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Rhino

Is the Rhino loose in your neighborhood?

Spend 10 minutes reading this and save thousands of dollars…

Did you get a mailer or hear a radio announcement about a marketing company that promises you’ll never paint your house again? Are you all excited now thinking there may be something to this?

We all know that “lifetime guarantees” have more outs than Pete Rose. So the best way to ensure you’re getting a lifetime guarantee is this: get the owner of the company to personally guarantee his work, because, you know, home improvement companies come and go. He’s John Doe Painting Company one year and Doe Does Painting the next. Get his first born to co-sign as well just in case.

Then, ask these questions, if you dare:

  1. How long has the company you are signing a contract with been in business? Find out if what they tell you is the same as shown at your State Secretary of State’s office. (To do this, just google your State’s name, e.g. “Texas Secretary of State” and look for the “Corporations” link. Search for the corporate name of your contractor to make sure he is who he says he is. You can also see how long they’ve been in business.
  2. Does their warranty mention their manufacturer? If so, beware. They are one company and the manufacturer is another company. One company typically does not write contracts for another company. So ask them if the manufacturer is giving you the warranty or is the local contractor giving it to you? Part of the game they play is “confusion.” If the painter says the factory is, then contact the factory to verify. Also, while you have them on the phone, ask the “factory” if they actually make it or do they sub it out to another company who actually makes it. This may be important.
  3. Do you get to see a copy of the warranty BEFORE you sign the contract. Do you have a few days to review it before they come out and make a presentation to you in your home? Don’t feel pressured; stay in control. Ask to see this “lifetime guarantee” before they even show-up at your front door.
  4. Is the warranty automatically given to you when the job is complete or do you have to jump through some hoops or some “process” in order to get it “registered?” Some of these warranties tell you that YOU have to register the warranty. Why should this be your burden? It should be signed and given to you when you make final payment. Some companies even embarrass themselves further by telling the homeowner it may take up to 30 days to have it delivered. They’re hoping you’ll forget about it 30 days later and never request it.
  5. Is the warranty signed by the contractor or is it just a form that anyone can make on a home computer? Again, does the contractor personally guarantee the work and warranty? Make sure you are fully protected before you give them the order to do the work.
  6. What if you have a small section of your house that begins to peel and flake? Do they just fix that part or the entire wall so that the new painted area blends in with the old?
  7. Ask them: “what happens if you go out of business?” (as most businesses eventually do, especially home improvement companies).
  8. Do they have clauses that suggest they don’t warrant their product if there is “normal or expected weathering of the surface?” That would cover all situations as all paints have “normal or expected weathering.” Or, better yet (we like this one) the warranty doesn’t cover “external physical causes of any kind.” The latter issue covers just about any situation, doesn’t it? Watch out for carefully crafted wording. Do you think they’re looking for just about any “out” they can use down the road just to get out of really taking care of you?
  9. Do they simply use bad grammar, misspelling and incomplete sentences in their warranty? This may be an indication of who-knows-what to come.
  10. If the marketing company makes claims about their product, e.g. scientific testing, ask to see the actual tests. If they cannot provide them, ask for the name of the manufacturer and see if the manufacturer will give you a copy of the tests or provide some backup on their website. Marketing people have been known to “stretch the imagination” in an attempt to get you to sign on the dotted line.
  11. Ask them “who’s doing the work and how long have they been employed by your company.” If they are not employed and they are sub-contractors, what kind of supervision will be on site to guarantee the work is done right?
  12. Ask for the phone number of the main marketing company. If you’re getting ready to spend ten thousand dollars to get your house painted, you want to have 100% assurance that things will work in your favor. Confirm what you hear in an email back to that person via email. If they’re hiding the main marketing company’s info from you, that’s a reason not to do business with them.
  13. Does your warranty say something like “this warranty is valid only when their product is applied by the manufacturer’s approved applicators (painters) and in accordance with manufacturer’s approved methods?” If so, RUN. Or tell them to run out of your house, don’t pet the dog, just go. This is their ULTIMATE OUT. How do you know if the “manufacturer,” who’s located a thousand miles away, has actually approved that painter guy? Did painter guy go to the factory and get factory training or something? All of this implies “our people are trained,” but if the contractor who does your work hires someone else who is not factory approved, then they have ANOTHER OUT. The warranty simply doesn’t apply and you’re left holding a bag of peeling paint. Watch for trickery in the wording of the warranty. They should win awards in the category of fiction writing.
  14. By the time you’ve gone crazy reading the wording of the warranty, you might see something like this at the bottom of your warranty: “Under no circumstances shall the liability of the manufacturer or contractor extend beyond the furnishing of replacement quantity of the coating material.” Are they saying they will deliver the paint to you and you have to figure how to get it on your house? It would seem to contradict the rest of the warranty. Watch for contradictions.
  15. They have one more trick up their sleeves. Say you agree to have your house painted by this super lifetime product that is put on by a company that set-up shop a few years ago. They will naturally want you to pay in full. If your contract amount was $14,900.00, they might say something like “you’ve been great to work with Mr. Homeowner, we’re going to knock-off $500.00 from your final price, so just write us a check for $14,400.00.” And you’re thinking “honey, let’s go on vacation!” Do you realize you’ve just given up any rights you thought you had in the warranty? The warranty clearly states you must pay the contract price in full. By “shorting them $500.00,” you’ve not paid the full contract price. And they’re more than happy to not have to be bound by that warranty.
  16. Oh, and even another trick. They’ll typically come to your house only if you and your spouse are together there at the same time. They know that if they pitch to one but not the other, it’s easy for you to say “I need to check with my spouse,” and they really don’t have a come-back for that. So they want you to both be there.
  17. Okay, one last suggestion: NEVER BUY ANYTHING WHEN THEY FIRST COME OUT and give you a price. No matter how much they “discount” it on the spot, “make you a good deal,” incentivize you, etc. Three things in life are never questioned: death, taxes and home improvement companies calling back a few days later and dropping the price. Let’s face it, in this economy, everyone needs more business. If they quoted you $20,000 to paint your house with this “lifetime guarantee,” if you’re hesitant, they’ll drop it to $17,500 before they leave the house. If you don’t sign and tell them you’re meeting with another “lifetime painter” tomorrow, you can be assured you’ll get a better price. Wait 3-4 days, and they may have it down to $12,500.00, if, and only if, you allow them to post a sign in your front yard. You should be feeling really good by now, until you read and understand why Liquid Ceramic is your better choice.

Why Choose Liquid Ceramic Exterior Wall Coating

  1. First, we sell our product directly to you. No in-home presentation, no hype. You go to the Painting and Decorating Contractor’s Association’s website, www.FindAPainter.com, key in your zip code, and hire your own top notch painter. PDCA painters pay dues to belong to the Association so therefore, they are committed to the paint industry. They’re not fly-by-nighters, splash-and-dashers, college kids working part-time, etc. They agree to a Code of Ethics (see bottom of page) giving you a good assurance they’ll do you right. You buy our product, we ship it to you un-tinted, you take it to a paint store and get it tinted (or have your painter handle it), then just follow the instructions on applying the Liquid Ceramic Exterior Wall Coating (as shown on the label as well as www.LiquidCeramic.com/HowToApply). This is not rocket science but we want you to have it put on right.
  2. Now, we don’t know who’s putting it on your house, if they’re watering-down our product, what conditions your house is in, etc., so we don’t offer a lifetime guarantee to you. We simply sell you a better product.
  3. We’re upfront who our manufacturer is: Envirocoatings, Inc. (www.Envirocoatings.com). They are located near Vancouver, British Columbia, about three hours north of Seattle. This part of the world is one of the best testing areas for paint and coating products. It has wind-driven rain, the salt air, the hot summers, the cold winters, etc. Our product has been on buildings in that area since the 1970’s and they are still not in need of repaint.
  4. Our factory produces our product and sells it under the name “Ceramic Insulcoat” in ICI Glidden / Dulux stores in Canada. It is sold in the U. S. under the name “Liquid Ceramic,” and not sold in paint stores.
  5. The “Ceramic Insulcoat” is exactly the same product as “Liquid Ceramic.” Ceramic Insulcoat is on the Master Painter’s Institute’s (MPI) List of Approved Products and has been there for the past umpteen years. Go to www.PaintInfo.com for details. MPI is a world-wide standardOur federal government does not order paint unless It’s on the MPI List of Approved Products. Do you see the Rhino or the Perma-This or Perma-That’s on the MPI List of Approved Products?

A Recent Story

Customer calls us up, says he heard about a Never Paint Your House Again commercial on the radio. Sales rep comes out, measures the house, and quotes customer $19,500.00. Customer doesn’t sign but finds out about Liquid Ceramic the following day. He ended-up purchasing seven (7) five-gallon pails of Liquid Ceramic for $2275.00 + $105 in tinting charges, secured a painter who did the job for $3500.00. He had a total out of pocket of $5,880.00, saving him $13,655.00. He could have paid the extra $13,500.00 and received a “lifetime guarantee,” but didn’t want to run the risk of something in the wording or the contractor going out of business.

Hire your paint before you hire your painter.

Ask any painter how he builds his business. “I get a lot of repeat work,” he says. Is that what you, the homeowner wants to hear? Of course not. And painters will typically give you a paint brand that they know will last 3-5 years because they want to do the repeat work when it comes due. It’s your house. Buy quality paint that has a proven record of lasting 15-25 years.

For more information on Liquid Ceramic, please browse the rest of the site or give us a call 704-970-9519

YOU HAVE A LEGAL RIGHT TO CHANGE YOUR MIND

UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU SIGN A CONTRACT IN YOUR HOME FROM AN OUTSIDE COMPANY, YOU HAVE THREE (3) DAYS TO RESCIND YOUR DECISION IF A SECURITY INTEREST RESULTS (SEE 12 CFR 226.23). TO PROTECT YOURSELF LEGALLY, DROP A CERTIFIED LETTER IN THE MAIL ON OR BEFORE THE THIRD (3RD) BUSINESS DAY FROM THE DATE YOU SIGNED IT AND INDICATE THAT YOU WISH TO CANCEL AND NULLIFY THE CONTRACT YOU SIGNED. EVEN IF WORK STARTS PRIOR TO THE THIRD (3RD) DAY, YOU’RE NOT OBLIGATED TO PAY FOR THE SERVICES. SOME COMPANIES WILL TRY TO GET YOU TO SIGN A “BEGIN WORK IMMEDIATELY” AGREEMENT BUT SUCH AGREEMENTS GENERALLY ARE NOT ALLOWED UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, E.G. A TORNADO RIPPED OFF YOUR ROOF. PAINTING IS GENERALLY NOT AN EMERGENCY. CONSULT YOUR ATTORNEY FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS FEDERAL LAW AND THE RIGHTS YOU HAVE AS A HOMEOWNER.

From PDCA Code of Ethics – Obligation to the Public

  • To conduct our business operations according to the highest professional and industry standards.
  • To provide innovative solutions which enhance value.
  • To faithfully fulfill all contracts.
  • To expand our knowledge through the constant study of best business practices and utilization of the latest technical advances in our profession and industry.
  • To conduct one’s self in a professional manner at all times.
  • To follow federal, state, and local tax laws and regulations.
  • To adhere to federal, state, and local laws and administrative regulations regarding the use and disposal of paints, coatings, and related materials.

Why Not Choose a PDCA Painter to Apply Liquid Ceramic to Your Home’s Exterior?