About Us

We started life in 1999 when our now Managing Director, Robert Crawford, was an amateur cyclist. He put his bike to good use when he wasn’t competing and set up as a one-man band, carrying out small, domestic projects from his bicycle, with tins of paint on his handle bars and a ladder over his shoulder.

Following the successful completion of his first contract, the work kept coming in, and in 2001, Different Strokes Painting and Decorating was born. By this time Robert realised he needed help and employed two decorators, and in 2002, enrolled the help of May as his business partner, to look after the financial side of the business.

Eventually the business grew out of its small office on Shap Road, and Different Strokes moved to Stramongate, in Kendal town centre; in 2018 the business expanded again and bought its current premises at Station Yard, Grange-Over-Sands.

Now in our 23rd year, and with Robert and May still at the helm, we are proud to have a team of 18 painters, including apprentices, and an office support team to take care of your every need. Many of our painters have grown with the company, and consequently have the same vision for quality and eye for detail that Different Strokes has committed to.

Our commitment to you:

At Different Strokes, we take pride in putting our customer first.  Our aim is to complete your project in a clean and efficient manner, with 95% dust-free preparation and minimal fuss and disruption to your lifestyle or business.

Our Strengths:

  • Reliable when communicating with our clients at every step of the process.
  • Flexible, working around your individual needs and time frames.
  • Professional and courteous to have on your premises.
  • We have exceptional standards of workmanship and cleanliness.

We continually strive to improve on our service, and regularly ask our customers to provide feedback so that we can monitor our performance. Different Strokes has an ongoing training program with the Construction Skills Certification Scheme, and our dedicated staff are NVQ qualified and trained in Health and Safety.

We are also proud to be:

  • Members of CHAS – a trade health and safety recognition
  • An approved applicator of Repair Care – a resin timber repair system
  • Members of the Painting and Decorating Association
  • CITB affiliated
  • NEBOSH Certified
  • PASMA Qualified
  • IPAF Qualified
  • Emergency First Aid Qualified
  • Trading Standards Approved
  • All our team have regular standard Health and Safety training

Reviews

Julie C

We would highly recommend Different Strokes for any of your decorating needs. Robert and his team go above and beyond in delivering a professional service with a top quality...
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Glen Rothay

We have used Different Strokes several times and will continue to do so because they do a great job! Very quick to give a detailed quote and the decorators...
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Kerry Harvey-Piper

Fantastic job of painting the whole exterior of our house, which is in an exposed position on the fell. There were a lot of cracks to clean and fill...
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Alison Bambrough

I have just had the interior of an apartment decorated in preparation for my elderly Mum moving in. I am so pleased with the work and the professional manner...
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Debbie Smith

Different Strokes have just transformed the hall and stairway of our B&B. The walls were very badly cracked and I thought would need completely replastering, but they spent a...
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Mrs Faulkner

Having never used a professional decorating company before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, I have to say that I could not have been more impressed with Different...
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Nadia

Highly recommend different strok, very friendly and professional. Customer service is an excellent, cant ask for more. The whole process from strat to finish is reall good. Every step...
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Mrs Murigneux

Immaculate job throughout! It’s almost as if the decorating fairies have been and left a new home! The chaps were very patient with my ‘renno-zilla’ indecisiveness at the paints...
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We offer free, no obligation quotes to all of our customers. Contact us today with the details of your enquiry and one of our office team will be in touch to discuss your needs and arrange a survey.

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