When you hire a professional paint company to come in and paint the interior and/or exterior of your home, you want to be sure that you’re paying for nothing but the best. Unfortunately, there are a lot of painting companies out there that hire questionable individuals, or that don’t take the time and care necessary to achieve a professional-grade paint job. To help you spot shady paint companies early on – and to help you avoid wasting money on a poorly-executed paint job – we’ve compiled this list of 9 things to look for when interviewing professional painters.
1.Experience. The number of years isn’t necessarily so important, but the number of jobs the company has done in the time they’ve been open can say a lot about the professional painting company you hire. If the company has been in business for 3 years, but has only done a handful of jobs, you may want to steer clear, as this can indicate low-quality work. However, if they’ve only been in business for 9 months, but have been hired by a number of clients, it can indicate that they do quality work, and because of it, receive a high number of referrals.
Many contractors rely on referrals for more work, so the size of their workload can be a good indicator of the quality of work they do. Be sure to ask the companies you interview for a portfolio, or at the very least, a list of jobs they’ve completed in the past year.
2.Employees Vs. Subcontractors. While the quality of work isn’t affected by a company’s choice to hire employees or subcontractors, it’s important that you know who will be working in your home, and whether or not they’re covered by the painting company you hired. Direct employees are always covered by the company, but if they’re subcontractors, they should have their own insurance policies. Either way, be sure to ask for proof of insurance from both parties – the business and subcontractors.
3.Licensing. Ask the painting companies you interview if they have all the proper state-issued licensing and insurance coverage. This includes a business license, worker’s compensation and general liability insurance. You don’t want to hire a company that is lacking any of the necessary qualifications because if you do, and if something happens in your home, you could be liable. Proper insurance also protects you in the case of theft, so you’ll only be hurting yourself if you try to cut corners and hire a cheap painting contractor from Craigslist.
4.Work Preparation. Ask what kind of preparation measures the company’s painters take before tackling a paint job. Does the company require their employees to lay drop cloths, tape where necessary, fill nail holes, etc. before commencing painting, or do they just let their employees go in and have at it? A quality painting company will take the time to do everything that should be done before beginning work, while a cheaper job will skimp on the prep work to cut corners.
5.References. Ask the company for references. A quality painting company won’t be afraid to hand them over, while low-quality companies will try to keep them from you, or only hand you a few.
6.Knowledge. Make sure the contractor you hire can inform you on what materials will work best for your particular project. Did they advise you on a certain paint sheen? Did they make recommendations for paint brands or colors? A quality painting contractor should be able to make suggestions for colors, finishes and materials, and be knowledgeable on the latest paint trends. Anyone can yield a paint brush and call themselves a painter, but the best paint jobs will come from those that really invest themselves in their line of work.
7.Formal Consultation and Estimate. Make sure the contractor you hire comes in and takes a look at the area to be painted before giving you an estimate. Otherwise, how can they possibly know what it’s going to cost them?
Once they do give you an estimate, review it to make sure it includes the cost of materials, the amount of prep work they’ll do, how many men it will take to complete the job, how many hours it will take, etc. A professional painting company will give you a typed up estimate with clear pricing, and, if they’re really good, a contract to go with it.
8.Guarantee. Unfortunately, there are a lot of dishonest people out there who are willing to take advantage of the naïve and innocent. And unfortunately, a lot of those people pose as professional contractors, because it’s easy to get paid for a job, but then disappear before the job’s done. That being said, a lot of homeowners will hire contractors to come in and do work on their house, but end up with a shoddy paint job, or even an incomplete paint job. They’ll then try to contact the contractor to have them come back and redo the work, or to touch up especially bad areas, only to learn that the number’s been disconnected, or that the company went out of business. Now they’re either stuck with a bad paint job, or with the task of hiring another painting company to do the job right.
When working with contractors, it’s so important that you get a guarantee written in writing that says all work will be performed to x specifications or your money back. You should also make sure that the company doesn’t ask for a full payment upfront; rather, most reputable companies will take a down payment upfront, and have the customer pay the rest upon completion of the job.
9.Cost. Of course, price is almost always the number one concern for homeowners. However, the lower price isn’t always better, as it can mean low quality work and dishonest employees. Be sure to shop around before settling on a painting company, as the highest price doesn’t always mean a better paint job either. The company you work with will have competitive pricing, and be able to account for any and all costs, whether they’re higher than average, lower than average or on point.
Tip: Get at least 3 bids before settling on a painting company. Once you receive the bids, carefully compare the proposals. Look for the amount of prep each company puts into their work, the materials each proposes to use and the scope of work. Also, make sure each company has all the proper documentation.
At Liberty Paint & Construction, LLC, we meet all of the necessary qualifications, and have the references to prove it. If you’re looking to hire a professional painting company, give us a call at 619-770-9437, or email us at [email protected], and we’ll be more than happy to give you a FREE ESTIMATE.
1.Experience. The number of years isn’t necessarily so important, but the number of jobs the company has done in the time they’ve been open can say a lot about the professional painting company you hire. If the company has been in business for 3 years, but has only done a handful of jobs, you may want to steer clear, as this can indicate low-quality work. However, if they’ve only been in business for 9 months, but have been hired by a number of clients, it can indicate that they do quality work, and because of it, receive a high number of referrals.
Many contractors rely on referrals for more work, so the size of their workload can be a good indicator of the quality of work they do. Be sure to ask the companies you interview for a portfolio, or at the very least, a list of jobs they’ve completed in the past year.
2.Employees Vs. Subcontractors. While the quality of work isn’t affected by a company’s choice to hire employees or subcontractors, it’s important that you know who will be working in your home, and whether or not they’re covered by the painting company you hired. Direct employees are always covered by the company, but if they’re subcontractors, they should have their own insurance policies. Either way, be sure to ask for proof of insurance from both parties – the business and subcontractors.
3.Licensing. Ask the painting companies you interview if they have all the proper state-issued licensing and insurance coverage. This includes a business license, worker’s compensation and general liability insurance. You don’t want to hire a company that is lacking any of the necessary qualifications because if you do, and if something happens in your home, you could be liable. Proper insurance also protects you in the case of theft, so you’ll only be hurting yourself if you try to cut corners and hire a cheap painting contractor from Craigslist.
4.Work Preparation. Ask what kind of preparation measures the company’s painters take before tackling a paint job. Does the company require their employees to lay drop cloths, tape where necessary, fill nail holes, etc. before commencing painting, or do they just let their employees go in and have at it? A quality painting company will take the time to do everything that should be done before beginning work, while a cheaper job will skimp on the prep work to cut corners.
5.References. Ask the company for references. A quality painting company won’t be afraid to hand them over, while low-quality companies will try to keep them from you, or only hand you a few.
6.Knowledge. Make sure the contractor you hire can inform you on what materials will work best for your particular project. Did they advise you on a certain paint sheen? Did they make recommendations for paint brands or colors? A quality painting contractor should be able to make suggestions for colors, finishes and materials, and be knowledgeable on the latest paint trends. Anyone can yield a paint brush and call themselves a painter, but the best paint jobs will come from those that really invest themselves in their line of work.
7.Formal Consultation and Estimate. Make sure the contractor you hire comes in and takes a look at the area to be painted before giving you an estimate. Otherwise, how can they possibly know what it’s going to cost them?
Once they do give you an estimate, review it to make sure it includes the cost of materials, the amount of prep work they’ll do, how many men it will take to complete the job, how many hours it will take, etc. A professional painting company will give you a typed up estimate with clear pricing, and, if they’re really good, a contract to go with it.
8.Guarantee. Unfortunately, there are a lot of dishonest people out there who are willing to take advantage of the naïve and innocent. And unfortunately, a lot of those people pose as professional contractors, because it’s easy to get paid for a job, but then disappear before the job’s done. That being said, a lot of homeowners will hire contractors to come in and do work on their house, but end up with a shoddy paint job, or even an incomplete paint job. They’ll then try to contact the contractor to have them come back and redo the work, or to touch up especially bad areas, only to learn that the number’s been disconnected, or that the company went out of business. Now they’re either stuck with a bad paint job, or with the task of hiring another painting company to do the job right.
When working with contractors, it’s so important that you get a guarantee written in writing that says all work will be performed to x specifications or your money back. You should also make sure that the company doesn’t ask for a full payment upfront; rather, most reputable companies will take a down payment upfront, and have the customer pay the rest upon completion of the job.
9.Cost. Of course, price is almost always the number one concern for homeowners. However, the lower price isn’t always better, as it can mean low quality work and dishonest employees. Be sure to shop around before settling on a painting company, as the highest price doesn’t always mean a better paint job either. The company you work with will have competitive pricing, and be able to account for any and all costs, whether they’re higher than average, lower than average or on point.
Tip: Get at least 3 bids before settling on a painting company. Once you receive the bids, carefully compare the proposals. Look for the amount of prep each company puts into their work, the materials each proposes to use and the scope of work. Also, make sure each company has all the proper documentation.
At Liberty Paint & Construction, LLC, we meet all of the necessary qualifications, and have the references to prove it. If you’re looking to hire a professional painting company, give us a call at 619-770-9437, or email us at [email protected], and we’ll be more than happy to give you a FREE ESTIMATE.