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Finding a great residential painter isn’t rocket science, but it isn’t necessarily a walk in the park either. There are dozens of painting companies in every corner of every city, so separating the wheat from the chaff can be quite a conundrum. If you want your house painted quickly, affordably, and properly, then you’ve got to put the work into getting the best painting company.
In this post, we’re going to give you a few tips on what to look for in a quality painting company, as well as some search tips for those that haven’t had to look for residential painters before. When you’re done reading this, you’ll be as well-versed as possible in the painting industry and what the signs of good painters vs bad painters are, so let’s get started.
Being Clear On Your Needs
Before you start seeking out and vetting all of the painting companies in your area, you should sit down and figure out what you want them to do once hired. Have a clear idea of where you want the painting to occur (interior/exterior), the timeline you need it done within, and a budget for the entire job.
As you’re reaching out to painters and having done this brainstorming beforehand, you’ll be able to properly communicate your needs to them. This will give you a better sense of what they can provide and whether or not it’s up to your standards.
Have a Picture in Your Mind
Go into the process with a clear picture of what you want your house to look like at the end of the painting job. Think long and hard about the color because you’re going to have to live with it for a while. There are helpful online tools that can help you visualize what different colors will look like on your home.
Any painters that you talk to should always be working to fulfill your vision. If you don’t have a specific idea in mind, then their expertise should also allow them to work with you to come up with something that looks great on your home.
Contact Multiple Professional Painters
Having given this paint job some real forethought, you can start reaching out to painting contractors in your general vicinity. Don’t be overwhelmed when you see dozens of residential painters to choose from. Having a lot of choices is a good thing, but you now need to reach out to several of them to get a good sense of who the best one for the job will be.
Most people say you should contact no fewer than 3 painting companies to discuss rates, timelines, experience, and whatever other questions you may initially have. Being thorough will make sure that everyone – you and the painting company – are on the same page.
Communication Is Key
When you’re speaking with each painting company, there are important questions that you’ll need to ask, in addition to the more specific ones that you might have in mind. Here are a few that you might want to consider:
- Do I buy the paint or is it included in your rate?
- What sort of painting products do you use to complete the job?
- Do you tidy up when the work is done?
- Do you belong to a professional painting organization?
- What does your insurance policy cover?
Asking lots of questions like this will help you narrow down the candidates to a few of the best ones.
Getting Price Estimates
Alongside these questions, you should also ask for estimates from every painter that you speak to. Make sure everything is clear between yourself and the contractor so that the estimate is as accurate as possible. Asking the above questions should help to clear up any uncertainties.
An estimate should break down all of the costs, including labor, time, materials, travel, and paint. They could also include less obvious costs – things that cover their overhead that you might not have thought of.
Once you’ve got all of the information that you need, you can begin to sit down and compare/contrast what each painting company brings to the table and how much it’ll cost you.
Doing Some Digging
As you’re comparing the companies, you can do a bit more research on your own. Look up each company on local listings websites and see which ones have the best ratings and reviews. These things can tell you a lot about how a company operates and how they treat their customers.
The companies with the most ratings and the highest average are usually the ones to be trusted, but taking a look at what the comments say will give you better information. Look at both good reviews and bad reviews, as well as how they responded to those bad reviews.
Look up each company’s website and see how long they’ve been in business, what certifications they have, and a portfolio of their past work. Being able to see their past work is a good indicator of what you can expect. For instance, Melbourne-based Mcintosh Painters proudly states all of their certifications on the front page of their site, so you know they’re not hiding anything.
Service Guarantees
With all of this information at your disposal, you should be able to choose one painting company that rises above the others. When you’re ironing out the details, make sure to get it all in writing so that if anything goes wrong, you’re covered.
One thing you should always think about is whether or not they provide service guarantees. A confident painting company will guarantee a level of quality by providing service guarantees that state if anything goes wrong as a result of their work, they’ll fix it for free. Having this in writing will give you that little bit of extra confidence when hiring a painter.
Find the Best Painting Company for Your House
Now that you know how to find the best painting company for your house, you can start brainstorming ideas for your home makeover. Having a great painting company on your side will take a load off your mind when doing renovations, so when you’re ready, find the best company in your area.
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