When your home hasn’t seen a fresh coat of paint for many years, especially when it has suffered significant surface problems, it’s time to hire an exterior painting near me contractor.
After deciding to have a professional paint your home, the next step is to find the right one. And it’s not easy as it seems, especially when there are so many prospects from which to choose.
Usually, the first concern among homeowners when hiring professional painters is the budget. And so, they look for the most inexpensive contractors possible. While the price point is the first (and often the most significant) consideration that comes to mind, many other things need to be factored in when hiring a contractor.
The fact that you allow total strangers to paint your home is another concern, so there’s nothing wrong with being a bit cautious when interviewing and screening candidates. After all, it’s your property, and you want to keep it safe and protected. It’s natural for you to let your guard down somewhat when considering house painters in your town.
Do you provide references as to your work?
Contractors should expect to hear this question from potential clients. They should be able to provide your contact information for several satisfied clients. When requested, the willingness and compliance to give references indicate a reputable contractor because they are confident in their work and stand by it.
Many contractors often come with portfolios of photographs or images and contacts.
In addition to requesting contractors for references, you should check out their company websites or search their names on several review websites like Yelp, Angi (formerly Angie’s List), and Better Business Bureau. While the contractor will only provide contacts of happy clients, you’ll get a much more accurate representation of their work on the Web.
Are you licensed?
Always ask this question when hiring painting contractors. It’s important to seek services from a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor. A valid license guarantees that the contractor has met specific qualifications and is authorized to work in California. It also gives customers protection and peace of mind and will make them see that the contractor is trustworthy.
Do you have insurance?
Many contractors tend to avoid insurance because of the costs and other inconveniences. But clients trust contractors more when they’re insured because it gives them peace of mind, just like a valid license. No matter what happens in the project – whether one of the workers gets injured or accidentally knocks over something in your property – rest assured that you won’t be financially liable for it. If you’re not uncertain about the validity of their insurance, call the insurance agent to confirm that the policy is current and active. Preferably, a contractor should have liability insurance and worker’s compensation insurance.
Should I be concerned about your crew in my home?
As a homeowner needing the services of paint contractors, it’s only natural that you feel concerned about the safety of your home and your belongings around their presence. And that concern extends to the security of your family. Sadly, there have been several documented cases around the country where crew members of a hired contractor have burglarized a home, intentionally injured the homeowner, or worse.
What’s more tragic is that, in most cases, it was later discovered that the accused workers had a criminal background unknown to the contractor who employed them.
And this is why, when screening and interviewing contractors, you should ask the contractors questions regarding their hiring policy and whether they perform criminal background checks.
Do you use employees or subcontractors?
Some painting contractors use subcontractors to lower costs and make more money. Subcontractors are usually paid a flat fee, and contractors won’t pay for employee benefits and social security taxes.
If you hire contractors who use subcontractors, you will put yourself at risk. Since subcontractors are usually paid a fixed fee instead of the hour, they may cut corners to finish the job quickly without minding the quality. The contractors don’t want to bother with the subcontractors anymore after making the payment. Thus, they cannot vouch for the subcontractors” work.
This scenario can affect job quality, the safety of your home and its belongings, and your family. For this reason, it’s better to hire contractors who employ their workers.
What kind of products do you use?
An important question to ask any potential contractor is what they use on the project will impact how it looks in your home and how long it lasts. So, you have to make sure that the contractor is using quality materials.
The saying “you get what you pay for” certainly applies here. When you hire a cheap contractor, you will know the quality of paints and tools they’ll be using. There’s a big difference in quality among paints, primers, stains, as well as materials. Cheap and subpar materials usually won’t last long. Even things like caulk and spackle should also be considered, as good quality caulk and spackle can help add two to five years on the paint job.
Will you provide an estimate?
Usually, painting service companies send an estimator over to your property before the project begins. The estimator inspects your property and then prepares a detailed cost estimate that you can use as a bid on your project. A painting job estimate typically includes costs for paint, materials, and labor, as well as other things such as payment specifications. It’s always preferable to receive written estimates from at least three different painting contractors so that you can compare the disparities in their pricing and help you to make an informed hiring decision.
Providing an estimate to potential clients is the SOP of every painting contractor. Nevertheless, you should ask this question to make sure.
Don’t mistake anyone who holds a paintbrush and a painting contractor’s business card. Beware those unscrupulous “contractors” who focus only on making money alone. If the exterior painting near me contractor can answer all of these questions to your satisfaction, then you’ve found the right painter for your painting job.