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Choosing a Good Painting Contractor
It seems that every year more homeowners are choosing to hire a professional painting contractor than do it themselves.
A professional painting contractor can offer a level of quality not easily obtained by the average
do-it-yourselfer.
EVALUATING A PAINT JOB FOR THE POTENTIAL DO-IT-YOURSELFER
House painting is labor intensive and can be dangerous. Both interior and exterior painting will require considerable
physical effort. Typically, exterior painting is the most demanding. Some things to consider are;
* Are you comfortable with heights? Climbing ladders is a major part of any paint job.
* Are you capable of moving heavy objects, like furniture? Lifting and moving things are also a big part of painting.
Make sure you are physically able to do it.
Time is another factor to consider. Depending on the project, it could take several days of effort to finish the painting.
This is especially true for exterior painting.
Can you live with things being unfinished for a while if you are called away? For most people, they only have the weekends to accomplish something; an average exterior could take a month or more to accomplish working only weekends.
Experience counts. It's hard to overstate the importance of experience. There is no such thing as "cookie cutter" paint jobs, where the same procedures can be used over and over with the same good results. Even new construction is a challenge from one job to the next.
Every home is different and will require different amounts and types of preparation as well as different mixes of products
to achieve lasting results. The more types of paint jobs that a painter does the more they learn. Only the experience of
your house painter can produce lasting results.
HOW TO FIND A GOOD HOUSE PAINTER
Ok, now you have come to the conclusion to hire a painting contractor or at least get a couple of quotes for your painting project. The cost of house painting can be substantial and a quality job even more. Get the most out of your paint job by choosing your painter correctly.
You have a few choices to help you locate a quality minded painting contractor. Of course I recommend River City Painting, but we service just a small region here in Kansas.
In order to help you find that perfect painter I have put together some ideas. Starting with your personal sources and ending with the internet sources. These on-line referral services offer free price quotes on a variety of construction services.
TRUSTED SOURCES
The best place to start is with your friends, family and co-workers. This is how we, River City Painting, acquire most of our customers. Word of mouth advertising always starts with satisfied customers.
Therefore, start asking questions:
Are you happy with the quality provided by the painting contractor?
Everybody has their own ideas of quality, so you should take a look at their house and judge for yourself. Pay attention to cut-in areas around doors, windows and trim. Are the lines straight and was caulking applied.
Interior or exterior doesn't matter; proper surface preparation always leads to better, more pleasing results.
Did the painting contractor protect non painted surfaces or areas?
For exteriors this includes concrete, roofing and plantings. For interiors moving and protecting furniture is a major concern but don't forget about the flooring.
Were they courteous and pleasant?
This is a very important consideration. The entire experience, from beginning to end, needs to be as stress free as possible. Plus if the house painter enjoys their job, the quality and attention to details will be better. The customers attitude can and will affect the entire paint job.
Did the painting company start and finish in a timely fashion?
Arriving at a reasonable time every morning reinforces a schedule. Remember, with an exterior the weather always dictates the schedule.
Is a warranty included?v
If a paint warranty was included find out if it has a reasonable amount of time before expiring, two years is enough, and if it has any value. Simply stating a warranty isn't enough. Get it in writing and understand its limitations!
If asking friends, family or co-workers doesn't produce any leads there are other avenues that can help.
LOCAL PAINT STORE
First and foremost is your local paint store, not the home improvement center. Most professional painters purchase their products from a local supplier, a paint store.
Here they have built a reputation, either good or bad, based on the quality of products purchased over time and timely payment if a store credit account is used.
* Purchasing products of the highest quality indicates a true concern for the well being of your home.
* If a painting contractor primarily purchases from a single source, for years, a reputation has been built with
this supplier.
* On time payment is always a good indicator of paint jobs finished and customers that have paid for the service.
Talk to the person behind the countertop and ask some questions. Describe your project and ask for any recommendations. Chances are they will know someone that is trustworthy.
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU
River City Painting is a member of the BBB. This is a popular way to generate leads. Look for good house painters that have no bad comments or judgments. Call your local office or visit on-line.
The Better Business Bureau keeps records for 3 years on many local contractors, including non-members. These records are the results of customer response, always leave a comment with the BBB after you have any work done on your home. Your comments will help others in the future.
ON-LINE
Internet sourcing is becoming more popular every year. These lead generating businesses can help you find painting contractors in your area. The referral company will have checked out each contractor but cannot guarantee the quality or honesty of the paint job.
This is similar to the Better Business Bureau, but each referred lead will cost the painter money (Whether they get the job
or not). Only members of the referral network will receive your job description and contact information. Plus, it is unlikely you will actually choose the painters that respond. It is still best to use local sources and recommendations from people
you trust.
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
The key to finding a good, reputable painting contractor is to ask a lot of questions. Try to narrow down your choices to 3, no need to call 10 painters.
* Ask for references of jobs that were similar to yours.
* Note if the painting contractor was business like, courteous, and punctual with the appointment.
* Ask for a comprehensive proposal that includes what will be done and what products used. This includes the type
and amount of surface preparation, priming and the type of primer, caulking (type and where used), and the brand
of paint used with a reference to the manufactures product line. How many coats of paint will be applied must also
be included in the proposal.
Hopefully you have a list of qualified painting contractors. Before calling you need to take some notes.
Describe, in detail, what you want done, what colors you like, etc. This information will assist the house
painter in putting together a complete painting estimate.
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