What to Look for When Choosing the Right Painting Contractor for Your Home

Painting your home is one of the most important investments you can make in your property. Not only does painting add a fresh new look to an otherwise boring exterior or dull interior, but it also protects and preserves the surface for years to come.

But with so many painting contractors out there, how do you know which one is right for you? In this article, we will discuss some things to look for when choosing a residential painter that’s best suited for your needs.

Good reputation

Once you have a list of potential painting contractors in your area, the next step is to determine if they are reputable. It doesn’t matter if they are running a small business or large scale but it really helps to check out their reviews online as well as any feedback from past customers who may be on social media sites such as Yelp and Facebook.

A company that has been providing excellent customer service for years will likely continue doing so with future clients. This will help you quickly weed out any potential painting contractors in your area who may not be worth the time.

A company with a good reputation is more likely to stand behind their work and offer excellent customer service if you have an issue or concern after they have completed painting services for you.

Documentation and licenses

Just like any project, it is important to ensure that they have the proper documentation and licenses. A residential painter should comply with state regulations and be able to show you proof of this when requested. If a company does not offer these things, chances are there could be some negative consequences down the line especially when dealing with fly-by-night contractors.

Experience

Just like any other profession, painting is one where experience truly matters. Most painters receive only a few days of training while on the job. Even for residential painters who are just starting out in the industry and don’t have a long list of completed jobs, it’s important to ask how long they’ve been employed with their former company as well as what types of projects they may have worked on previously.

This is important because it can help you gauge how well they know the tricks of the trade, how long a project might take, and what best practices should be followed.

Insurance

It’s important to ask the painting contractor if they have painters insurance and check that it covers all essential things like damage to third-party property, bodily injury, and completed operations. It is a legal requirement for them to show you valid proof of their policies before starting work on your property so insist on seeing this documentation from them that we call Certificate of Insurance.

Reasonable pricing

Last but definitely not least, always ask the painting contractor to provide you with a quote. It’s not convenient for homeowners to be surprised by an expensive painting invoice at the end of a project, so make sure that they tell you upfront what their prices are before giving them work. Ask about their labor charges, other than materials cost; this is also important so that you can compare them to others in quotes from different contractors.

Not many people know a lot about painting, but they know that it is important to paint their house every few years. The key to finding the right contractor is to look for someone who can do what you need to be done and will provide a quality service at an affordable price.

As a Homeowner, Here’s your duty

Depending on the scale of your project, a wise homeowner puts in place a builders risk policy should anything happen on the existing project and the attached structures. This is where you can save on costs arising from possible damages while the painting job is ongoing. It’s also advised to coordinate with the contractor as you may be able to negotiate payments should you decide to shoulder this minimal cost.

We hope this post has helped you get started on that search! This may be one of the most important investments you make in your property, but it doesn’t have to break the bank.