Choose the best painting contractor

Choosing a professional painter is an important decision that requires careful consideration. There are a couple of things that you should verify before contracting with a painter o painting company. The first time you meet, ask the contractor everything you want to know:

  • Check if they are a licensed painters (Necessary for jobs above $3,300 – QLD)
  • Ask if the painters if they have Public Liability Insurance
  • Do they offer written guarantees for their work?
  • Referrals from friends, neighbours are always important

Get quotes from at least 3 painting companies. Make sure you ask each contractor to produce a quote to perform the same job (specification). If prices are too different between the painting companies, try to find out why. Read carefully and compare based on:

  • What exactly is being painted (scope of works).
  • How many coats of paints are included? In repaints, common practice are two coats, however, professional painters are able to determine if more than two coats are necessary.
  • Materials: quality and finishes. There are a lot of paint brands on the market that suit every budget. However, an experienced painter should recommend brands that meet certain quality standards and are adequate for your job
  • Are all the cracks going to be repaired and the plastering will be included too?
  • What kind of preparation work does the painter do?
  • Time to completion: How much time the project will take, from start to finish
  • Is site cleaning included?
  • Guarantees. Are touch ups included?
  • Customer service.
  • Colour consultancy and patch test.
  • Payment: When and how the painter will be paid

Communication skills are very important to ensure the painters will keep you well-informed throughout the process, so keep that in mind when interviewing painters. Just following those simple tips, you would be able to find the right painting contractor for your next project.