When you make the decision to have your home painted, you don’t just want anyone to do it, you want an experienced residential painting company. A house painter that knows, understands, and cares how important your home is to you.
In 2021, there were 229,988 house painting contractors in the United States. With so many choices available, what should you look for when hiring a painting company? How do you know you are hiring a top company?
Often you will hear the advice not to use the internet to find a painter or other service professional. The truth is, most of us now use the internet to find everything from groceries to life partners. Not all of us have friends that can give personal recommendations. It is fine to search for a painter in your area on the internet. What is recommended is that you get to know more about them before moving forward.
The Basics
Your first considerations should be the same as they are when considering any type of service provider.
- Does the company service your location?
- Is their painting service affordable for you?
- Does their schedule fit with yours?
- Do they offer a warranty?
Also, a reminder that some painting companies do interiors, but not exteriors, or vice versa. It seems like a simple thing, but finding a company that has experience in the type of job you want to be done is a must. If you just need a small refresh and not a complete paint job, some painting companies also offer touch-up services or pressure washing.
Tools and Materials
Looking for a painting contractor that uses good quality paint, for example, Sherwin-Williams or Rodda, is one way to see which companies rise above the rest.
Professional companies will have industrial sprayers, pressure washers, and ladders in addition to other professional tools of the trade. One way to spot a top company is that they also take care of their employees, using personal protective equipment and proper work practices.
The Painting Process
When planning and performing a paint job, people often only consider the paint or the end result. But if you’ve ever done a paint job yourself, you will understand that although attention to detail and painting is important, a thorough preparation stage is almost more important.
Does the company you are considering taking the time to properly prepare the surface for painting? For example, if a painting company pressure washes an exterior and allows it time to dry before further preparation and starting to paint, the end result will be higher quality.
Do they take environmental concerns into account? For example, do they use environmentally friendly cleaning products in the preparation stage? In the final stages, do they pay attention to details such as touch-ups and clean-up?
Their Qualifications
Whether it is time to put another coat of paint on your home’s exterior, or you want to freshen up your interior, there are qualifications you should look for when hiring any painting company.
In short, you want them to be:
- Well qualified and experienced;
- Insured and licensed; and
- Punctual, trustworthy, and reliable.
Aside from asking the painting company directly, how can you tell if a painter meets these qualifications? Well, read on, because that is covered in the next point below.
Testimonials and Recommendations
One of the most reliable ways to choose a good painting contractor is to read their testimonials or ask for references. You can judge a lot about a painting company from their track record and what previous customers are saying about them.
Takeaway
There are many painting companies out there, but they weren’t all created equal. To summarize, when looking for a top residential painting company, you should consider the following factors:
- the basics (such as location, availability, and cost);
- what tools and materials the company uses;
- their process and attention to detail;
- their qualifications; and
- their experience and references
Lastly, trust yourself through the hiring process. These tips can help you to make a decision, but the final choice is up to you. Only when you feel comfortable with a contractor can you move forward. A new coat of paint is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways of freshening up your home or business. Hopefully, you will now feel confident about choosing a painting contractor and moving forward.