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This blog post was copied from the Wallcovering Installer Association homepage, which we are members of. Formerly the NGPP, we are now WIA. Go to their website for other great content on wallcovering information.

First, you’ll want to hire an installer with a reputation for excellent work. There are a number of ways to check for this information:

• Use recommendations from friends or neighbors – get references and check them. If possible, go look at finished work.
• Check the Better Business Bureau ratings for wallcovering installers in your area.
• Look for a member of the Wallcovering Installers Association. Members of this association must be craftsmen and women who professionally install wallcoverings.

Second, solicit two or three bids for the work you need doing. Do not blindly accept the lowest bid. Ask why a bid is as low or high as it is. A higher fee may be worth the extra services or better quality product provided. Make sure you understand precisely what the installer will do and what materials are necessary to complete your project successfully. In comparing prices, be sure you are comparing the same services to be provided.

What Needs to Be in Writing

A professional paperhanger will carefully prepare a comprehensive plan that estimates projects costs based on material, labor and experience specifications. A reputable wallcovering installer will not give you a sketchy, hastily prepared proposal.

You should detail exactly what you want from the installer. This can include protection of your household goods, office equipment and areas surrounding the job site. Specify daily cleanup or cleanup requirements upon completion of the project.

Be certain that you or your decorator specify all the materials to be used. Your installer will do the same so that these details (measurements, pattern names, brand names, quantity, and product information) will be part of the contract.

Make sure both parties understand the financial terms which should be spelled out in the contract. The total price, payment schedule and a cancellation penalty (if there is one) should be clear to both parties.

Any warranties should be in writing. Make sure warranties offered are written into the contract. A warranty must be identified as either “Full” or “Limited”.

A Full Warranty indicates that all faulty products will be repaired or replaced or your money will be refunded. A Limited Warranty indicates that the repair or replacement of damaged goods is limited in some way.

The name and address of the person or company offering the warranty must be identified. Time frames for all warranties should be clearly specified.

All changes to the original contract must be made in writing. Any amendments should be agreed upon by both parties before work is begun or continued.

If the contract upon which you and the installer agree is not complete to your exact specifications, do not sign it. Make sure you understand fully all terms and conditions. Affirm that you are getting exactly what you want, that you know the cost of each item/service and that you’re paying a fair price.

Finally, don’t hesitate to ask your professional paperhanger to provide certification of insurance covering worker’s compensation, property damage, and personal liability. Career wallcovering installers are insured for the kind of work they do. This request should be easily met.

Members of the Association are recognized as quality wallcoverings installers. Many are considered artisans and craftsman and women. For a referral to an Association member in your area, you may search via our Find a Paperhanger Feature.

Where can consumers find more information?

The EPA’s website is the best source of information for consumers about the new Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule requirements. Visit www.epa.gov/lead/ for complete details on current regulations. They provide valuable resources including several PDF pamphlets on lead, lead-based paint, lead poisoning and steps to perform renovations in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities.

The National Lead Information Center (NLIC) can also be a valuable resource about lead. They can be reached at 1(800) 424-LEAD (5323) Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm. Consumers may also submit an inquiry online to NLIC here.

Consumers can find a WIA member company in their area with Find a Professional directory. Learn more about WIA by calling (800) 254-WIA or emailing us at info@wallcoveringinstallers.org.

Hire D’franco Painting & Wallpaper to install your wallcoverings!

While at a Christmas party last week,  a friend asked why they have Shiney spots on their wall after they just painted.

After some further conversation,  I found that several holes were repaired from Molley bolts that used to be on the wall. Although I did not see any pictures of the walls in question these shiny spots are the result of one or more of these problems.

– when the holes were repaired the repaired area was not sanded down enough
-after making the repairs to the holes the repair was not given a coat of primer before painting
-the use of a paintbrush to paint the repaired areas which can cause paint to give the paint a different sheen than using a roller.
-when clients have existing paint that was used it has often not been mixed enough prior to application.
-finally the age of the paint being used and when it was last painted affect touch-ups.  Paint will fade,  the paint will have a different sheen due to wear,  and due to the usage of a way, there can be dirt or grime that will result in two different appearances from old to the new paint.

Hope that answers your question if you have any more contact us!

Well if you are like me,  the past few weeks have sent me to my roof to break up ice that has built up on my roof and gutters.  The ice had lead to water dripping into the ceilings of my kitchen and living room.

Aside from snow removal and Buckets to catch water,  there are a few other remedies. Calcium carbide in areas of ice? Do not use salt. Where water is dripping, get a box fan during the cold weather and the fan will keep the water that may come in to freeze in its tracks.  Finally,  insulation needs to be addressed.

With American red door, we can fix the dams,  insulation, water damage,  roof leaks and other damage due to ice dam damage.

Give us a call!

We have had a hot hand lately for customers that have some gently used items such as tables that just need a little lift to help with appearance.

From refinishing to the same color to restaining or painting a piece we can get you what you want. Give us a call for what we can do for you!

FENG SHUI: Simply Defined

Last week I made a call to Joan Scheib of Joan Scheib Interiors. We get calls about different types of interior design styles and what Feng Shui is. I have no clue so I called Joan. She is passionate about taking the ordinary and Creating Extraordinary Living Through Inspired Design!

Feng Shui is simply a way to evaluate and improve how you live, work and play. It has helped people balance the relationship between their living spaces and the natural world for over six thousand years. It is an ancient art of placement for both your interior and exterior environments and is based on the flow of energy or “chi” through the universe and personal surroundings.  Chi, defined as “life’s breathe, circulates throughout your daily environments and helps you achieve a quality of life to which you aspire and helps you realize your dreams both at work and at home.

The Chinese characters that represent the words “Feng Shui” literally translate to “wind” and “water” to create the gentle flowing energy in your environment.  The rooms and spaces you inhabit influence your well-being and the opportunities in life every day.

Feng Shui defines techniques to strengthen the positive energy in your surroundings and to create peace and happiness, offer you health and motivation to realize your aspirations. Feng Shui is not only the proper placement of items, furnishings, the clearing of clutter, and the selection of color and symbols, but it is also a way of life.

There are many tips to create immediate and positive changes in your life.  By bringing vibrant energy into your environment through the symbols of beauty, love, success, and bounty, your home or office become an example of the life you want to live and result in your aspirations being fulfilled.

If you have any questions this is what you can have: a 2-hour consultation to provide feedback to give better insight into the ways to enhance your space and life through the use of the Feng Shui method.

Please visit her website or call to make an appointment today, 630-981-7442, Joan Scheib, www.joanscheibinteriors.com

We can help you out with any new colors or symbols to improve your life as well! From wallpaper installing to digital murals and wall art, call us today for a free estimate!

Even though the snow may be flying this is a perfect time to get a good look at the exterior of your home. With the dryer precipitation, you can see the condition of your home.

Do you have wood/cedar/lap type siding? If so what does it look like? You need to look at the joints to make sure they have not gaped, make sure there are not any knot holes, and finally really look at it see if it looks dried out. How does it feel? If your siding is rough to the touch, you get white residue on your hand or you get pieces of the siding coming off and you touch it, you should have us take a look. Do you like the color? Now that you have the time to think about it, what color would you really like?

Do you have aluminum or vinyl siding? If it is chalky or pasty looking it could benefit from a power washing. If it is peeling or has oxidized it is time for new paint, no need to replace it.

From Siding to trim, decks to patios, we can get you what you need.

We just wrapped up a house in Naperville that had a significant amount of Paneling. The panels wee secure, good shape just had a very ugly color. To avoid a huge mess we gave the customer the option to paint the paneling. each nail hole was filled, gaps were caulked, we then primed it and gave it 2 coats of paint.

The room looks great, saved some money and gave the room a huge facelift.

Last week we went on an estimate that needed cabinets to be painted. The first question was how much. Wrong Question.

When you buy a car what do make your decision on? Is it only the price? I hope not. How many miles per gallon, the warranty, past reliability, maintenance issues, how quickly I can get answers to questions.

A Kitchen will cost thousands of dollars. Figure $9,000.00 to $20,000 to start. How about refinishing your cabinets? It will be 1/3 the cost of new cabinets. How will you decide if refinished cabinets are best for you: Are the cabinets in good condition, Is the layout of the Kitchen functional, how long are your going to be living at the home, and what can you afford. These are all question you need to know the answer for.

We can make sure that you estimate includes our step by step process, examples of our work, references for you to call and pictures of our work.

Make sure you compare apples to apples! Give us a call, we will help you get on the right track.

How do you go about finding a painter for your home?

Do you use the Yellow Pages? Do you use the internet? Maybe call a friend? How about the Chamber of Commerce? What about going through your Realtor?

How do you know if the company you’re looking at will do a good job? Can they provide references? Can they tell you who will be coming to your home ahead of time? Will you be able to talk with the crew in your home?

We will help you pick your colors, we will give you a cost for the entire job, we will show up when we say, with the crew, we introduce you too. Give Dfranco Decorative Finishes a call and gets the job done the right way the 1st time.

As we constantly emerge, grow, and adapt our business, we get calls to hang mural wallpaper. After saying no many times, I relented and said yes to a friend who needed help. It seemed easy enough, with overlapping edges to line up the seams, no glue, and “easily repositionable”.

It was a larger wall, so we set out, measured the walls, got our starting point, made straight lines for our guide, and broke out the ladder. It seemed easy until I found out how thin the material was. It was somewhat sturdy but stretchy. The adhesive was forgiving and allowed us to reposition on the wall. However, it did not forgive scuff marks on the wall, did not like any abrasive contact (left marks), and was not forgiving when working around outlets.

The picture was also too blurry. For what they paid, it should have been clearer. But it was blurry, which looked fine from a distance, not up close to it.

The bottom line is that we could have painted a scene we created they wanted, cheaper and with better durability than what they ordered online. (that the neighbor or dentist’s office can buy as well)