If your home needs a fresh coat of paint or you are considering a renovation project, even if you are working to a modest budget, it makes sense to try and find a painting contractor who can do the job at a high standard and save you all the hassle of tackling it yourself.
Points to consider
When you are considering hiring a painting contractor there are a number of things you need to ask so that you get the job done as professionally and cost-effectively as possible.
One of the main points to consider is what type of painting job needs doing, so you can match your requirements up with someone who has the relevant experience in that area. Most reputable painting contractors will be able to handle regular tasks such as interior and exterior painting and the majority of them should be equally adept with a spray gun for tackling roofs and fences.
Decide what painting jobs need doing and ask the contractors to quote whether they have the relevant experience in those areas.
Specialist work
Many painting contractors offer specialist skills alongside the basic interior and exterior painting services.
If you are looking for a special paint finish such as a distressed or marbled, make sure you confirm if they are able to offer this service and ask for some examples of previous work.
Most painting contractors also offer additional services, such as colour consultancy; so that they can help you choose the right colours.
Getting a quote
In order to get as accurate a quote as possible it is advisable to provide as much information as possible to the contractor, such as any specialist surfaces or finishes that you are looking for, so that they can cost the job accordingly.
Either estimate the square metres of the area that needs to be covered yourself, or ask for the contractor to measure it up so that the amount of paint required and the number of labour hours can be more accurately calculated.
Access problems
If you live in a property with high ceilings or the building is tall then this may require scaffolding so the painting contractor can work safely, which will add to the cost of the quote. Make sure these issues are discussed and resolved before any work begins so that there are no nasty surprises at a later stage.
More detailed work
If you need a wall painted in a single colour, then that will be a lot less time-consuming than painting the walls in one colour followed by painting the mouldings and other areas in a contrasting colour, so again make sure that the contractor can give you an accurate quote by telling them exactly what you want from them.
The more information you provide, the more accurate the quote will be. This will be a big help in choosing the perfect painting contractor and getting a job done within your agreed budget.
James Anderson is a home renovation consultant. He enjoys blogging about the ins and outs of refurbishing a house to make it a home. His articles mainly appear on interior design blogs.
Kitchen and Residential Design