Walter Lee, owner of Affordable Walt’s, adds a mural of a child’s favorite coloring book page to a bedroom wall. The page is a favorite of one of Lee’s long-time customer’s children. Photo by Jane Kathleen Gregorio
Quality work and exceedingly satisfying customer service are the standards by which Walter Lee, owner of Affordable Walt’s Painting and Repair, operates his business. It’s been his motto and mantra since he began his business in Corpus Christi in 2001.
“I started my own business because before, when I was working for someone else, I didn’t appreciate how they treated their customers,” Lee said. “For me, it’s not all about money; it’s about satisfaction in delivering quality service and putting a smile on my customers’ faces. I like doing what I do, and I like people being happy with what I do.”
Lee’s journey to Corpus Christi to become a painter began decades ago on the West Coast.
“I worked several years as a crane operator in the oil fields in California,” he told Corpus Christi Business News. “I came to San Antonio to attend crew chief school then went back to California to work as a crew chief for an oil rig driller. During the 1980s oil crisis however, the dropping prices also led to the company dropping our work pay.”
As a result, Lee also decided to drop out of the oil industry. He went into house painting in Orange County with some friends for several years before he decided to head to the Texas Gulf Coast for a change of scenery.
“Since both of my kids were already grown up and working as lawyers in California, I decided to be closer to my brother, who already had a painting business here for about 40 years,” he said.
After several years of helping his brother as well as working for other contractors, he decided in 2004 that it was time to set up his own business.
“It was challenging at first,” he said. “I had listed myself in the phone book but couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t getting any calls. Then I decided to change my company name from Walter’s Painting to Affordable Walt’s Painting, and suddenly, I was getting calls.”
Just as the name implies, Affordable Walt’s Painting and Repair offers quality work for reasonable prices, a concept that obviously appeals to his customer base.
“One thing that I feel makes me stand out is my commitment to quality,” Lee said. “It’s been hard keeping workers because not all share the high standards I have when delivering services to the customer. Currently, I have three very trustworthy employees, and my brother, who is now retired, will help me from time to time. In fact, I don’t get paid until the job is done and the client is happy. I never want to burn any bridges.”
Lee’s business philosophy has inspired customer loyalty from real estate agents, property managers, local businesses and many residents, particularly retirees.
“There’s one family whose son’s bedroom I painted many years ago,” he recalled. “They called me back because their son already graduated and moved to college, and they wanted to transform his room into something else. I also have many repeat customers among my elderly, retired clients. Even though I specialize mostly in painting and sheetrock repair, there are times they need some extra handyman services, and they don’t want to call anybody else. I don’t mind giving them some extra help.”
Affordable Walt’s Painting and Repair services includes interior and exterior paint, power washing, sheetrock drywall repair, exterior siding and light carpentry work.
For those looking to paint, spring is the best time to get that done, Lee advised.
“People here on the coast want to get their painting done in July and August, but the heat and humidity can get trapped in the paint and eventually cause the paint to peel,” he said. “Paint needs to have a proper drying time at a proper temperature, and the summer humidity can interfere with that.”
He also advises pressure washing or bleaching homes before painting to kill mildew and mold that will bleed through and grow into the paint.
“If you notice the paint in your house starting to wrinkle and bubble up, it’s because a house needs to be painted every five years, at least touched up, or cleaned, checked out for any cracks that need to be filled in or caulked,” he said. “Here in Corpus Christi, with the humidity during summer and the cold in the winter, that paint is constantly fluctuating and taking a lot of abuse. As long as you rinse it off and apply another coat of paint on top, it will last you another five to six years.”
If you need someone you can trust to help you do that, you can call Affordable Walt’s.
“I’m not wealthy by far, but at the same time, I don’t want to rip off or take advantage of people,” Lee said. “I’m content getting by with what I have, and I really love working with people. When people think of Affordable Walt’s Painting, I want it to be synonymous with quality and integrity because I stand by the work I do.”
Affordable Walt’s Painting and Repair is located at 4726 Waltham Drive. For more information, contact (361) 510-1915 or awpwgl55@gmail.com.
