When it comes to home improvement tasks, nothing is more popular than painting. Not only can a fresh coat of paint on your home improve its appearance, but it can actually have a very positive effect on the home’s value. For larger homes, DIY painting is often not an option and you must choose a painting contractor. However, doing so is almost never as simple as flipping open the phone book and picking the first painting company that you see. Provided here are 3 tips to hiring a painting contractor that will help you get the job done cheaply, efficiently and, most importantly, professionally.
1. Perform Due Diligence
Once you have a list of painting contractors that appear to be able to handle your job, you must research their company to make sure that they meet your criteria. There is a very elevated turnover rate in the painting industry and companies often make or break based on the quality of their work. Look into the following for each and every painting contractor painting contractor that you are considering hiring:
How long has their company been in business? It is typically best to look for companies that have been around for at least 2 years.
How experienced are their employees? Most painting contractors are not one person operations but teams of workers each responsible for individualized tasks. What sort of experience does the painting contractor require of it’s employees?
Is the contract insured? If a worker is injured or there is some property damage as a result of the job, you need to know that you are covered. It is absolutely crucial to look for insurance when hiring a painting contractor.
2. Review the Painting Contractor’s Prep Work Procedure
There is a major difference between shoddy painters and well established painting contractors and most of the difference lies in prep work. Less reputable companies might charge by the project and then rush to complete it well ahead of schedule and move on. However, good painting contractors will take all the time required to prepare your property for paint. This includes proper scraping, protection of unpainted surfaces and property features, and setting up the proper equipment for a job. Ask your neighbors if they used a painting contractor and, if so, what their experiences were with that company. Quality work may take more time, but the difference will be apparent when the job is completed.
3. Don’t Put Too Much Emphasis on Price
It can be tempting to go for the person with the lowest bid when hiring a painting contractor. However, this is not always your best move. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you need to pay the highest price either. Take a look at their services and call their references. After performing due diligence, do you feel like their price is fair? The more you research a painting contractor before you decide that it is the right choice to hire them, the more prepared you will be to accurately judge the fairness of the quote. Remember that the majority of painting contractors operate with very slim profit margins. If a price seems too high, be sure that you know the amount of time and materials that will be required to paint your home before dismissing them altogether.
