A good exterior paint job is important when it comes to your home making a great first impression.
But finding the right contractor for exterior painting in Philadelphia can be a challenge, especially if you want this paint job to last—considering Philadelphia’s weather patterns and the various elements the paint job will have to hold up against.
With many contractors to choose from, you may not know what factors to consider when narrowing down your choice, as everything, from reputation and values to communication, play a part in determining a contractor’s ability to deliver on your expectations.
Here’s everything you should think about when hiring a contractor for exterior painting in Philadelphia.
Start online
The first step when looking for the right contractor is to start with online research, narrowed down to exterior painting in Philadelphia, because you don’t want to waste your time with a contractor from a different area.
Online reviews are often more trustworthy than recommendations as they give you a more holistic view of the contractor to evaluate whether they are consistently producing good results for all types of painting projects they take on.
You should look at the contractors’ websites for their testimonials and examples of past work, along with reviews on external websites.
The last thing you want is to hire someone based on a recommendation from a trusted friend and find your exteriors full of cracks and blisters.
While you may be tempted to go with a recommendation, you should still take a look at the contractor’s online reviews before making a final decision and ensure that you still have other options as well.
You should aim to shortlist at least three contractors for the job.
Gather estimates
Once you have narrowed down your search, you should get a written estimate from each of the contractors you are considering.
This will require that they come and inspect your home.
If they really take their time to look at your exterior walls, take note of everything that needs to be done, ask questions about your expectations, and try to understand the project to the best of their ability, the more accurate their estimate will be.
Comparing how each contractor takes to the project and how communicative they are is a great indicator of how well they will work on your exterior walls.
You can also take some time to understand the level of passion each contractor has for their craft. Those who speak about their past projects openly, are knowledgeable about exterior paint colors, or talk about their job with fondness may indicate how proud they are of their work or their company.
Check their credentials, insurance, and licenses
As a general rule when hiring any contractor, you should always take the time to check their credentials.
While it may not guarantee that they produce the best quality work, it does indicate some sort of reliability.
Ensure that your contractor is fully insured to protect you if they hurt themselves while on the job or damage your property, as exterior painting does have potential hazards, especially if you have a home that has more than one story.
You should also check whether they are properly licensed, as all contractors whose work involves lead removal must be licensed by the State from the PA Department of Labor and Industry.
Ask for a guarantee
You should make it a point to ask your contractors for a guarantee of their work.
While the paint itself will have a warranty, this doesn’t include labor costs.
If your contractor has done a good job, the paint shouldn’t chip, peel, blister, flake, or fade for many, many years, even through Philadelphia’s many heat waves or snowstorms.
Your contractor should ideally give you a guarantee that they fix any of these issues should they occur within two years after the job is done, at little to no additional cost.
Take your time when hiring a contractor for exterior painting in Philadelphia
Hiring the right contractor can mean the difference between having to repaint your exteriors in as little as a few years and a paint job that will last just as long as the paint itself.
So when hiring a contractor for exterior painting in Philadelphia, be sure to take your time to do some thorough research and evaluate your options.
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