How to Choose a Qualified Painting Contractor

June 11, 2008

There are 4 good indicators that a painting contractor is qualified to work inside or outside your home: Reputation; Experience; Responsiveness; and Safety. If a prospective contractor is good in all of these areas there is a good chance that you will be satisfied as a customer.

1. Reputation

A painting contractor’s reputation is an excellent way to evaluate them. A solid recommendation from a friend or relative is an excellent indicator that they will provide good service and put out a good paint job. Other places you can learn about a painting contractors reputation is through the newspaper or even from another contractor in a different trade. Decorators are also an excellent place to learn of a contractor’s reputation because generally a decorator will only let the very best painters in their clients homes. If you would like to learn more about a painting contractor, but can’t get information in any of these areas ask the painter to provide you with references.

2. Experience

If the experience level of a painting contractor is in question it is good to ask to see examples of their work. If they can provide you with an excellent list of jobs they have finished successfully that are similar to yours there is a good chance they will provide you with an excellent job as well. Another good way to gauge experience is to ask the painting contractor how many years they have been in business. If the painting contractor has been in business more than 10 years than they have probably pleased a lot of customers; you can’t stay in business that long while putting out a poor product. If the nature of your work is more complicated like delicate paper or faux finishing you should ask to see samples of this type of work. This type of work can be very tricky so you should make sure your contractor is very confident in doing it. You can also ask how many years the contractors workers have been doing faux finishing and papering. If the craftsmen have 10+ years of experience then you can have some confidence in the quality of their work.

3. Responsiveness

A painting contractor’s responsiveness to your needs is critical to the quality and overall experience of you job. If a contractor takes a long time to return your calls or emails then they may not give you the instant feedback you need while they are doing your job. Every contractor no matter how good they are runs into some problems. What separates the men from then boys is how fast your painting contractor can respond to you and correct the problems. Another key area of responsiveness if following up after a job is done and paid for. Your contractor should respond to problems related to warranty work quickly.

4. Safety

A painting contractor’s commitment to safety is very important if you want them to work in your home. Contractors should have a written safety program as well as carry workmen’s compensation (not just personal insurances) to cover you in case of an accident. If a contractor doesn’t carry workmen’s compensation you could be liable for anyone getting hurt while working in your home. If you are not sure you can ask your contractor to provide proof of insurances and workmen’s compensation. It is also crucial that your painting contractor hold frequent safety meetings with their crew to keep them up to date on safety and always thinking about how to do their job safer.