When Kristen Ziegler purchased her 1920 row house nearly a decade ago, she knew she had a project on her hands. While the house was solid, she wanted to make it her own, which included updates and a lot of painting – but not with H.J. Holtz & Son painters.
Ziegler turned to Holtz & Son last year, because the solo painter she had initially hired for the home’s interior had retired. She was ready to paint the exterior – “the icing on the cake,” as she puts it – and needed a trustworthy partner.
Ziegler admits she can’t remember how she found the company, but suspects a Google search and word-of-mouth recommendations played a role. “It could have been both, honestly,” she says. “[Holtz & Son] was highly recommended.”
Now, she says, she sees the benefits of working with an established – and sizable – firm.
“I had a much better experience working with a larger company,” she says. “There was so much accountability and communication. I had every bit of faith the job would be completed on time, on budget, and to my standards.”
And, Ziegler says, there was plenty of personal attention, noting that the team readily accommodated the time it took for her to select her exterior paint.
“I think I went through four or five colors,” she says. “I may have even delayed the project or they made a rush trip to get me a sample. They were so patient and helpful.”
Ziegler eventually settled on Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal, a dark neutral that paired well with the home’s slate roof. Her initial choice was black, because black is often used in Scandinavian design, her preferred style. After using a computer program to “see” a fully black exterior, she reconsidered.
“Then I actually was going to be safer and had [picked] a bluish mid-tone gray,” she says. “But once I saw the Kendall Charcoal, I knew that was the one. I have no regrets.”
Ziegler owns Minima Organizing and Redesign, a firm that specializes in helping people organize their spaces. Because she owns a business herself, Ziegler says she pays attention to workers she comes into contact with to see what she can learn as a manager. What she gleaned from the Holtz team was instructive.
“I could sense that everybody involved in my project really cared about what they were doing,” she says. “In a conversation with one [Holtz painter], he told me he had been at a personal event outside of work, and Rick [Holtz, company president] came to see him. That meant a lot to me.”
Because Ziegler also works with people who are shaping and redefining their home spaces, she maintains a list of home services that can be shared with clients. H.J. Holtz & Son is now the painter on her referral list.
“All of our [Minima] clients know we are meticulous and detail-oriented,” she says. “We cross paths with contractors a lot, and we know that when you hire Holtz, you’re getting good value, good customer service, and good communication. Holtz is amazing.”
Find Minima at minimaonline.com