After every eight or nine years, almost all homes require a fresh coat of paint. Painting not just makes your home look at its best but also protects it from the harsh weather, and other natural elements, and also increases its value. But you need to keep in mind that painting is not an easy job, particularly exterior painting is a very complex and difficult task. You will need courage, will, hard work, equipment, experience, and most importantly the time to paint your home.
Plus, you will have to buy materials, paints, ladders and all the other things needed for the paint. The most reliable way to paint your home absolutely up to the mark is to hire the best residential painting service. Here comes another thing that haunts many homeowners, that is how they can find the best residential painting company. Don’t worry, just grab a cup of tea and start reading the article, because here you will find the 7 tips about how to hire the right painting contractor.
1. Start By Asking for Referrals and Testimonials
Don’t know anything or anyone who can help you find a reliable painter? Don’t worry, there are plenty of other ways to find good painters. The best place to start is with references from friends and family. Personal references are the best clues to finding a painting contractor. Ask them if they have used a painter they would recommend. What did you like or dislike about your painter? Please note that their criteria may be different from yours.
Search engines are one of the best places to start, but there are other sites and apps specifically designed to help homeowners find the right painter. Additionally, any real painting contractor should be able to provide a list of homes that they have recently painted and allow potential clients to speak to homeowners who have worked with the contractor in the past. And don’t forget to call those references. Some references can even educate the owner about other details and processes related to the job.
2. Ask All the Questions You Have in Your Mind
After getting a few references and suggestions, you should ask some necessary questions of residential painting companies that will tell you a lot about them and their work.
Here are some questions to ask:
- Will you be sharing references from similar projects you recently completed?
- Who will work on the project?
- Are you licensed and insured?
- What brand and what type of paint do you use?
- Is the price of the painting included in the quote?
- How many coats of paint are included?
- What materials and quality will they use or prefer?
- You can also make a list of other questions you have in mind.
3. Check Their Credentials and Find Out If They Are Insured
Request insurance information from the company. A contractor with general liability insurance is imperative so that you are not liable for accidents on your property. Some states also require workers’ compensation insurance. You can ask to see the business license of the business, as some jurisdictions require home improvement companies to be licensed or registered as contractors to do this work in people’s homes.
Always make sure your painting contractor is licensed and insured before you hire them. Otherwise, you take responsibility. This means that if one of your workers is injured on your property, you can be held responsible. Find out about the certifications and training that the company and its employees have. All professional contractors must be licensed and insured.
4. What About Experience and Expertise?
A Residential Painting company can provide you with an expert paint job that you won’t be able to do on your own. They are experienced with the proper painting and collage techniques, so the results can be nearly flawless. No matter how good your paint is, you are unlikely to be able to achieve professional results on your own. The best Residential Painting contractors do this for a living, so it’s only natural that their painting jobs are superior to yours.
In addition, an experienced painting contractor builds relationships with suppliers. Also, experienced painters know what they are doing, they are doing it every day. They know how to properly use a scale and measure your level of fatigue. They will not exceed their limits because they realize what is at stake. Professional house painters don’t necessarily need decades of experience to do a great job. But you don’t want to trust a painter who has no experience.
5. Get Complete Written Quotes
It is never recommended to hire a house painter who does not provide you with any type of written cost estimate before you begin work. There is nothing wrong with requesting a written quote. Spoken contracts are always unsafe in any business transaction. A good painting contractor will offer to provide you with a detailed written quote free of charge.
It is better to have several estimates at least four to have a good basis for comparison. You will also need to make certain that they all contain the same number of preparations, materials, and scope of work, along with all the necessary documentation.
6. What Type and Quality of Material Do They Use?
When you plan to hire a painter, make sure they use high-quality materials. Most painters will use high-end brushes and have high-end equipment to complete the job as efficiently as possible. Your painting contractor should be able to tell you which high-end products you are using and why.
Premium materials and products perform better, look better and last longer; If your contractor is using low-end options to reduce your costs, they are doing you a disservice. Also, think about the type of sealant that will be used during the preparation. If a painter doesn’t use high-end materials and tools, that’s probably a red flag.
7. How Long Will It Take to Prepare and Paint?
Ask him in detail how he plans to do the prep work. A good contractor won’t skimp on the prep work to cut corners and instead will take the time to get it all right. Painting yourself instead of hiring a professional can be time-consuming, especially if you’ve never tackled a painting project on your own before.