What to Look for When Hiring a Professional Painter
If you are looking for a professional painter in the greater San Diego area, then we recommend thinking carefully about the decision and not just haphazardly choose someone. There are lots of options out there and having a paint job completed on your home is something you want to be of the highest quality as well as something that will last. In most cases, the paint is the first barrier of protection to the rest of your home. You should ensure that you hire a company that will be honest, reliable, and who will meet your needs. That being said, what are a few of the things that you should look for in a professional painter?
1. Is The Painter Knowledgeable and Informative?
You should hire a painter with a strong foundational knowledge base in the field. The painter should know about not only color schemes but also finishes, maintenance, and various types of paint. Painting is not just about laying a fresh coat of paint. In fact, all cracks and other forms of damages have to be addressed before painting, or the paintwork will end up looking shoddy. Ask the painter about his or her prior experience. Has he or she completed similar jobs in the past? How did these go?
The painter should also be able to explain the entire process from start to finish in a way that makes sense and is understandable and clear. After meeting with the painter, you should have a good idea of the timeframe for the project, any repairs that might need to take place as part of the process, and any other details that you should be aware of so that the project can go smoothly.
2. Is The Painter Personable?
When it comes to a professional paint job, communication is key. Even the best painter in the world is going to miss the mark if he or she does not adequately understand the client’s concerns. They should also make sure that they have a thorough understanding of what you expect from the job.
The painter should also be transparent and upfront as they communicate with you. They should take the time to listen and comprehensively answer as many questions as you might have (even questions you may feel are silly to ask) without getting frustrated, upset, or condescending. A high-quality professional painter will be understanding of the fact that you are not a professional painter and that you’re just trying to understand the process.
3. Is The Painter Registered and Licensed?
All painters in San Diego and the surrounding areas should be registered in the state of California with credentials that are up to date. This includes being licensed with the California State Contractors Board as well as being bonded and insured with both Liability and Workman’s Comp (if the company is going to use a labor crew, be sure they carry Workman’s Comp Insurance). These credentials reflect the knowledge and commitment of the painter to the field as well as their being legally approved to perform the work.
To ensure that the painting company has the proper licenses and registrations, take the time to check the following:
- Visit the California State Contractors Board website to see how long the company has been in business (as a general rule of thumb, it is best to hire a painting contractor who has been in business for at least three years) as well as to verify that their license is active.
- Visit California’s Department of Consumers Affairs website and any other government or public listings/accreditations to see if any complaints have been filed against the painting contractor.
- Look into if the Painting Contractor is listed and has accreditations with any government or public associations (the contractor may list some of these on their website).
4. Are There References?
Any painter who wants your business should be willing to provide you with a list of at least three references from prior contracts in various communities around town. Contact these references and see if they had a good experience working with the painter as well as review images or videos of the job. Ask about the timing of the job, the quality of the results, and the transparency of the price. This would also be a good time to verify how long the company has been in business.
5. During the Walkthrough, Did They Point Out Things You Hadn’t Thought of?
A high-quality professional painter is going to notice things that you probably hadn’t thought of before when they are doing the walkthrough with you. If there are issues that need to be addressed that you hadn’t been aware of, they’re going to let you know instead of just ignoring it or attempting to throw a bandaid fix on it during the job. This can help you develop a greater trust in their expertise as well as the quality of work they will perform if you hire them for the job.
6. Did the Painter Provide You with a Free and Thorough Estimate?
You should not have to pay for your estimate! After completing a walk-through with you at the project site, the painting contractor should be willing to provide you with a free estimate. They should also be willing to provide as many estimates as you want as you work out the details of your painting project, and they should take the time to break everything down for you in writing on a professional-looking proposal.
7. Does the Painting Company Have the Necessary Resources to Complete the Job in a Professional and Timely Manner?
Look at the size of the painting contractor’s company and how many employees they have on staff. Make sure that the company will have enough time to complete the project and ask the following questions:
- When will they start and finish the job?
- What will they do to ensure they will complete the job on time?
- Will they be working straight through on your project or will they be stopping and starting again so they can also work on other jobs elsewhere?
It is important that the company is adequately staffed and has enough time to complete the project and is not working under the stress of getting to all of their clients at the same time.
8. What Are the Painter’s Materials?
It may seem like a strange thing to ask, but you’ll want to find out what kinds of products and brands the painter is using and why. You want the paint job being completed on your home to not only look nice but also be a job that lasts. A professional painter worth hiring should be using high-quality brands and vendors such as Dunn-Edwards, Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin-Moore, BEHR, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Rust-Oleum, Cabot, Penofin, Glidden, Flood, Seal-Krete, and other trusted names in the painting industry.
9. Does the Painter Have a Strong Online Presence?
In this day and age, any good contractor should be able to be found on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Facebook, Yelp, Google, and other social media platforms. In addition to the provided referrals mentioned earlier in this article, they should come with several 5-Star Ratings and Reviews on Google, Yelp, and other platforms (including Facebook recommendations). Potential customers should be able to get a good feel for the company and the quality of their work through the company’s online reputation.
Rely on Double G Painting & General Contracting
If you are looking for personable professional painters to help you with your next job, call Double G Painting & General Contracting today at 619-457-6737! We’ll be happy to help!
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