Vedder Restoration Painting

My imagination was impregnated in late June of this year, 2015, and it has now reached full term. I have been anxiously pacing back and forth in the delivery room. The labor has been long and intense. Dr. Paintchip, better known as Gary Vedder, finally peeked out this afternoon to announce the delivery is complete (ironically on my Dad’s 105^th birthday, RIP). To paraphrase, «Mrs. B, you are now the proud owner of a beautiful 103 year old painted lady!»
Got you laughing? Well, the painters then captured a cluster of escapee blue balloons tumbling down our street and attached them to my mailbox. A mystical, celebratory gift from heaven? I would like to think so.
For over 35 years I have raised my family in this humble but historic home. She is a beloved member of our family. I have had calls and bids through the years, some trying to convince me to cover up my beautiful old home with some kind of modern siding or a thick spray-​on product to improve insulation (so you «never have to paint again»), others offering a water blast, scrape and paint in a matter of days. If anyone dares to offer you something like this, please, shut the door, hang up, turn your back, walk away.
My beloved old house has aged ~15 years since its last painting. The cruel onslaught of weather, time, termites, and some very mediocre prepping jobs really took a toll on her. There was so much to fix. So, when I was ready to have her painted this time around, I was determined to find someone as picky and OCD as I. I looked for homes similar to mine (100+ years old) with clapboard siding, painted beautifully, tastefully detailed to enhance their fine character, and with paint that remained solid as it aged. The name Gary Vedder came up more than once, and I simply had to inquire.
One interview with Gary and I knew this was the man I should hire!!! His mantra was to protect and preserve the integrity of your home, elevate your investment, and honor and respect its precious historic value. And now I can see with my own eyes, I made the right choice.
There has been nothing more wonderful than to see Gary, Anthony (his lead man) and his crew at work. They are beyond reproach. He and his men are most dependable, dedicated, and friendly. I can count on them to arrive early every day, working steadily through the day, cleaning up as best they can each day, and offering no excuses. Gary has held my hand, communicating clearly and often, reporting problems and how he can fix them, asking lots of questions so he is in complete sync with what I truly want, and regularly informing me of his progress. He keeps detailed records of his work hours and the costs incurred (with my permission of course), showing me all his receipts. I trust Gary. He is warm, honest and a joy to work with.
Gary comes from a local, respected family of high quality, specialty painters, and has been in this business since the 1970’s. His career longevity and celebrity is because he is a true artisan. To help you better understand, he paints only about 12 – 15 houses a year. And that is steady work for him. He does not advertise, he goes on word of mouth recommendations. He knows and understands the special care that is needed for this type of home and is prepared to do as much as possible to restore the home before the «makeup» is put back on. He does not water blast, he sands and scrapes, and sands some more. He does carpentry rather than cover up wood damage, caulks and recaulks windows if needed, fills holes with the most durable of materials. And he has a phenomenal eye for color. He does it all.
It took 8 weeks, from sun up to sun down on some of those days, to complete my two-​story house and detached garage. She looked so scary when first prepped and ready for primer, she was a naked lady, not a painted lady. And once all that painting foreplay was over, he lavished her with the best quality of primer, then finished with top grade primer/​paints made by Sherman Williams. Eight, yes, 8 colors in all. His tender care gave her «style» like she’s never had before. She is even lovelier than when new.
You get what you pay for. I do not regret loving my home so much to pay for the very best. And it is my mission to make sure that the unique category of consumer who desires his special services knows of his artistry.
Absolutely, Gary and his team are very special.
Gary, this review is my humble attempt to truly say thank you. You deserve much more than a perfect 5 stars… more like 10. Most seriously and sincerely. Can my kids call you Uncle Gary now?