How to Hire the Right Painting Company for My Home

Only the best paint job will do for your home? Keep reading to find out how you can hire a a painting company that can deliver.

What’s the quickest and most effective way to give a room a spruce up?

Many designers would say throw on a new coat of paint. Painting is a project often tackled by the do-it-yourselfers.

But if you have tried doing it yourself, you know it’s more work than rolling on some paint. There is moving everything out of the way. Prepping the surface and covering other surfaces.

That’s why there are professionals. They know all the labor involved and the most efficient and effective ways to get the job done. Most would agree, when you factor in the time and labor, hiring a professional is the way to go.

If you have a project you want to be done, consider these things when you go looking to find a painting company for the job.

Finding a Painter For Your Job

Being a professional painter can mean many things.

Maybe the painter is a one-person act, who does all of the work themselves. They could be a contractor who employs crews or hires others to do the work. This is important to know because then you will have a better idea of who will be working in your home.

So what is the most efficient way to find the best painting company? Most people find asking their neighbors and friends about painters who have done good work for them.

Look for someone local to your area. It will be easier to get them to come out and do estimates for the work. It’s important to get multiple estimates for a job and then to compare what exactly is included with the estimate.

Check the Background of the Painter

Once you have an estimate that fits your budget, do your homework on the painter. Check out the background on the painter.

Ask for references and check them. Some important questions to ask of the references might include:

• Are you happy with the work done?
• Did the painter do a good job containing the mess?
• Did the painter prep and clean up correctly?
• How long ago was your job done by this painter?
• Has the paint weathered well?

Also, check that the painter is correctly insured. They need to have liability insurance and worker’s compensation insurance. This protects you as the homeowner if something should go wrong on the job.

Questions For Your Contractor

Unlike hiring a furnace person or an electrician, the language to talk to a painter is pretty straight forward. But there are some important questions to ask when interviewing a house painting company.

• What exactly is included in the estimate?
• How do you prep the surfaces that will be painted?
• How do you prep areas around the painting project to protect them from the paint?
• What kind of paint do you use?
• How many coats of paint are used to cover the job?
• How will the paint be applied?
• What is the timeline for the job?

A painter who knows their stuff will more than likely have all this information spelled out in their estimates and contracts.

Expectations of Painter

You have found a painter who has answered your questions and has the right price for your budget. It is important for the success of the project that you both have the same understanding of what to expect from the work.

Let’s assume this is an interior job. Here’s a list of things to assume your painter will do (beyond actually applying the paint, that is!):

• Covering and protecting areas around the painting job including counters, furniture, and flooring.
• Prepping of surfaces and repairing drywall cracks or nail holes.
• Removal of the light switch and electrical covers.
• Some painters will remove furniture in the way, but not all. This is something to clarify.
• A two coat application of paint to ceiling, walls, and trim.
• Touch up work for any spots missed and clean up of the work site.

Not every painter is the same, so it is important to make sure you and the one you hire have the same expectations about what exactly they will do when they come in to paint.

Materials and Application

Another thing to consider is what paint will be used and who will provide it. Many painters include the paint in their estimates because they can buy it at discounted rates. You want to be certain they are buying the quality of paint you want to be used for the job.

It is necessary to agree on a few things:

• Who provides the paint
• What grade paint is used
• Color
• Gloss of the paint
• Base of the paint

Discuss with your painter what application they will use for the paint. Will it be sprayed? Will it be applied by hand with brushes and rollers?

If you agree on multiple coats of paint, it is also important to agree on how much wait time will there be between coats to allow for proper drying before an additional coat is applied.

Ready To Go: Site Prep and Cleanup

Most prep work will be done by the painter prior to paint application. It is helpful to have the furniture removed and out of the way. While some painters will do this for you, it is something to clarify before the come in to do the work.

If your painter is doing an outdoor job they will have different prep work than an indoor job.

Power washing the surface to remove any loose paint and dirt is a must. Ask if they will apply bleach or TSP to remove and prevent any mold. They should also plan to caulk any gaps in the surface.

An indoor job requires some prep work as well. In addition to covering surfaces that are not going to be painted, the painter should prep for the painted surfaces by repairing any drywall joints. They should also repair other cracks and nail holes before painting.

Finding a Painting Company For Your Project

Once you consider that completing a painting job is much more than just rolling on the paint, you will see the value in hiring a painting contractor.

Do you your homework and make sure you and the painting company are on the same page. You will quickly see the value in hiring a painter over tacking the job yourself.