How To Hire Professional Painters

Getting a brand new paint job done is the best way to renew and refresh your property.

When hiring professional painters, it may be tempting to settle for a recommendation from a neighbor or family member, but it doesn’t really guarantee a good paint job.

So how exactly do you go about hiring a painter who’ll be able to deliver good-quality work?

Well, we’re here to guide you through all the steps you need to take to find professional painters, assess their ability, and get the best quality work done.

Step 1: Do your research

Before you do anything else, you should take the time to research professional painters.

You can simply ask your friends or family for any painters they’d suggest or recommend.

But you shouldn’t just rely on word-of-mouth and limit your options—you should ensure that you also check online for painters in your area.

Even with reliable recommendations from friends or family, you should still check their reviews and ratings online to ensure that they’re up to your expectations.

Make sure to check reviews for painters that don’t just appear on their website, but on external sites as well.

Once you’ve found several painters that you like, you should take a look at their past work.

This is usually on their website, but if you don’t see enough to convince you that you’re making the right decision, you can always email and ask them directly for previous examples of work.

If they have completed projects that are similar to your property type, this will be an added advantage.

Remember that this is just the initial stage and it’s important to keep your options open until you find at least 3 options.

Step 2: Ask questions

Whoever you end up hiring is going to be spending a lot of time in your home, so you must have a good rapport with them and have confidence in your choice to have them inside your property.

So to ensure that your painters of choice are up to standard, here are some pertinent questions you should be asking them:

1. How long have you been working?

It’s hard to stay in business if you don’t do good work. If they have a long business history, you’ll most likely be avoiding shoddy work.

2. Are you licensed and insured?

In the state of Philadelphia, you’re required to be licensed as a painter. You should also ensure that they are insured, as this will protect you, the painter, and your property if any damage or injury was to occur.

3. Do you belong to any professional organizations?

This will add more legitimacy to their business practices. Being part of a professional society will indicate that they’re established.

4. Do you guarantee your work?

You should never hire a painter who doesn’t guarantee their work. This is a paint job that you want to last as long as possible. If they don’t guarantee their work, this means that they’ll likely rush prep work, which can result in peeling.

5. What paint will you use and how long is it rated to last?

Different areas in your home will need different paint, which all come in different grades and guaranteed lifetimes. Remember that a paint guarantee is different from a painter guarantee, as the paint guarantee won’t include service costs.

Step 3: Book a consultation and get an estimate

When you’ve narrowed down your options, you can start to ask for a consultation and an estimate. Never hire a painter that isn’t willing to provide a written estimate.

This is a process that will likely vary between the professional painters you consult, but it may, for the better part, involve the following:

A complete inspection of your home

This will be where the painter will take a walk around your home. They will evaluate the condition of the current paint, the size of the job, and any obstructions to accessing the site that will have to be moved.

This gives them an idea of how much prep work they’ll need and an estimate of how long the job will take. The more thorough their inspection, the more accurate their quote will be.

A consultation to decide on colors

Each contractor will suggest some color options for the site. If you have an idea of what color you want already, be sure to mention it to the painter.

Then while they inspect the house they’ll be able to think about which color shades will work best with the furniture, surrounding area, or architectural style.

While you’ll want to listen to the pro, you shouldn’t get pushed into a color combination that you’re not happy with. A professional painter will work with you to deliver what you want in a practical way.

An estimate

Some contractors will be able to quote a figure on the spot if the project is straightforward.

For more complex work, however, they may have to go crunch a few numbers to give you a detailed estimate with all the costs broken down.

You can then compare all the estimates you get and finally pick the best one.

Hiring good professional painters requires some effort

Hiring a good professional may take some time but it’s well worth the effort and the paint job that will leave your property looking brand new.

So whether it’s a simple residential interior painting job or a large-scale exterior house painting project, ensure that you take the necessary steps when hiring a painter so that you’re left with a paint job that will last for years after.