Every homeowner knows the importance of a quality paint job. Freshly painted rooms can improve the look of a home while also increasing its market value.
For Katy, Texas, homeowners who want to hire a professional, it takes time to decide which painting service to hire.
Here are some tips to help you find the best painting company for your project. Continue reading, and you’ll be well on your way to finishing that painting project to add value to your home or to liven up your living space.
Plan Your Budget
One of the most important factors to consider before exploring your options for painting contractors in the area is your budget. The budget you choose will be determined by the quality of materials you intend to use, the scope of the project, and the amount of prep work required.
Looking for companies that charge reasonable rather than “low” fees is also critical. To be able to offer the lowest fee, low-cost paints, inexperienced painters, and lightning-fast painting techniques may be used. To put it another way, you get what you pay for. Save yourself from price gougers who hide behind the brand promise of “luxury painting services” and charge exorbitant fees. Which is the best option? Look for a painting company that charges a reasonable, mid-range price for quality paints and standard painting techniques.
It is advisable to request quotes from at least 3-5 painting companies to compare pricing and service inclusion. This way, you’ll know how much to prepare for that painting project you’re trying to complete.
Look For Feasible Options
There is no shortage of ways to look for painting contractors. You can look for painting companies in your area on Yelp, Google, and Angie’s List, among other places. Make a list of the painting companies you might hire. Even though it’s a cliche, it’s best to list the pros and cons of each company so you can be sure you’re making the best choice. Ask yourself what you think is the most important factor when hiring a contractor. How about the price? How well-known is the company? Perhaps even its proximity? Don’t make the common mistake of selecting the first company that appears in a Google search; instead, conduct your research on various companies first.
Referrals are also an excellent way to gain knowledge and help find the best contractors. Have any of your friends or neighbors recently had a painting job done? You may ask them whom they used and what their experience with that company was like. You can also get a good idea of the company by reading reviews from past customers. Most of the time, contractors with good reviews are more focused on quality and do their best to meet, if not exceed customer expectations.
Ask The Right Questions
You’ve compiled a list of potential contractors; now it’s time to interview them for the job. In this day and age, you can quickly contact them via email, phone, or chat. One of the reasons why clients like you are dissatisfied with their contractors is that the right questions were not asked before hiring one. Here are some questions you should ask when hiring a painter:
- How long have you been in business?
- Can you provide a list of at least three recent clients’ references?
- Do I need to buy my paint, or will you provide the paint and other supplies?
- Do you hire subcontractors or employees to work on your crews?
- Do you have a current insurance certificate covering general liability, workers’ compensation, and auto?
- Do I need to hire maids for post-renovation cleaning, or do you handle the cleanup?
- Do you provide a warranty with your work?
- How soon can you finish the job?
Get At Least 3 Estimates
Ask the same questions of potential contractors and set the same expectations. Once you have the estimates, carefully compare proposals that include the same amount of preparation, materials, the scope of work, and all necessary documentation.
Pricing is a significant consideration in any painting project. Check that everything on the estimate is clear, and see if the contractor can break the numbers down. The labor cost, time frame, materials, paint, and travel should all be included in the estimate. Inquire about the indirect and direct costs. Indirect costs are those that are not directly related to your painting project. This includes overhead costs, utilities, rent, support staff salaries, etc. Clients forget to inquire about these costs and are surprised when the overall estimate is higher than expected. Direct costs, on the other hand, are the costs you typically consider when creating your budget: materials, paint, and labor. Overall, what you should look for in an estimate is a clear explanation of exactly what you are paying for and how long the project will take to complete.
Get a Contract
Check that the contract includes all of the contractor’s important information, such as name, address, office and cell phone numbers, license number, and any other details included in the estimate. The contract should make it clear what’s included and what’s not. In addition to the manufacturer’s warranty, most reputable painting companies provide a written guarantee to repair any chipping, peeling, blistering, flaking, excessive fading, or chalking that occurs within a certain number of weeks or months.
Hold Out
Once everything is agreed upon in the contract, a down payment of 15-20% should be made to the contractor. Do not make a large down payment and withhold the final payment until you are satisfied with the work.
Prepare for Painting
You’ve found the ideal candidate for your painting project; now what? Preparing for the painting job itself. Since you are paying your contractor primarily to paint and not to move your belongings, we recommend that you do the following:
Move Your Furniture
Ensure that no furniture is blocking the way of your painter. If you have plenty of space, relocate the furniture to another room. If not, placing it in the center of the room is also a good option. Remove all wall hangings and clocks to make it easier for your painter to paint the wall.
Remove Outlet Covers and Switch Plates
Outlet covers and switch plates are typically made of plastic; once stained, the paint will be hard to remove. You’ll probably end up buying a new one. Save some money by removing the outlet covers and switch plates, especially if they are the nicer, vintage types.
Clean Your Wall
You may overlook this one because you’ll be painting your walls anyway, but paint brings out any physical differences in a wall because paint sticks substances such as dust to the walls. Permanently. You don’t want the dust to stand out on walls that have just been painted, do you?
Secure the Pets
Accidents occur. You’re just waiting for the paint to dry when your cute little puppy rubs up against a fresh coat of paint. It is recommended that you secure your pets in a room or have one of your loved ones care for them for a few days while your home is being painted.
Make a Room
Painters will bring in everything they need and set up a shop to store their ladders, plastic sheets, paint, and other things. You can make their lives easier by giving them a place to store these things. They’ll thank you for it, and you’ll both save time.
Conclusion
Hiring a professional painter will save you the time and trouble of painting your walls, etc. Simply do your due diligence in researching whom to entrust this project to, and make sure to balance factors such as cost, schedule, and quality, and consider which is most important to you. Finally, to help future clients like you, remember to leave a review online for the painting company that helped you with your painting project. Leaving a positive review is just one way to express gratitude.
Contact us right away for a quick consultation. Call our Katy, Texas, painting company at (832) 224-3073 today. We would happily walk you through the process and provide home painting advice.
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