What to Look for When Hiring a Painter for Your House
No matter the job, if you need someone to work on your home, you want to find the most qualified people possible. In this guide, we’ll show you what to look for when hiring a painter.
The average person is going to spend over $2,700 to paint the outside of their home. That may sound like a lot of money for hiring a painter, but painting it yourself is quite the feat. It’s not like good paint and supplies are cheap, either.
Painting is deceptively simple in appearance. You watch a few hours of Home and Garden shows and you start to think about how much you could save by doing everything by yourself. The thing is, even if your paint job looks okay at first glance, it might be subject to defects or fading.
You want to hire a professional for a multitude of reasons, starting with the use of the best paint you can get. You’ll need to do your homework, though, if you want to ensure that you get the job done right and no shortcuts are being taken.
Refer to these key points before starting your painting project.
Compare Contractors
These days it is really fast and easy to look up professional contractors. You can use sites like Thumbtack or Angie’s List to look at contractors and review their credentials, feedback, and resumes. Take this opportunity to line up at least three picks that you will call up and interview over the phone to get more details and pricing information.
Also, take note of contractors that list testimonials and read through them carefully. Usually, the longer a contractor has been in business, the better their reputation. If a contracting business has no real presence on any sites like Yelp! or Google Maps, then this could be a red flag.
Check Paperwork
If your contractor isn’t licensed, then don’t waste your money. The money you saved from hiring your uncle Ed to paint your house will be a wash. If he forgets to lay a primer down or decides that one thick coat is better than doing multiple coats of paint? Well, you’ll just have to pay to fix his mistakes.
Any contractor that receives steady business should have no problem presenting their license certificate for you, as well as proof of their liability insurance to cover any expensive mistakes. For California painting and coordinating license, this covers:
A job that includes preparing surfaces by scraping, sandblasting, or other means. Painting includes traditional paints, adhesives, paper, fabrics, dyes, oils, varnishes, turpentine, shellacking, staining, wax, and other fillers.
This process may also include sealants, waterproofing, and fire-proofing mediums. Any job descriptions that fall outside these general processes should be questioned.
Interview Phase
Before setting up your interviews, start by contacting any references listed on the contractor’s profile. If they are part of a contracting business, look them up on the Better Business Bureau website. Then start calling them up and asking them about what you want to be done to your house.
If they’ve answered your questions to your satisfaction over the phone, move on to inviting them for an in-person estimate at your house. This is where you can get specific about where exactly you need them to paint, areas that need extra caution, and how long they need to do the job.
Ask them for details on the paint they will be using, equipment, how they will prepare, and so forth. Get everything in writing. This should include details of work hours and the estimated time of completion, and if there are any situations that call for estimate increases.
Contractual Obligations
Does the painter have hired help? Assuming this is the case, would they say they are independent contractors? That means they get a paycheck from the contractual worker. Are considered subcontractors?
When they are self-employed, they should have workman’s comp insurance to cover them. If they are subcontractors, their employers ought to have their own insurance arrangements. In any case, the painter ought to give you a certificate of protection both for their business and any subcontractors.
What sort of preparations does the painter do by himself? A less expensive contractor will hold back on the prep work to save time. A good contractor will take the opportunity to do a thorough inspection.
They should have laid out everything they have expressed they will do, and what it will take to get done. Their work should speak for itself, don’t let excuses push back obligations.
Negotiating Prices
Getting the cheapest work you can find is the wrong way to approach professional work. You need to get somebody with expertise, experience, and who has legal credentials. Remember, you get what you pay for. The cheapest painter is likely going to lack in some capacity.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to hire the most expensive, of course. Just avoid price-based decisions altogether. Take a step back and plan for the complete package. Professional paint jobs can work on tight budgets in this economy as well.
Always get at least three bids. Ask and state the same questions and expectations. Once you receive the bids, you should carefully compare that all proposals. Examine the amount of prep, materials, and scope of work along with all the proper documentation.
If you feel more comfortable with one painter over another, try to get them to match any lower offers.
Hiring a Painter in Davis, CA
Don’t let desperation set in and shape your decision-making abilities. You should have an idea for how much the size of your job will cost. Then you just need to figure out the most experienced contractor is for the job.
If you’re ready to begin your painting project, contact us for a free quote. We’ll give you an honest estimate on what needs to be done. Hiring a painter doesn’t have to be so difficult, it just takes planning.
