Tips for Choosing a House Painter
Few home improvements can be as zestful as a fresh layer of paint. A paint job can practically give your home an automatic facelift. Of course, if you want the best results, you shouldn’t hesitate hiring a professional. Painting may look like a simple job, but it’s not. If your home was built before 1978, it may be covered in lead-based paint, and that is something an expert can fix.
If you’re all set to hire a professional house painter, here are tips to help you:
Written Quote
Ask your prospective painter to provide an estimate on your project. Obviously, he has to visit your home while you walk him through your expectations. Be very specific about colors and show paint samples if you have any. If you’re uncertain, ask the painter to help you.
License and Insurance
As soon as you’ve found a few prospects, ask each if they are licensed (if required by the state where you live in) and insured. A license is no assurance that your project will be successful, but it does increase the odds. Of course, insurance frees you from liability, in case somebody hurts themselves on the job.
Past Projects and Client References
Researching painters online will likely lead you to lots of pictures of their past projects. Don’t trust these images completely however. Ask the painter instead to bring you to at least two projects (must be similar to yours) they’ve done no later than three years ago. You want to know how the materials and colors they used stood up over time.
Checking references is important if you’re looking for a good house painter. You’ll want to know how competent and professional your prospect is based on the experiences of his past clients. If a painter refuses to give references, that’s a sign that you need to find another prospect. Remember to read online reviews as well, especially if you found the painter without anyone’s recommendation.
Contract
Your contract with the house painter needs to be very specific. All crucial information has to be stated, such as the start and estimated end dates of the project, materials that will be used with their individual costs, and payment schedule. The paint manufacturer’s name, the paint color, gloss, grade, etc.must also be included, along with the surfaces to be painted and the number of coats to be applied. The application of a primer must be specified in the contract too. Finally, the document should state that the painter is responsible for cleaning up after the job is done.
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