Researching potential painting contractors before making your selection is of utmost importance when hiring one. You can use the Internet to get information on their qualifications, credentials, and reputations.
Be sure that the painter provides you with a written estimate that includes prices for rooms being painted, square footage and per gallon pricing of paint. Furthermore, your estimate should also contain a warranty in case anything goes wrong during the job.
Experience
Experience is the first factor you should consider when hiring a painting contractor, so inquire as to their history in business and ask to view examples of their previous work.
Ask the company how it has dealt with an error on the job when making mistakes and what their response was when that error arose. While mistakes do happen, how a business responds is indicative of their professionalism.
Some painters employ their own employees while others contract out some or all of the work to subcontractors. If a painter contracts out work, make sure all subcontractors are insured and pass a background check before engaging them for services.
An accurate estimate is also key when searching for professional painter Melbourne. An estimate should include both direct and indirect costs; such as payments on equipment, overhead expenses and benefits for crew.
Insurance
Make sure that any painter you hire possesses liability and worker’s comp insurance as this will protect both yourself and your home in case of an accident.
Find out about their employee background checks as this can be especially crucial if there are children living in your household – you wouldn’t want someone with an arrest record near them!
Ask whether the painters you hire are employees or independent contractors; employees are covered under their employer’s general liability policy, while subcontractors may not. This distinction can make an important difference if something goes awry during your project – say if a crew drops a ladder onto your car!
License
Most states mandate professional painters possess both liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage to safeguard you in case they cause damage to your home or are injured on the job. This helps safeguard you if an incident arises that results in costly repairs or injuries during their visit.
Ask to see proof of these policies; most painters should gladly provide this information, while a professional won’t try to hide its details from you.
Once again, it’s important to get an understanding of what kind of prep work your painting contractor plans on doing before starting their work. Ask for an on-the-spot rough estimate or have them provide a full quote with costs broken out for labor, paint, travel (if applicable) and materials as well as cleaning protocol – you want to ensure they know how to keep a mess to a minimum and will clean as they go!
Warranties
Painters who do not provide warranties tend to be disreputable; an honest contractor should offer at least a one year paint guarantee.
Ask how long a painter has been operating. In general, family-run businesses tend to enjoy greater customer trust than larger corporations.
Reputable painting companies won’t subcontract their work; doing so is illegal in many states and is an indicator of poor service. You need to know who will be on your property, as well as that they’ve gone through background checks before being invited in.
Professional painters know the value of time management, taking short lunch breaks or staying late into the night when possible to complete projects quickly and minimize inconvenience for clients. In order to provide their best possible quality of work they will discuss every project before commencing, making sure that everyone involved is happy with their plan and approach.
Reputation
Longer established painting contractors tend to be reliable. If they become overextended or disreputable, however, they may subcontract your project to someone else in order to remain viable; often this means cutting costs to remain profitable, leading to lower quality work being delivered as a result.
A quality painting contractor should provide you with a thorough estimate for their work, which includes both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs might include paint, labor and gas; while indirect expenses might include rent for their work truck, overhead fees or benefits to their crew.
Professional painting companies will have websites with customer testimonials and references that substantiate their claims, in addition to being fully insured and licensed.