10 Questions for . . . Fernando Pagés Ruiz, Contractor

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . . , Senior Editor Daniel DiClerico speaks with Fernando Pagés Ruiz, contractor and author of Affordable Remodel: How to Get Custom Results on Any Budget. Here, Ruiz talks about the upside of the economic downturn, details common remodeling pitfalls, and offers tips for slashing winter heating bills.

How has the credit crunch impacted the remodeling industry?
We had been in a kind of remodeling frenzy. People could justify the expense of remodeling with the rising value of their homes and the fact that it was relatively easy to get money through a second mortgage. Now that justification is over.

Even in good times, the best returns on remodeling investments were only around 90 percent, according to Remodeling magazine's annual "Cost vs. Value" reports. How many mutual funds do you know that advertise to customers that they'll get back 90 cents on every dollar invested? So remodeling was never an investment, and it more obviously isn't now. The motivation for remodeling should simply be that you plan to live in the house and you're spending money to make it how you want it.

Should home sellers be more motivated to make improvements?
If you're selling your house, the idea of getting it into the best selling shape makes tremendous sense, given the intense competition out there. Again, you won't necessarily get the dollars back, but you'll be able to move your house, whereas the neighbor who hasn't done any updating or maintenance may not.

Can homeowners negotiate lower costs on their projects?
It's a time to find good deals because many contractors who were used to doing a job for 40 to 60 percent over cost will now do it for 20 percent over cost. But depending on the contractor, negotiating can be a good or a bad strategy. You may end up with half a project if the contractor is in distress and looking for some cash flow and agrees to do the job for half the price of what he knows it will take. Chances are he won't be able to finish that job. So it is also a time to be careful.

So how do you protect yourself against the project-half-finished outcome?
In remodeling, the advantage always goes to the one with the most information. That's usually the contractor. And contractors know more than they let on. The only way to balance that is to become educated. I tell people it should take six to nine months to develop a plan and get to know the products. By the time you talk to your contractor, you should be able to tell if he knows his stuff or not. And you should definitely know more about your project than he does. You should be a very smart consumer by that point.

What other mistakes do homeowners make?
Starting the work all over the house. This is usually a guy thing, the do-it-yourselfer who starts jumping around doing this and doing that until he finally runs out steam and the house is a mess. You need to start with an overall plan, even if you're going to complete the work in stages. With the plan in place, you can segregate the house into sections and proceed from start and finish in an organized, logical manner.

Can you offer any rules of thumb for determining when a project goes from a DIY-friendly one to pro-required job?
Anything that has to do with safety. If you need to put in new gas lines, for example, it's a good idea to call in a plumber.

Manufacturers have made some projects easier, like tiling a laminate floor or installing a ceiling fan. But leave the skilled work to the professionals, like trim carpentry. If you want your cabinets installed correctly, there are a bunch of things a trim carpenter will know that you won't.

Home Depot to change Behr paints advertising

Notice anything different in the paint aisle of the Home Depot you usually visit? Chances are the banners that have boasted about the top-rated performance of the home center's exclusive line of Behr interior paints have come down.

In our March 2008 report on interior paints, finishes from Kilz (low-luster), Benjamin Moore (flat), and Valspar (semigloss) were the top-rated products, ending Behr's multiyear run as our No. 1 paint in all three categories. Behr paints still performed well in our tests and were chosen as Quick Picks.

Shortly after the March issue came out, a Montanan named Mike Wall noticed several banners promoting Behr paints at his local Home Depot. "Rated #1 by a leading independent consumer publication," read one. "Rated #1 four years in a row," said another. Wall had seen our report, so he knew the banners, part of a larger print, TV, radio, and Web advertising campaign, were no longer accurate. (The Behr marketing efforts also included "Rated #1 for coverage. And Rated #1 in high-traffic areas" and "Rated #1 by an independent national study" ads.)

Wall is not a disinterested party in how Home Depot markets its products—he's the owner of Power Townsend, an independent home center that's been in Helena since 1867. But the Behr banners struck him as unfair. "They make claims that really aren't true, and that affects the little guys," says Wall.

Wall filed an official challenge to Home Depot's Behr ads with the National Advertising Division, the investigative arm of the National Advertising Review Council, the industry's watchdog. After reviewing the evidence, the NAD ruled in favor of Wall in mid-July, recommending that Home Depot discontinue that Behr advertising campaign. (Note that Home Depot had stopped its "Rated #1 by a leading independent consumer publication" advertising before Wall's complaint, so the NAD did not examine that particular ad.)

In an advertiser's statement to the NAD, Home Depot said that while it disagrees with certain NAD findings, it "nonetheless supports [NARC's] voluntary self-regulatory process and will modify those claims accordingly."

The Consumer Reports legal department had repeatedly tried to stop Home Depot's Behr "Rated #1" ad campaign because it violated our no-commercial-use policy, which prevents companies from using our ratings to promote their products and services. Over the years, Home Depot has consistently maintained to us that the ads were not based on our findings but rather on those from Marschall Labs, of Clearwater, Florida.

Learn more about the NAD findings by reading this PDF: Behr_NAD_decision.pdf.—Daniel DiClerico

New feature! Home Improvement Guide Interactive

Remodeling a room in your home or simply replacing appliances or buying new gear for your yard and garden?

The Consumer Reports Home Improvement Guide interactive (picture shown) on ConsumerReports.org lets you click on any room in your house and choose the top appliances, paints, flooring, and other remodeling products for your home's interior and exterior, from the kitchen and bathroom to roofing, siding, mowers, and tools.

The Home Improvement Guide includes expert remodeling tips as well links to Ratings of top ranges, refrigerators, dishwashers, decking, mowers and tractors, room air conditioners, windows, washing machines, vacuums, and many more appliances, tools, and remodeling materials you need to upgrade your home.

Take a room-by-room tour of our interactive home today!

What are VOCs in paint, and is more or less of them better?

At my area home center I’m seeing more interior paints whose cans say the finishes have low or no VOCs. What are VOCs and what do the numbers mean?

The seal has definitely been broken on the issue of VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, in paint. You can expect to see more brands touting their virtuous VOC content.

VOCs are solvents that get released into the air as the paint dries. (Other products emit solvents, including adhesives, cleaning supplies, and even some home furnishings.) VOCs can cause acute symptoms, including headaches and dizziness. The long-term effects are less certain, but according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, some VOCs are suspected carcinogens.

The federal government caps the VOC content in paint at 250 grams per liter (g/l) for flat finishes and 380 g/l for other finishes (low-luster, semigloss, etc.). However, some manufacturers have opted to comply with more stringent limits—50 g/l for all finishes—set by California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District. These paints include such products as Benjamin Moore Aura, True Value Easy Care, and Glidden Evermore. In the past, low-VOC paints have performed poorly in our tests, but these products all got high marks in our latest tests of low-luster interior paints; see our Ratings (available to subscribers) for the full details.

(The Ozone Transport Commission, a multistate organization created under the Clean Air Act, also has a model rule that limits flat coatings to 100 g/l and non-flat coatings to 150 g/l. It has been adopted by the District of Columbia and the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia. Any sold in these places must be OTC-compliant.)

A handful of paints whose manufacturers claim they contain zero VOCs are now on the market. One is Mythic, which sells for $35 to $45 per gallon at independent dealers nationwide. If you’re a reader of shelter magazines, you’ve probably seen the print ads for Mythic, including the one shown here. Another zero-VOC paint is Freshaire Choice, a Home Depot exclusive that sells for $35 to $38 a gallon. Freshaire has adopted a more wholesome marketing approach: “It’s good for your family, and better for our world.”

The base of other paints might also be free of VOCs, but when any pigment is added at the point of sale, the VOC level climbs as high as 150 g/l, according to ICI Paints, which manufacturers Freshaire Choice. But the makers of Mythic and Freshaire Choice both say that the color pigments used in their finishes contain no VOCs.

Mythic and Freshaire Choice use a VOC-free color additive that is supposed to eliminate not only harmful solvents but also the telltale odor of a freshly painted room, according to their manufacturers. Carl E. Smith, CEO of the Greenguard Environmental Institute, argues that measuring emissions is as important as identifying the VOC level in a paint. “You can have a low count on VOC, but still have high emissions,” says Smith. That’s why Greenguard, which describes itself as an “industry-independent, third-party testing” organization, makes emissions central to its certification process. Currently, Freshaire Choice earns the Greenguard seal, as does Benjamin Moore Aura, whose low-luster and flat paints scored an excellent and a very good overall score, respectively; Mythic has not yet been tested by Greenguard.

Consumer Reports has not yet tested Mythic or Freshaire Choice but both will be considered for our 2009 report of interior paints. We don’t know whether these finishes will endure our typical hiding, fading, and stain resistance tests.

Remember, even though a paint might have low or no VOCs, it doesn’t do you any good if it needs constant touch-ups or reapplying.—Daniel DiClerico

Essential information: If you’re about to tackle a painting project, see our buying guide to interior paint. Also, read this post on avoiding common painting mistakes.

Q&A: Will one coat of paint cut it for interior projects?

We’re going to try to prep and paint two bedrooms in a long weekend. Any chance we can get away with only one coat of paint?

Our latest testing of interior paints reveals that some finishes deliver better one-coat coverage than others.

To determine one-coat ability, we paint a white, pastel, and medium of each paint on striped hiding charts with light-gray to jet-black bars (shown). To merit better one-coat distinction, even the white version of a paint must conceal at least the two lightest-color bars with a single coat. As you can see, the paint on the bottom offers more-complete coverage after a single coat than the one on the top.

But before we can recommend you use only one coat, we need to know the exact nature of your project because there are times when even the best one-coat paint won’t provide satisfactory coverage. For example, if you’re changing the bedroom walls from a darker color to a lighter one, say burgundy to beige, no fewer than two coats will keep the darker base from bleeding through.

That’s why you should use two coats of a top-rated paint for any decorative application—two coats are better than one. What’s more, to enhance hiding ability of a paint, manufacturers might skimp on some additives and end up diminishing other performance results of their paints. That is, a paint might cover well in one coat but might not resist scrubbing with a sponge or might start to fade a few months down the road.

If you’re intent on trying for a one-coat application, you won’t have to spend big bucks to do so: Five of the 14 paints that deliver better one-coat hiding cost $20 or less per gallon. One of those paints is the No. 1 paint in the low-luster category, which we consider to be the best paint for most applications.

Which paint is that? Check our Ratings of interior paints, available to subscribers.—Daniel DiClerico

Protect Your Investment: Make your paint last

“At the end of a paint job, you’ll almost always have some leftover paint. Don’t dispose of it,” says Debbie Zimmer, director of communications and media relations at the Paint Quality Institute. Inevitably you’ll need to touch up a paint job, and you could have trouble matching the color at a later date if you don’t save the leftover paint.

Follow this expert advice to properly store open cans of paint. Do the job right, and your paint could last for years:

1. Never store paint where it will be subjected to subfreezing cold or extreme heat (more 100°F). Although most paints are formulated to withstand several freeze/thaw cycles, these conditions can ruin coatings by causing them to solidify
2. Always store the paint in its original container, with the label intact. This will help you properly identify the color and type of paint when you use it again
3. If key information is concealed by paint drippings, write down the brand, manufacturer’s code, color, gloss level, and type of paint on a strip of masking tape and affix it to the side of the can before you put it away. It’s also a good idea to include detailed information on where you used the paint, especially when similar colors were used throughout the house.
4. Clean wet paint from the groove on the rim with paper towels.
5. Cover the can opening with plastic wrap to help keep the container airtight.
6. On a metal can, replace the lid by using strong pressure to press it down into the groove lines. Don’t use a hammer to seal the can—you could damage the rim. Instead, use a rubber mallet, but not with too much force. If you have a plastic can with a screw-on lid, follow the first two steps, then apply the lid. If the leftover paint is an alkyd, or oil-based, product, place a piece of waxed paper directly onto the paint before sealing the can to prevent a film from forming as the paint sits.

Essential information: Read our March 2008 report on interior paints, including the latest information on one-coat finishing and details on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paint. And when the time comes to dispose of paint, find out the best ways to handle your old finishes.

Tip of the day: How to dispose of paint

You’ve probably got at least a few partially used cans of paint or stain sitting around your basement, garage, or shed. Should you hold on to them for touch-up jobs? Bring them to your municipal recycling center? Find an organization to donate them to?

You’re not alone in your predicament. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently estimated that as much as 69 million gallons of paint are left over annually in the United States. That’s enough paint to cover 27.6 billion square feet each and every year, or the five boroughs of New York City--some 303 square miles—more than three times. Keeping the paint is definitely a better move than tossing it in the trash; at least that way the paint stays out of the waste stream, where it could contaminate soil and groundwater. Or you could even use the paint for odd jobs around the house, say, painting your garage walls. But if you want to give the boot to those old cans, here’s what you can do:

Check the label. Paint made before 1978 might contain lead, and paint made before 1991 might contain mercury. Both materials should be listed on the paint label. If they’re not and you’re concerned the paint contains either of those neurotoxins, read "Dispose of it," below. (For more information on the environmental health impacts of lead and mercury, use the Toxics search on GreenerChoices.org.)

Donate it for reuse. Some organizations will accept paint that’s in good condition, meaning it can be easily stirred to a smooth consistency and is uncontaminated. The paint should also be in an intact, labeled container. Check for donation options in your area by clicking on “Paint donation” at Earth911.

Recycle it. Some communities offer recycling programs for old paint and empty paint cans. Water-based, or latex, paint can be recycled into new paint or it can even be used to create nonpaint products such as cement. Oil-based, or alkyd, paint is usually used for fuel blending—meaning it’s burned to create energy at a power plant. To find out whether paint recycling is an option in your area, contact your municipal recycling or household-hazardous-waste center. You can also search for recycling options by ZIP code by clicking on “Paint recycling” at Earth911 or by calling the group’s free service line at 800-253-2687.

Dispose of it. If you can’t donate or recycle your paint, find out how to properly dispose of it in your area. Each municipality has different requirements, depending on whether the paint is oil- or water-based.

Oil-based paint is always considered hazardous and should be disposed of at a household-hazardous-waste collection facility. Water-based paint is treated as hazardous in only a few states—including California, Washington and Minnesota—and is still generally accepted at hazardous-waste facilities. To find disposal instructions for your area, contact your local household-hazardous-waste center. You can also search for options by ZIP code by clicking on “Paint disposal” at Earth911 or by calling the group’s free service line at 800-253-2687.—Kristi Wiedemann, Science and Policy Analyst, GreenerChoices.org

Essential information: Find out which interior paint to buy in our March 2008 report on interior paints, which includes the latest information on one-coat finishing and details on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paint.