Are you in need of a professional painting company? Hiring anyone to work in your house is a big exercise in trust. You have to be willing to ask questions to establish peace of mind when letting strangers alter the appearance of your home. After all, you are allowing a crew into the place where you keep your valuables, and more importantly, your family and pets. Here are some of the basic questions to ask professional painters before hiring them for your next painting project.
Do you and your subcontractors have insurance?
It is crucial that any workers in your home are covered by the company’s insurance (or individual insurance if they are a subcontractor). If there is any type of injury or property damage on your property, you do not want to be held financially responsible. Be sure that any company you hire to work on your home is properly insured and can show proof of insurance. Request to see their certificate of insurance.
What kind of prep work will be done?
Ensure communication is clear about what type of prep work will be done by the company and whether any preparation needs to be completed by you prior to workers’ arrival. A professional painting company will be able to tell you which parts of the preparation process are included in your project; for example, removing outlet covers and switch plates and filling small holes in your walls. At the same time, the company should be clear if there will be an extra fee for replacing rotten wood, large holes, or other items potentially not covered in the project.
What do I need to do prior to the project beginning?
Most companies will urge you to put away items like artwork or other breakable or hard to replace items. Some companies will ask if there is a space available for storing their materials for the duration of the project, a space for cleaning paintbrushes, or a specific restroom available for workers to use. Keeping children and pets away from the project area is a request most companies may have.
Ask for specific details.
What is the start date and time and end date and time of my project? How many people will be working on my project? How long have they been with your company? Are they employees or subcontractors?
These specifics will help set your expectations for the when, who, and how long of your project. It is important to know the answers to these questions so that you can be prepared to have workers in your home for the duration of the project, as well as knowing how many people to expect on site.
Do you have references and a portfolio of completed projects?
Ask to see references and a portfolio of completed projects. If the company does not feel comfortable giving you contact information for their references, that is a red flag. Follow up by actually contacting references and looking at portfolios.
What type of paints and materials do you use?
This question is often overlooked but so important! You want to make sure that the painting company you hire uses quality products. Paint is a material with a wide quality range. Perhaps having low-VOC or no VOC paints is a priority for you? Asking about the availability of these materials is important before you hire a professional painting company.
Does your company have experience working in older homes?
If you live in an older home, you’ll want to make sure that the company you hire can handle any problems that may come up. Complications like damaged wood, leftover lead paint, or other issues that pop up when doing work on an older home are best handled by someone with experience!
What type of warranty do you offer?
Most painting companies have a warranty. Request a copy of the warranty in writing. You also may want to ask if the warranty covers both labor and materials and whether or not the company will come back and inspect their work, or if they are relying on you to report any possible issues.
Contact us today to get started on your next painting project!
Here at C.O.D. Home Services, LLC., we are a full painting contract company and we have regular paint crews working exclusively on painting projects. Having a crew of versatile painters readily available enables us to execute your project in a timely manner, handling everything from drywall repairs and modifications to textured ceilings, detailed design work and custom staining and finishing. We use quality paints from Sherwin Williams® and Benjamin Moore®. View our professional painting gallery here.