Having your interior or exterior of your home painted can be an overwhelming task when trying to find the right painting contractors. It is important to ask the right questions to make sure you feel confident you are going to receive high quality work at a budget you can afford. Keeping in mind you get what you pay for and the lowest bid may not always be the right choice.
Here are important questions to ask painting companies before they provide a painting quote.
Are you licensed and bonded?
Make sure any contractor you use is licensed and bonded. This will give you a sense of trust and security when choosing your painting company.
Do you have insurance?
Never work with a painting company that does not have insurance. Accidents do happen and you don’t want to be liable for their workers. Also if any damage occurs to your home their insurance would cover the cost to fix it.
How long is your warranty?
A reputable painting company should always provide a warranty on their work. Find out what the warranty covers and for how long. Ask to have the warranty in writing.
What kind of paint do you use? And how many coats?
Not all paint is the same quality. It is important to find out what kind of paint they will be using. Also will they be using primer and how many coats will be needed. If a painting contractor is substantially lower than other bids it maybe they are using an inexpensive and lower grade paint, or will only be providing one coat.
How much prep work is included in your estimate?
Does the painting company do the prep work for you or are you required to clear the room, clean the walls, patch holes and cover the ceiling and floors? This takes time so be sure you know who is responsible.
How much clean-up is included?
Does the painter put back the base boards and electrical outlet faceplates, remove any debris, and clean up any spilled paint? Do they go as far as vacuuming or sweeping the floors? It is always good to know how much work will be needed after the paint job is complete.
What is your process for providing a painting estimate?
Find out what their process is for providing an estimate. Do they come to your home or office and measure floor space? Do they estimate by hours to complete? Are their quotes a firm price or just an estimate? This is an important one because you don’t want a bill at the end of the day you were not expecting.
Can you talk to their references?
If a painting company does not have references you can speak with this is a red flag. Ask for a few references that have had similar painting jobs completed. As a bonus tip you can also do a search online to see if there are any negative reviews or how many positive reviews have been left. If you can’t find the company online that is a bad sign.
If you plan on painting your entire house this can be a large investment and you want to make sure it is done right the first time. At Point West Painting we would be happy to answer all of these questions prior to providing a no-obligation painting quote. Give us a call at 250.380.8722 or complete our request a quote form today.