Rob and Sonja Kozuch, co-owners of Bear Mountain Custom Painting in Cumming, Ga.. say they chose to start a painting business after their own less-than-satisfactory hiring experiences with painters.

"We didn't know a lot about painters, but we found out a lot after hiring them — only one turned out OK," Rob says. "So we saw a real opportunity to make a difference in customer service."

In 2004, Rob, a former manufacturing executive, and Sonja, a former not-for-profit executive, had spent most of their careers crisscrossing the country for different jobs, and subsequently having each home they lived in painted. But they decided to settle in Atlanta to raise their family and start a painting business with customer service as a top priority.

"There's a lot more to painting than just the paint," Rob says. "There's a lot of planning, communication and knowledge that goes into each job."

Angie's List Atlanta members say they appreciate the extra efforts that go beyond just applying a new layer of paint.

"They gave me a very detailed quote and kept me up-to-date on a daily basis — who does that nowadays?" says Pat Huntoon, who hired the company to patch walls, replace rotted wood and paint the interior and exterior of his Dahlonega home. "They weren't the least expensive but the results were priceless."

Carl Feldhaus, who hired the company to repair and repaint his Atlanta townhome, also credits the Kozuches' focus on customer service and attention to details. "Their quote was much more thorough and they suggested things other companies didn't think of," he says.

"We spend much more time on the details and preparation because we like to think that we're taking care of people through paint," Rob says.