncey aftershave offer to the rich who read jumped up magazine articles and think it is the bomb.

What I mean is, it's 5h!t. I always try and get it matched.
We hate it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The real paint store managers even hate it (Crown or Dulux). Not F&B managers tho, i guess!

mistcoat


----------



## Plushpaint (Apr 18, 2007)

From the CUSTOMER'S point of view its a great paint. Nice colours, not too big a color swatch. 

However I do warn customers that Farrow & Ball is a traditionally formulated paint using real pigments, therefore it does scuff and mark easily. If you want hardwearing, choose a paint formulated with modern dye's.

And yes, if the customer says they wanted Farrow & Ball, that's what they want. It doesn't mean they will accept it mixed up in "Cheapo" brand paint. 

I mean, we are here to give the customer what they want aren't we?


----------



## mistcoat (Apr 21, 2007)

Plushpaint said:


> From the CUSTOMER'S point of view its a great paint. Nice colours, not too big a color swatch.
> 
> And yes, if the customer says they wanted Farrow & Ball, that's what they want. It doesn't mean they will accept it mixed up in "Cheapo" brand paint.
> 
> I mean, we are here to give the customer what they want aren't we?


 
Sorry Colin  

I wouldn't get it mixed in a "cheapo" brand. I don't know what brand you class as cheapo tho. 
Sigma Kalon; Gliddens; Macphereson p'raps are cheapo! (UK paints fellas, sorry).
The customer would also know (from me) that they are able to get a match and for a better price with a better finish i.e. possibly less coats required = less labour cost & material cost.

If the customer still wanted F&B, yes, I would let them have it, they're paying for it and my time. No worries.

mistcoat


----------

