Hire a Professional Painter: What to Know?
7 Things You MUST Know Before Hiring a Painter
As with most items, time takes a toll. The wear and tear on paint are no different. Every decade or so calls for a refreshing coat of new paint. Many people opt for hiring a professional rather than trying to take on that additional labor themselves. Here are 7 things you must know before hiring a painter:
DIY or Hire?: Consider the many pieces hiring someone will help you with: time, safety, quality, and speed. Sure, you may save yourself some money, but if you can afford it, the trade-off is well worth having the professional step in to complete the painting.
Prepare for Professional: Let’s not waste your money or the painter’s time. Prior to the scheduled refresh, move furniture away from walls, remove outlet covers and switch plates, provide a dedicated “staging area” space for them, keep pets out of the way, and clean the walls so they’re ready for fresh paint.
Find the Right Fit: You want a professional you trust to get the job done well. Ask around to see who others may recommend, do an online search for a reputable place, and, if they have them, check out their website and review websites to see what kind of testimonials you can dig up for them.
Manage Expectations: Having a few standards in mind can help save you disappointment and know what results you should receive. Professionals should have good time management for efficiency, require a walk-through to give you a proper assessment, ask questions about paint colors and your goal for the space, and provide a thorough estimate. In addition, they should answer any questions fully, clean up any of the mess they create during the job, and be willing to come through for touch-ups if needed.
Painter Types: While painting seems pretty straightforward, you still have options. Consider the type of professional you’d like to work with when you’re ready to hire. Do you want a mom-and-pop company that may take a little longer, save you some money, but will invite you over for a bbq after church too? How about a small commercial business that follows the rules, takes the job seriously, and has a lot of experience, but still makes you feel like you matter? Or do you know what you want and it requires a specialist – like a mural or faux-painted wall?
Understand Costs: When you receive an estimate, there will be direct and indirect costs that you want to know to help explain how the paint professional reached the price. Indirect costs are usually part of what raises the estimate to an unexpected amount, including equipment, truck, crew, and even support staff. Direct costs are what you often already think about, such as paint, labor, and gas to get to the job location.
Estimate Changes: As you review the estimate, you should have a clear picture of where your money is going. You want to know the labor, time-frame for the job, materials, paint, and travel (if any). If anything is unclear, ask and make sure any amendments to the estimate are made prior to signing on the dotted line to help prevent anything unexpected as it’s easier to fix upfront rather than once the job has started.
Whatever your painting desires, hire professionals who can deliver high-quality paint and years of expertise.
