5 Things to Look for When Hiring a Painting Contractor

By Ariana Stadtlander

​We’ve all heard the horror stories. Tales of terrible customer service, shoddy work ethic, and appalling results. Unfortunately, the ratio of reliable painters to unreliable tends to swing in the wrong direction. This is bad news for you and bad news for the high quality painters trying to break the stigma surrounding their craft. Yes, there are high quality, hard-working painting contractors -- lots of them, in fact. So, you shouldn’t shy away from hiring someone to paint that living room of yours just because you’ve heard one too many horror stories. If you know what you’re looking for, the vetting process can be a breeze. Look for these five things when hiring a painting contractor, and you’ll have success every time!

Experience
One of the most important things you should look for when hiring a painting contractor is experience. This should come as no surprise. Find out how long they’ve been in business, view images of their previous work, and ask a lot of questions! You can usually tell if a painter has experience if they have extensive knowledge in brands of paint, paint finishes, and the preparation that’s needed to give the best results. Your painter will know if a surface should be stripped or sanded before paint is applied. If they don’t, then look somewhere else for your painting needs.

References
When you’re looking to find out if your prospective painter is good at what he does, see what other people have to say! Most painting businesses will offer references or testimonials of previous customers that provide positive feedback. Hearing what other clients have to say is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to see if someone is the right fit for you.

Contracts
If a painter is serious about doing business with you, they will provide a contract that is both professional and fair. It will clearly state what is to be expected of them, while also providing protection for the both of you. If a contractor doesn’t provide a contract, this is cause for concern, and you should seriously consider whether you’d like to take the risk of hiring them. If you want to know exactly what should be included in your painting contract, here’s a great resource.

Price
As with so many things, price is a great indicator of good vs. bad quality. If your contractor seems to be lowballing a particular job, then you have to ask why. Conversely, if the quote is high enough to make your teeth shatter, you should be concerned. What is the best solution for this? How can you know what’s a good price and what isn’t? As with most purchases, shop around. Compare. Interview several prospective contractors and get several different bids. This will give you a good idea of what’s an acceptable price for your job, and from there, you can sift out the lowballers and teeth-shatterers.

Guarantee
If you go out and buy something of value, whether it’s that new smart LED flat-screen or a diamond-studded engagement ring, you want to make sure you get the warranty, right? Your painting job should be no different. Make sure you ask your contractor about their policy on guarantees. A good painter will offer to come back and fix their work if any issues pop up within a certain period of time.

So, there you have it. If your prospective painting contractor has these five things, then you know you’ve been successful! Hire them, and you can enjoy that beautifully painted living room when they’re all finished!

Are you looking for a trustworthy, hard-working professional for all your painting needs?
If so...
We’re experienced.
We’ve got references.
We provide contracts.
We offer fair prices.
We guarantee our work.

Contact Lawlor Family Painting and set up a meeting today!

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