11 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Painting Contractor
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Hiring a painter may not be as simple as you might think. The highest bid isn’t necessarily the best painting contractor, but picking the cheapest painter based on price alone is a bad idea.
A poor-quality paint job usually doesn’t last or look good, and may detract from your property value if you’re selling. It’s well worth doing a little homework before you hire someone to paint your home. Here's a few questions to help you with hiring the right painting contractor. |
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1. How long have you been in business and how many residential painting projects do you do a year? Experience is critical for quality painting and good project management. The longevity of a painting contractor and their reputation should be important factors in your selection. If a painting contractor isn’t busy that should be a red flag.
2. Do you provide a free estimate? Instead of simply asking “how much do you charge?” request a detailed written estimate from the painting contractor. An estimate from a reputable painting company should include prep work and cleanup, labor and materials (primer, paint, stain, caulk, etc.), plus any other supplies. Take the time to get an in-home painting estimate rather than accepting one given over the phone or online. An in-home estimate includes more detail about the project and any potential issues to be addressed, clarifies the scope of work, and is much more accurate.
3. Do you have insurance? Or better yet, “are you FULLY insured?” Never hire a painting contractor that cannot provide proof that they are properly insured. Reputable professional painting contractors carry liability insurance AND workers comp insurance for their employees, to protect the property owner from liability if a painter is injured on the job.
4. Are your painters employees or do you use subcontractors?
Hiring a subcontractor for a specialized trade or skillset is fine, but some painting contractors use subcontractors to save money or because they can’t or don’t want to hire enough good painters to do the work. This creates potential risks:
5. Do your painters have the right experience for my project?
Experience counts when it comes to home improvement contractors. Even seasoned professional painters have different kinds of experience – some commercial, some residential, some with only brush and roller, others with sprayed finishes. The painters you choose should have experience in the work you need done, including selecting the right equipment and products for your project and applying them according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
6. Who will be on my crew?
Ask how many painters will be on your project and how they will be supervised. Will the same painters be there for the whole job if it takes more than one day? Who is your main point of contact? Ideally it’s a single project manager who is on the job site regularly and also in frequent contact with support staff in the office.
7. What painting equipment and materials do you use?
A good painter uses only well-maintained, professional grade equipment and paint products specified by the manufacturer for the application. The best painting contractors also have dedicated shop space to apply sprayed finishes (which are smoother and more durable for stained and painted cabinetry, trim, etc.) and minimize the mess in your home.
8. What kind of painting prep do you do?
An explanation of prep work for your staining or painting project should be part of the conversation with your painting contractor.
9. How will you protect my property during the painting process?
Reputable painting contractors take the time to cover flooring, large furniture, and anything else that can’t be moved, to protect them from dust and paint materials. A high quality staining or painting job starts with careful preparation, which also makes cleanup easier when the project is finished.
10. How do you communicate with clients throughout the project?
Good service is about being responsive to your needs, not just sending estimates and invoices promptly. The best painting contractors have support staff (project manager/supervisor, customer service) dedicated to regular communication and making sure your project goes smoothly.
11. How can I be confident that you will do a good job, on time and on budget?
The best painting contractors earn their reputation by consistently doing just that. You can ask a painter to provide references, but it’s often quicker to look for online customer reviews and testimonials, and widely recognized community awards as evidence that they do what they say. You can also ask how much of their business comes from referrals from happy customers.
2. Do you provide a free estimate? Instead of simply asking “how much do you charge?” request a detailed written estimate from the painting contractor. An estimate from a reputable painting company should include prep work and cleanup, labor and materials (primer, paint, stain, caulk, etc.), plus any other supplies. Take the time to get an in-home painting estimate rather than accepting one given over the phone or online. An in-home estimate includes more detail about the project and any potential issues to be addressed, clarifies the scope of work, and is much more accurate.
3. Do you have insurance? Or better yet, “are you FULLY insured?” Never hire a painting contractor that cannot provide proof that they are properly insured. Reputable professional painting contractors carry liability insurance AND workers comp insurance for their employees, to protect the property owner from liability if a painter is injured on the job.
4. Are your painters employees or do you use subcontractors?
Hiring a subcontractor for a specialized trade or skillset is fine, but some painting contractors use subcontractors to save money or because they can’t or don’t want to hire enough good painters to do the work. This creates potential risks:
- The contractor might not know the crew members or their skills and experience, and has no control over their training. It’s impossible to ensure good quality work if you don’t know the people doing it.
- Subcontractors are typically paid by the job (not hourly), and could be motivated to cut corners to finish quicker.
- Subcontractors are not typically covered by the contractor’s workers’ compensation insurance.
5. Do your painters have the right experience for my project?
Experience counts when it comes to home improvement contractors. Even seasoned professional painters have different kinds of experience – some commercial, some residential, some with only brush and roller, others with sprayed finishes. The painters you choose should have experience in the work you need done, including selecting the right equipment and products for your project and applying them according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
6. Who will be on my crew?
Ask how many painters will be on your project and how they will be supervised. Will the same painters be there for the whole job if it takes more than one day? Who is your main point of contact? Ideally it’s a single project manager who is on the job site regularly and also in frequent contact with support staff in the office.
7. What painting equipment and materials do you use?
A good painter uses only well-maintained, professional grade equipment and paint products specified by the manufacturer for the application. The best painting contractors also have dedicated shop space to apply sprayed finishes (which are smoother and more durable for stained and painted cabinetry, trim, etc.) and minimize the mess in your home.
8. What kind of painting prep do you do?
An explanation of prep work for your staining or painting project should be part of the conversation with your painting contractor.
- Are scraping and/or sanding needed?
- Is there damaged wood to fix or drywall repair that’s needed?
- How do you prepare surfaces for painting?
- How do you ensure a smooth and even finish?
9. How will you protect my property during the painting process?
Reputable painting contractors take the time to cover flooring, large furniture, and anything else that can’t be moved, to protect them from dust and paint materials. A high quality staining or painting job starts with careful preparation, which also makes cleanup easier when the project is finished.
10. How do you communicate with clients throughout the project?
Good service is about being responsive to your needs, not just sending estimates and invoices promptly. The best painting contractors have support staff (project manager/supervisor, customer service) dedicated to regular communication and making sure your project goes smoothly.
11. How can I be confident that you will do a good job, on time and on budget?
The best painting contractors earn their reputation by consistently doing just that. You can ask a painter to provide references, but it’s often quicker to look for online customer reviews and testimonials, and widely recognized community awards as evidence that they do what they say. You can also ask how much of their business comes from referrals from happy customers.
