As time passes, you will find that your home can really do well with a new coat of paint. This will now only help the rooms regain their beauty, but also allow you to enjoy the place more. The only problem is that you will want to work with professional painters for this task.
Painting on your own can take a ton of time, not to mention that it is more complicated than you might think. You need to know what paint to get, what tools you will need and you will have to invest a lot of time and effort. Instead, you can always hire painting contractors, which isn’t that hard when you follow certain tips to ensure the process goes smoothly and the end result is one that you like.
Here are some guidelines before hiring painting contractors:
- Where to start? – first up, you can ask friends, co-workers and family members if they know a professional painter. This is the easiest and probably most reliable method of finding a person for the job. If someone you know has used such services before, and they were happy with the outcome, you too can probably benefit from the same person/company. You can also look online. In this case, you should be careful with your sources, especially considering your search will probably turn up a lot of results. Check for reviews of companies online, to ensure that the service you get is a reputable and reliable one. There are some review websites you can check out, although not all of them provide reliable information as you would like.
- Preparation on your part – there are some things you want to do before painting starts. Moving furniture away from the room is a good way to ensure the surfaces to be painted are easy to get to. If you can, clear the area of outlet covers and switch plates. Make sure there is a dedicated space for the painters to store their equipment. You should also clean the walls. Dust and other particles can get in the way of the paint job. Last, but very important, make sure you don’t keep pets around during the painting process, as they can cause all sort of trouble.
- The most important things to expect from the painter
- They must be punctual – to arrive on time, to not take super long breaks and finish the job on time are all important qualities to look for.
- Do a walk-through of the project – that way they can know how long it will take, what price to quote, etc. Don’t trust anyone who does an estimate based on guesses.
- They will enquire about the important details – they should ask you about the colours, finishes and preferably the end-look you are going for. They will also do their part and add their personal recommendations.
- License and insurance – they will readily show you both license and insurance, so that you know they are a reliable person/company for the job.
- They will give you a thorough estimate – once every detail is down, the painting contractor should give you a complete estimate of the cost.
- Understanding their estimate – there are direct and indirect costs that the painters include in their estimates. Indirect costs are the ones not tied to your project, and include payment of the equipment, vehicle and overhead/benefits. Direct costs include paint and labour. Knowing all that, you can better decide if the estimate is right, or whether you should look for another painting company.
All of these tips can help you find a painting contractor to get the job done in a professional and efficient manner.