Originally posted on https://www.surepropainting.com/2019/09/24/hiring-a-painting-contractor-the-top-6-things-to-look-for/

 

You’ve been thinking about repainting a few of the rooms in your home, but every year, something always seems to come up.

Now, you’re finally ready to make it happen. You know what you want the finished room to look like, the paint finish you’re interested in, and you’re even interested in adding an accent wall to make your artwork really pop.

However, if you don’t take the time to research and find the right painting contractor, there’s little chance you’ll be satisfied with the end result.

In this post, you’ll learn the most important things that you should look for in a contractor for interior painting.

Read on to learn how to select painting services in the Austin area that can bring your vision to life — and make it look even better than you’d imagined.

1. Understand the Services They Offer

The first thing that you should look for in a painting contractor when you’re ready to improve the look of your home?

The specific kinds of painting services they offer.

Remember that painting your home’s interior is about much more than just covering the walls. You’ll likely also need to have services like drywall repair, wallpaper removal, popcorn ceiling removal, and even texture work done on the rooms to prepare it for the paint itself.

Make sure they can also provide special features like accent walls, cabinet painting, trim and finish work, and that they feel comfortable painting vaulted ceilings.

A solid painting contractor will provide most or all of these services to complement the painting services they already provide.

2. Ask About Prep Work

Once you know a painting contractor can give you what you want, you need to make sure that they’ll be able to provide you with the high quality of service you deserve.

Asking about how they prepare rooms for painting is a good way to gauge how thorough they’ll be and the care that the company’s employees will take while in your home.

Ensure they provide taping, caulking, sanding, and masking to perfectly prepare the walls and room for paint.

Ask about how they plan to cover your floors and furniture, as well. Drop cloths, tape, plastic coverings, and more are all standard. Make sure that the contractor handles all the cleanup associated with the job, too.

3. Get to Know Their Experience Level

Next, it’s time to understand the industry experience that the company has, as well as the individual training of the employees they’ve hired to work on your home.

Look for companies that are accredited by the Better Business Bureau, have a portfolio of past work displayed on their website, and that have years of industry experience.

Remember that in addition to actually executing the services you request, the painting contractor should be able to offer you advice about paint colors, finishes, application techniques, and more.

Their portfolio will also fill you in on their familiarity with projects similar to your own.

Speak with references and ask them if they were satisfied with both the work itself and the time frame in which it was completed. Don’t just look at online reviews (though those are important, too.)

Each project, regardless of size and scope, should have a manager that you can communicate with and rely on throughout the process.

You need to feel comfortable that your home is in the hands of professionals, and that your expectations will be met.

4. Get to Know The Payment Expectations

Getting an estimate from a painting contractor should always be free and simple. To make your life easier, schedule it online. 

When it comes to the payments process itself, never be ashamed to ask questions.

Ensure you understand the down payment, billing cycles, the methods of accepted payment, and more.

Most companies will charge you about a 25% down payment on the project before they begin any work on your home.  In most cases, the balance is due once the job is complete, however larger jobs might have a payment schedule.

Find out the different payment options, and if you can use a credit card.

5. Insist on a Painting Contractor With Insurance

This part is short and sweet.

You should never work with a painting company that does not have insurance or can’t provide proof of the insurance when requested. 

Imagine that the guy you hired to paint yourself falls off a ladder and is uninsured. Where do you think he’ll turn to? Or the cut-rate painter that ruined an expensive piece of furniture or artwork? Good luck collecting.

Even a run-of-the-mill painting company should have a minimum $1 million in general liability. If a painter can’t provide a Certificate of Insurance in a timely manner, move on to the next contractor.

6. Ensure They Offer a Warranty

When you’re planning to hire a painting contractor, you need to make certain that they offer a warranty.

You should never be charged a second time because of the contractor or paint company’s errors. Whether it’s a problem with the paint itself or a clearly poor application, you want a company that stands behind its work.

Look for painting services that offer a 24-month warranty beginning from the date of the project’s completion.

It’s not just about protecting your investment. Working with professionals that offer customers a warranty shows that they stand behind the quality of their work and do everything possible to get things right the first time.

Are You Ready to Hire a Painting Contractor?

If you follow the advice in this post, we’re confident that you’ll hire a painting contractor that will provide excellent service from start to finish.

Of course, you could simply skip all the research and hire our wonderful team instead. We’ll provide you with color consultation services, prepare your home and walls for painting, and work with you to make sure you get the results you want.

In addition to residential interior and exterior painting services, we also offer pressure washing, deck staining, stucco repair, and much more.

No matter how you want to improve the look of your home or business, rely on our over 15 years of experience to exceed your expectations.

Click here to schedule your free estimate today.

We can’t wait to get started on your project.