I'd been on James's waiting list for almost a year, and I knew it would be worth waiting for as I'd seen examples of his work. He is in popular demand for good reason! From the outset I could see it would be a good working relationship, James answered messages promptly and gave me honest and useful feedback on what paint type to go for, where to get it, etc. He provided all the trade materials and then I just chose my own colours. James took his time ensuring the prep was done properly before starting to paint. There was a lot of woodwork (think spindles and staircases!) with many layers of old dark paint on, the latest one being indigo, and I was asking him to repaint it with a fresh pale blue, so the prep was super important! James cleared and tidied his tools away at the end of every day and cleaned too, so it didn't impinge on our daily life too much. He arrived promptly every morning and did a full days work every day, only stopping for his packed lunch and a cup of tea! I think you can tell from my review how happy I am with the work he did for us. We've completely renovated this house so have had a lot of trades in over the years and have had some horrible experiences. Not only was James's work of a very high standard, but there were no hidden costs and he was genuinely a pleasure to have around the house. I'd happily recommend him to friends and family and hope to have him back here for long-awaited coving on the ground floor ceilings someday!