by HJ HOLTZ | Feb 17, 2022 | Residential Painting, Wallpaper
H.J. Holtz & Son Production Manager Kelly Kutchey recalls a recent project in which the Holtz team was hired to correct painting problems in a brand-new house.
“The builder hired a painter for cost-efficiency, and we were called later to fix all sorts of issues,” he said. “The painter hadn’t properly prepared the trim for painting by filling in nail holes and caulking; some areas also clearly weren’t primed. Trim work should always be [painted] using a nice brush; this house trim was painted with a thick roller … it looked like it had 40 coats of paint. The homeowner wasn’t happy.”
The Holtz decorative arts team had worked on a project in the house, so the designer suggested the homeowner contact H.J. Holtz & Son to resolve the problems. One benefit of hiring a larger company, Kutchey says, is readily available expertise.
“Smaller companies sometimes want to take on bigger jobs and will cut corners or hire people who don’t really know what they’re doing,” he says. “They don’t always have the proper skills to do a job. We get calls all the time from folks who have something that needs to be fixed. They come to us because we have a reputation for being able to solve painting problems and wallpaper problems.”
Every job has its own specific set of considerations and challenges, Kutchey says, because every wall is different. There might be cracks caused by a settling foundation, nail pops from when the house was built, excessive moisture in the home, and dings and dents caused by everyday life. If surfaces aren’t prepared properly, there’s an increased likelihood that difficulties will develop later.
Common dilemmas with painted walls and ceilings include cracking, bubbling or blistering, and flaking or peeling. Wallpaper can be curling at the edges, separating at the seams, and showing dips or bumps under the surface.
“Customers will call, and we’ll send someone to assess,” he says. “Some situations can be repaired – like if paper is falling off a wall – but sticky paint just has to be redone.”
Most wallpaper issues require removing a wallpaper panel so the underlying issue can be remedied, whether that involves the surface of the wall or reapplying adhesive. Because wallpapers vary in weight and texture, the right adhesive is essential, as is a careful application.
Kutchey says the Holtz team was called recently to investigate why paint wasn’t adhering well to a wall. He discovered three layers of wallpaper underneath the painted surface. “Usually, the reason why [people] paint over wallpaper is because it was too hard to take off in the first place,” he says. “We take whatever we need to take off the walls; sometimes that means going down to drywall or plaster.”
Problems usually can be fixed, but that remedy comes with a cost. “It’s always better to take the time at the beginning to do it right,” he says. “It’s going to double your cost to call us in to fix something that could have been managed at the start of a project.”
by HJ HOLTZ | Oct 14, 2021 | Residential Painting
Paula Holm called H.J. Holtz & Son because her contractor said so.
Holm and her husband, George, were working with Mark Franko, of Mark Franko Custom Building, to expand their kitchen and add a club room on the lower level, similar to the one they have in their vacation home. Holm said she had “nothing but time” thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, so she researched and planned the interiors herself.
“I knew I wanted to do the lacquer painting,” she says. “Once we started talking about that, Mark said [Rick Holtz was] who we have to talk with. Honestly, we didn’t even consider anyone else. They’re so knowledgeable.”
Using a color palette inspired by a painting they own – “Be the Hero” by Italian artist Marco Battaglini – Holm initially envisioned the walls as turquoise. She worked with the Holtz team, who prepared numerous sample boards, to “see” the color in the room.
“Holtz was amazing, because we had a dozen different colors we considered: four turquoise, then burnt orange,” Holm says. “But I thought, if we’re going to do it, we’d rather err on the front side than not have it right. They were on board with that.”
The final color choice was a Fine Paints of Europe match to Benjamin Moore Dragon’s Blood – a rich red-orange hue that changes with the light. (The match was necessary to use FPE’s specialty high gloss paint.) Holm wanted a warm tone, given the proximity to the outdoors via the room’s wall of windows, and wanted color to envelop the space. To that end, the trim and the ribs on the coffered ceiling are also lacquered in the paint.
“We had to do something different [above],” she says, noting the gold paint on the ceiling. “We wanted it to have an antique feel, a warm tone, not glitzy and shiny. We wanted it to look hand-painted.”
Holm is pleased by how the bright lacquer plays off the more subtle floor, which is natural stone with walnut inlay. “We have the same walnut up in our kitchen,” she says. “It’s a soft, natural finish; it gives a warmer feel.”
While painting the room took weeks, Holm says she didn’t mind, because she wanted it to be just right. And there were many elements to consider, including the trim and cabinets by KDWHome.
“I don’t want to rush that kind of work,” she says. “It’s so detailed, it would be silly to rush it.” She credits foreman Kenny Ebright for his masterful handling of the project. “I love Kenny; he’s the man,” she adds.
Holm says the project is exactly what she and her husband had hoped for, and that it’s already serving its purpose as a gathering space for the large family. “I had known Rick [through our children], but this was the first time we’d worked with the company,” she says. “When our builder told us to go with them, we knew the company was quality. With Holtz, you definitely get what you pay for.”
by HJ HOLTZ | Aug 10, 2021 | Commercial Painting, Residential Painting
Remember how hard it was to find toilet paper, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes in spring 2020?
The same forces that led to runs on basic supplies a year ago – increased demand and blockages in the supply chain – are now driving significant increases in paint cost. H.J. Holtz & Son President Rick Holtz says it’s been hard to watch the steady climb.
“One paint company has raised prices 13% this year,” Holtz says. “Consumers are seeing that in stores, and we see it, too, when we go to buy from our suppliers.”
According to PaintMag.com, which reports on the painting trade, the worldwide paint supply was hit early on by lockdowns and business closures, just as other industries were. Once businesses were allowed to reopen, a shortage of containers made it hard for paint to actually be moved from manufacturing sites to distribution locations.
Other problems in the supply chain can be traced to issues at specific plants. Facilities manufacturing epoxy resins in China and Korea experienced fire and other fabrication problems, which halted and slowed production. The Institute of Coating Technologies, a Greek organization that monitors the worldwide industry, noted in February 2021 that nearly all the raw materials involved in the coating industry increased in price. With raw materials responsible for more than 50% of the cost of paint, a hike in component prices drive the final cost up.
Then, in February 2021, a deep freeze in Texas shut down the approximately 150 petrochemical facilities in the Houston region for three days. According to Vertical Research Partners, a Connecticut equity research firm, the cold snap took three-quarters of the ethylene production capacity offline for days. Ethylene is a component of paint, used to improve flow and stability, and enhance application properties.
On top of supply and manufacturing challenges, demand for paint has soared. Homeowners spending more time than usual in their spaces have turned to paint to comfort and inspire. Thanks to low interest rates, home sales hit a 14-year high in 2020, according to the National Association of Realtors. New homes need paint, and older homes going on the market often get a fresh coat, too.
“We hear from clients every day how important their homes are to them now,” Holtz says. “We love being able to help people make their spaces feel fresh and new.”
by HJ HOLTZ | Apr 12, 2021 | Residential Painting
Historic Garden Week, an annual event sponsored by the Garden Club of Virginia that celebrates nature in private and public garden spaces, returns to Richmond in 2021 on April 20, 21 and 22. The 2020 tour was canceled for only the second time in history, due to the coronavirus pandemic; the other cancellation came during World War II.
Every year, H.J. Holtz & Son helps homeowners prepare for the enthusiastic crowds that take advantage of Historic Garden Week to explore properties typically hidden from view. This year is no different, with two Holtz & Son customers featured on the Hampton Gardens tour, set for Tuesday, April 20.
For Meg and Banks Turner, whose Oak Lane gardens will be open for view, the company painted outdoor furniture, including a wrought-iron table with a blue atlas cedar top that had to be removed before painting could occur. The table was designed by Meg Turner, a landscape architect who has added a custom line of furniture to her residential offerings.
“I’ve tried various painters, but you need to be careful with iron furniture, because it has to wear well,” Turner says. “I have friends who have used [Holtz & Son] and been pleased.”
The table, as well as several pieces manufactured by the John B. Salterini NEVA-RUST company, known for its midcentury wrought-iron outdoor furniture, were sprayed in the Holtz spray room. Careful preparation is essential, Turner notes.
“Iron furniture has to be sand-blasted [to remove existing paint],” Turner says. “Once it’s sand-blasted, it has a 24-hour window before it starts rusting.”
Careful preparation on another Hampton Gardens home – a whole home exterior paint job for the house on Cary Street Road – revealed several problems the owners needed to address.
“[Holtz & Son] found termite damage and a lot of rotted wood,” the homeowner said. “We addressed the termite issue, and they took care of the wood.”
The homeowner has used Holtz & Son before, for interior high-gloss painting, and has already booked the company to come and repaint ceilings, following a change of light fixtures. “[Holtz & Son] is known for their top-quality work around town; they’re great,” she says.
Tickets for Historic Garden Week may be purchased through the Garden Club of Virginia’s website: vagardenweek.org. A limited number of tickets, with assigned entry times, are available this year.
by HJ HOLTZ | Mar 25, 2021 | Furniture and Cabinetry, Residential Painting
The most unusual item painted in one of the H.J. Holtz & Son spray booths?
A ceramic goat. Residential Painting
The four-legged figure – two-and-a half-feet from hoof to ear, and two-and-a-half-feet from head to tail – calls a basement rec room home and is a favorite of the family daughter.
“We talked about putting horns on it, but decided just to paint it,” says Kelly Kutchey, Holtz & Son production manager. “We used a high-gloss white, and their daughter just loved it.”
While the company is known for meticulous attention to larger projects, a keen eye is also useful for smaller projects.
“I don’t think people think about this aspect [of our services],” Kutchey says. “There’s a real benefit of having a professional do these kinds of jobs; we’re not just going to grab an aerosol can. The prep work we do with air tools is phenomenal, and we use industrial-strength urethane paint.”
Another benefit Holtz & Son offers comes in the form of two in-house spray booths: one 15 feet by 30 feet, the other 30 feet by 45 feet. The larger booth has a dedicated HVAC system, installed in 2015, that creates a completely contained painting environment. When the booth is closed, the climate system eliminates humidity and dust, and regulates the temperature to create ideal painting conditions, which are essential for a smooth, bubble-free finish that’s pleasing to touch.
“It’s been a good investment,” Kuchey says, noting that the larger booth easily accommodates a small job alongside larger projects, such as shutters, cabinets, doors, or metal window well grates.
Other intriguing paint jobs include an antique wood bin, likely used for storing potatoes or onions; a wire metal trash can; and a fountain and pond. “The fountain had lattice woodwork all around it; that takes a little bit of time,” Kutchey says.
Holtz & Son paints pianos, too, whether upright or grand, to give a brightened, fresh finish. “[Painted pianos] look wonderful and become statement pieces,” Kutchey says. To date, three pianos have come in for updating. The most dramatic change: one piano went from brown to a cool blue. “It was a very large grand piano, and the homeowner arranged for Richmond Piano to transport it to the shop,” Kutchey says. “They rolled it in, and we sprayed it.”
Often, smaller paint jobs come from existing customers who tack on to work in progress. But not always. “We just did a little one-drawer side table that came in all by itself,” Kutchey says. “Their neighbor had something done [by us], and they loved it.”
by HJ HOLTZ | Nov 3, 2020 | Residential Painting
When Julie and Mike bought their house 20 years ago, they were drawn to its Italianate style and pink stucco exterior. “It was unusual for Richmond, but very attractive,” Julie says.
Tucked away in a tree-filled neighborhood, their pink house always stood out against their neighbors’ more traditionally colored homes. But when the couple needed to repaint the exterior in 2010, the neighbors implored them to keep the pink: “They said, ‘Don’t change it,’” Julie laughs.
For that refresh, H.J. Holtz & Son team members brought nine different shades of pink to determine an exact shade match.
Fast-forward 10 years, and it was time to paint again. But Julie and Mike were ready for a change. They color-shopped for a year, finally finding the wall and trim hues they wanted on a house that was for sale. Rather than try to track down the owners to identify the specific shades, Holtz & Son president Rick Holtz used his Datacolor ColorReader, a handheld device that scans surface color and provides digital values that can be matched precisely. The new colors? Benjamin Moore Manor House – a “taupey brown,” Julie says – for the walls, and Benjamin Moore Museum Piece – a cool gray – for the trim. For the finishing touch: a blue door, Benjamin Moore Lobelia.
Julie says she appreciates the care and attention the Holtz team showed as she and Mike were making a big color change. “Rick knew I was a little nervous,” she says. “His guys came and were so kind. They put test colors on all sides of the house, so we could see the colors in different light.”
Additionally, Julie says, one side of the house was painted in full, with both wall and trim colors, so they could see how the combination would look alongside the terracotta roof tiles. “We had all the neighbors come over, and they liked it, too,” she says. “It was very affirming.”
Julie remembers working with Rick’s father, Richard L. Holtz, when they purchased their first house, more than 30 years ago. Then, the couple planned to paint their new house on their own in the three months leading up to their wedding. They quickly realized the job was too big, and they needed help. “I think our contractor first recommended” H.J. Holtz & Son, Julie says.
Julie says that, years later, the Holtz team continues to show attention to detail, with “meticulous” care from start to finish. “They are hugely polite, very clean…they don’t smoke at your house, they don’t leave trash,” she says. “They are as thoughtful as they can be, and they are here when they say they’ll be here. At our River house, [those painters] are not there when they say they will be.”
During the recent job, when there was any question about how to proceed, Julie says, she and Mike were always consulted to ensure everyone was on the same page.
“The thing I remember about Rick’s dad is, if something went wrong, he would make it right,” Julie says. “I suspect Rick learned that from his dad.”
