Forum Friday: Consumer Reports readers debate the best paint types

Painting’s a hot project, based on projections for recession-defying sales and an ever-expanding proliferation of new colors. It’s also a hot topic, as evidenced by the many discussions in our paints and stains forum.

Our ratings of interior and exterior paints and deck stains (available to subscribers) always spark discussions over the best brand of paint (Behr has its share of backers and detractors) or a debate over two specific brands (in this case, Valspar vs. Benjamin Moore).

Whichever brand you use, follow this pro painter’s surface-preparation tips (we’ve got more of our own here and in the video at right). Keep in mind this mixing trick from forums moderator Angelo Mannino, and don’t miss his warning on painting over stain.

Other posters have added valuable warnings on VOCs paints (unfortunately, one mentioned brand did badly in our tests—see our report on safer paints here) and the need to check whether paint is suitable for spraying. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Buzzword: Phasing

What it means. In the context of home improvement, phasing occurs when you take a piecemeal approach to renovation. You might apply the strategy across several areas of the home, for example redoing the kitchen this year but replacing a dated, inefficient air-conditioning system at a later date. Or you can implement phasing for a single space, say refinishing kitchen cabinets now and installing new counters and appliances down the line.

Why the buzz? Plummeting property values mean less equity to help pay for remodeling projects. That reality and fears of job loss and a general uncertainty about the economy are behind the 12 percent year-over-year decline in home-improvement spending projected for 2009 by Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies. Phasing can spread out the financial hit of a major project. In our latest remodeling poll of 1,000 Americans, more than a third of respondents said the recession has imposed a staggered schedule onto their project. But phasing mistakes can lead to additional expenses and stress. Here's how to do things right:

Stick to the plan. This directive, true for all remodeling projects, is essential when phasing to avoid the remodeling equivalent of military "mission creep"—expanding a job beyond its original scope. Your written contract with the contractor should spell out the specific phases of the project, including target start and end dates. If you're a DIYer, creating a detailed plan will force you to think through the entire project and might keep any budget-busters from creeping in.

Don't do double work. If you're remodeling a single room in phases, that means doing any behind-the-walls work first so that you're not plastering or painting twice. It's also best to proceed from the top of the room down, saving the floors for last to prevent workers from trampling across finished surfaces, for instance. The same rules apply to exterior remodeling. For example, do necessary window work when the clapboards are off for a siding project, or replace the roof before you undertake major landscaping.

Make off-season hires. Contractors' schedules tend to slow down after the end-of-year holidays. If you can line up a kitchen or bath remodel for that time, you might be able to negotiate a better price. At the very least, the pro you hire will likely be grateful for the work and anxious to do a crack job, perhaps ensuring himself the gig for the next phase of your remodeling.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: You'll find the latest information on kitchen and bath remodeling in the August 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, online and on newsstands starting on June 29. See our kitchen-planning guide for more details.

International Builders' Show Product Preview: Sakrete U.S. Cold Patch

Even the best-laid driveway can develop cracks, potholes, or depressions over time. Many asphalt-patching products are available, but regulators in several states have restricted their sale over concerns about volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the resulting ground-level ozone.

Sakrete of North America claims it has an alternative in U.S. Cold Patch, a DIY product designed to permanently repair asphalt and concrete surfaces. You apply it directly from the package and, according to Sakrete, need only to tamp it down or roll over it with a vehicle to compact it. Cold Patch is supposed to set up immediately without curing.

Cold Patch is made with recycled asphalt pavement, which diverts waste from landfills. Moreover, the manufacturer says, the product significantly reduces VOCs by 60 percent compared with medium-cure cutback patching products and by 70 percent compared with rapid-cure patch.

Cold Patch is odorless and cleans up with soap and water. Prep involves sweeping out any loose material, and you can apply the patch in any weather. It's available at home centers and building-materials suppliers and costs about $12.75 for a 50-pound bag.—Ed Perratore

Essential information: If your driveway is beyond patching, seal coating is an alternative. Expect to spend $100 to $200 for a 30-foot-ling x 14-foot-wide driveway, plus extra for patching. But beware of scam artists.

New consumer-protection site targets shady contractors

In late September, a crooked home-improvement contractor in upstate New York was arrested for reportedly having swindled more than $80,000 from of an 88-year-old widow.

Hoping to prevent other Empire State residents from falling victim to dishonest contractors, the New York State Office of the Attorney General has launched the Know Your Contractor Web site. The site covers most geographical areas of the state, including upstate regions, where there are no licensing requirements for contractors.

Many people vet contractors by running a background check with the Better Business Bureau, and that advice still stands, says John Milgrim, a spokesman for the attorney general's office. But the New York State site aims to provide several compelling features by:

• listing the name of the principle as well as the name of the company. "In the past, if a contractor got into trouble, he could change the name of his company and start doing business in the next town over," says Milgrim.

• reporting only substantiated claims against contractors, thereby protecting reputable contractors, who make up the majority of the pros out there.

• including consumer complaints and court judgments, so you can find out what your prospective contractor actually did or didn't do,

• and offering helpful hints for homeowners looking to hire a pro. The tips are consistent with our own advice on choosing a contractor.

"This [site] is a simple solution to a systemic problem, and the Attorney General's Web site is an essential first stop for anyone in the market for a home improvement or repair," said Chuck Bell, director of programs for Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, who attended the launch event for the site with several New Yorkers victimized by scamming contractors.—Daniel DiClerico

Essential information: Once you hire the right contractor for your project, find the best products and appliances using our exclusive interactive Home Improvement Guide.

Tip of the Day: Should you hire a lawn-care service?

If you’re a desk jockey like me, the prospect of getting out in the sun and fresh air to do a few hours of yard work each week might be appealing. I often look forward to tending to my property and the work (and workout) it brings—even if the mowing, weeding, raking, debris blowing, fertilizing, watering, planting, edging, trimming, and sweeping sometimes elicit more exhaustion than exhilaration. I also don’t mind the hundreds of dollars in savings I’ve reaped each of the last eight years through my DIY yard care.

But if you’re tired of tending to your property—and apparently many of you are: Americans spent more than $44 billion in 2006 on professional lawn and landscape services—you might be considering hiring one of the national lawn-care companies.

Find out if companies like Lawn Doctor and Scotts are worth it in “Lawn-Care Services: How They Stack Up.” You’ll find more details on the companies in our companion comparison story (available to subscribers).—Steven H. Saltzman

Essential information: See our lawn and yard guide for more expert advice for your property as well as our mowers and tractors page for the latest reports on this and other outdoor power equipment. And learn what type of work other Americans do at their own home in our survey.

How to hire a contractor

While most home contractors out there are legit and do quality work, the rogues gallery of bogus builders, careless carpenters, pitiful plumbers, and the like is a vast one.

Some of your friends and neighbors likely can relate cautionary tales of purloining pros, and perhaps you’ve even been the victim of a contractor whose work you cursed.

I’m sure you don’t want to revisit the miserable days when your project got derailed by an incompetent contractor, but “The Pros and Cons,” in the January 2008 issue of Angie’s List magazine, is a worthwhile read. The article (scroll to pages 12-21) features a nationwide who’s who of the top contractors and their sketchy counterparts.

The story won’t make up for any nightmares you’ve endured, but it might reassure you that genuine pros are out there. (Thousands of people use Angie’s List each month to report their customer experience in 250 categories, including home improvement and handymen. A membership fee gets you access to first-hand accounts from members and A to F ratings in several areas, including price, quality, punctuality and professionalism.)

To avoid hiring the contractor from hell, follow our advice:

Plan for success. Get three bids to gauge the going rate for work. But don't jump at the lowest bid; our surveys have shown that people who hired the lowest bidder generally got poorer work.

Get an estimate. It should list product, material, and labor costs and a timetable. Material and product allowances should give prices and quantities. Compare services and prices before making a final decision.

Choose pros you know. Our surveys have indicated that people who hire contractors they had worked with before were happier and had fewer time and cost overruns than those who hired someone new. While readers who hired pros recommended by a friend or neighbor were more satisfied than those who hired strangers, they faced as many delays and extra costs.

Get references from recent and older jobs. Reputable contractors will be happy to provide names and contact information for satisfied customers. Then check the work to see how it’s holding up.

Look for proper licensing and insurance. Make sure the contractor is licensed to do business in your state and that he has proper general liability and workers-compensation insurance. Check with your local government for permit requirements and confirm with the contractor who is responsible for paying for permits. Also visit the Contractor's License Reference Site to learn about licensing requirements in your state and to find out if a contractor is licensed.

Check the Better Business Bureau for filed complaints. Also contact your state's attorney general's office. Look for contact information in your state here. (Should you encounter a problem or fraud later on, report problems or fraud to your state attorney general.)

Do the hiring yourself. Your project is more likely to stay within budget and on time if you hire pros yourself than leaving the hiring and supervising to a general contractor.

Obtain a contract. A written contract will specify what will be done to complete the job, associated costs, and the payment schedule. Never sign a blank contract or one with blank spaces.

Stick with the plans. Making changes to plans after work begins could lead to cost overruns and delays.

Pay by check. Write out the check to the contracting company rather than to an individual. A reasonable down payment is 30 percent of the total project cost to be paid upon initial delivery of materials.

Make final payments only when the work is completed to your satisfaction. A reputable contractor will not threaten you or pressure you to sign documents if the job is not finished properly.—Steven H. Saltzman