Hiring a Painter Who Speaks Spanish

A lot of San Diego homes are run in two languages. In the South Bay especially, it is common for the homeowner to think and decide in Spanish while the paperwork, the HOA letters and the paint store all happen in English. That gap is where painting jobs go wrong: not on the wall, but in what each side understood the job to be.

This article is for anyone in that position: a homeowner who would rather do this in Spanish, or a grown son or daughter arranging the job for parents who would.

Why does the language of the estimate matter so much?

Because most disputes on a painting job are about scope, not quality. Was the fascia included? Were the doors part of the trim? Did “repair the cracks” mean the hairlines at the window corners or the one by the garage too? When the scope was agreed in a language the homeowner only half follows, each side remembers a different job.

A painting estimate should name the surfaces, the preparation, the number of coats and what is not included. Every one of those details needs to be understood by the person who will be living with it.

When a relative translates

Adult children translating for their parents is a common arrangement in National City and Chula Vista, and it often works. But it has a familiar weakness: the conversation gets shortened in both directions. The painter explains why the chalky south wall has to be washed and primed; the translation becomes “he says it needs washing”. The homeowner asks whether the color can be a little warmer than the chip; the question never reaches the painter at all.

If someone is translating:

1. Have the decision-maker at the visit. The person who will choose the color and sign should be walking the house, even if someone else is doing the talking.
2. Ask the painter to slow down at the scope. The preparation and the boundaries of the job are the part to translate fully, word for word.
3. Get the scope in writing, then read it together. A translated conversation is a memory; a written scope is a record.
4. Write down the questions beforehand. Parents often have questions they will not interrupt to ask. Put them on paper and hand them over.

Getting the contract in Spanish

Do not count on the law to hand you a Spanish contract. California’s contract translation rules have exceptions that can leave home-improvement contracts out, so the safe course is to ask for a Spanish copy yourself. The reason is exactly the problem above: nobody should sign terms they could not read.

A contractor who negotiated with you in Spanish should expect the request. If a Spanish copy is not offered, have someone you trust read the English contract with you, line by line, before you sign. The state licensing board publishes consumer guides in Spanish, including one on home-improvement contracts and how to look up a contractor’s license. Lemoon’s Painting’s license is 1120008, issued to Lemoon’s Painting Inc, classification C-33 Painting and Decorating.

The paint words that get lost

Painting has its own vocabulary, and a few words cause most of the confusion between languages:

• Sheen. Flat, matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss and gloss. The word “satinado” at home may mean something shinier or duller than the satin on the can. Look at painted samples of each sheen, in the room, before deciding.
• Primer and sealer. “Sellador” is used for both in everyday Spanish, but they are not always the same product. What matters is what the coat is for: bonding to bare stucco, blocking a water stain, or sealing a patch.
• Stucco texture. Sand finish, lace, dash and smooth all have Spanish names that vary by region. If a repair has to match, point at the wall rather than naming it.
• Color names. Dunn-Edwards and Sherwin-Williams colors are named and numbered in English. The number is what matters; write it down from the chip.
• Touch-up versus repaint. “Retocar” can mean a spot or a whole wall depending on who says it. Ask which one the estimate means.

HOA paperwork in English

HOA architectural review forms, approved palettes and violation letters often arrive only in English. If your home is under an HOA, show the painter those papers at the estimate. They decide which colors are allowed and sometimes which surfaces must be painted together, and the painter needs to know before the scope is written.

What this looks like at Lemoon’s Painting

Ebenezer does the whole job in Spanish if you prefer: the walk around the house, the explanation of what the walls need, the scope, the questions halfway through and the walkthrough at the end. He manages every project personally, so the person you explained things to on the first day is the person on the job.

His way of talking about a job is the same in either language: respectful, clear and direct about what is realistic. If you ask for something difficult, the answer is “Claro que se puede,” and then the steps it will take and how they change the work, so you decide with the whole picture. The exterior order never changes: power wash, check stucco and wood for repairs, mask windows and floors, then paint. You can read the process and the questions people ask most; both are published in Spanish too.

Call in the language you think in

If you would like the estimate to happen in Spanish, say so when you get in touch and it will. If you are arranging it for your parents, ask Ebenezer to talk to them directly. Ask for a free estimate, or read about exterior painting first.