One of the biggest and best decisions you can make as a homeowner is the decision to paint your home. Painting your home updates and freshens the look of your house while also protecting it from damage. Once you’ve decided to paint, the next step is to determine who you want to hire to paint your home or business.
With so many painting contractors available, it can be difficult to choose. Trusting your contractor and knowing they will do a good job on your home is important, but how can you ensure that the painter you choose will be excellent, efficient, clean, and will charge a fair price? Here are four questions to ask when getting a painting estimate to ensure that your contractor is the right one for you.
1. Is your company insured?
When you are getting your home painted, you first want to make sure your contractor is properly insured. Hiring a contractor without the right type of insurance can put you at substantial financial risk if something goes wrong.
If you’re working with a painting company who employs their painters, you’ll want to be sure they hold two types of insurance, workers’ compensation and a general liability policy. A contractor without workers’ compensation insurance can make you, as the homeowner, legally responsible for any contractor that is injured on your property.
A general liability policy will cover damages to your home from any dents, dings, or accidents that may occur.
2. What is included in your estimate?
Transparency is the name of the game when it comes to getting the best quote for a home painting project. When discussing the quote with your contractor, you should make sure you know what exactly is included in the company’s quote. Do they include moving your furniture? Do they charge extra for cleaning your walls?
There are many steps that need to be taken before actually painting, and you should make sure that those steps are either included in the quote or that you are prepared to do those steps yourself before your contractor arrives.
3. What is your warranty?
With every home, there is normal wear and tear that can be expected. As you live in your home, your paint job will begin to show some of that wear. This is the reason warranties are important.
When you have a painting estimator at your house, ask them what kind of warranty their company offers for their painting services. One to three years is the industry standard and will cover any defects that show up in the time between initial service and the end of the warranty.
4. Can I see your work?
Just like a traditional artist, every painting contractor should have a portfolio of their work ready to be showcased. Take the time to look at each painting contractor’s website who you’re considering hiring.
Going through the before and after photos on a website will give you an idea of how well a painter can transform a room, an exterior, or other parts of your home. If you see a photo you like, ask the prospective painting contractor information about the work they completed on that particular project. Ask for names, referrals, and any other information you need to feel like you really understand the work your painter can do and how they can make your home or business look the way you’d like it to look.
Choosing a painting contractor does not have to be daunting. With these questions to ask when getting a painting estimate, you can easily weed out those who do not take their craft seriously and find someone you can trust.
We have over 15 years of experience painting homes and businesses in the Atlanta area and are happy to give you our best estimate for your important painting project.
The J&F Group
(678) 597-3151