Homeowners Have Changed

The PW Asks: How have homeowners changed over the last 30 years?

The Painter: The internet has made them dangerous. They have usually read just enough to ask a question that they think they know more about than you know. They “quiz” you. They research something that they’ve never had any experience working with and they will say, “It says to do it this way.” That doesn’t mean it’s the best way, because there’s a learning curve with every coatings product.

There are different driers in each coatings product and the chemical make-ups are different from one product to the next. Each paint or finishing product goes down differently. Thirty years ago, people trusted you because you were a professional.

PW: I think every profession has experienced this to some degree, from doctors and lawyers to painters! Long live the internet. I prefer it to those tan and brown encyclopedias we had when I was a kid.