If there is one thing that you want to be assured of when employing a painting contractor is that you are getting the proper value for your investment. While a contractor may carry you away with an extremely small proposal, that same contractor may possibly also blow you away with a poorly finished paint job. To be assured that you are receiving work that is done appropriately, take into account the following items when hiring a painting contractor.
What is Included in the contractor?
When you are considering proposals and you notice that most come in around the same price except for one you ought to be on lookout of what you will acquire for the money. Resources such as paint, equipment and workers don’t fluctuate that much and if you possess a contractor offering you a ridiculously cheap value you have to doubt where they are saving money. What corners are they going to cut in order to still make a profit from painting your house? The old motto you get what you pay for is incredibly true when it comes to house painting.
Insurance
A painting contractor who proposes a task unusally small may not be carrying sufficient insurance for your home and their personnel. These insurance premiums do not come cheap due to the fact is, this is a high stake career. Too frequently contractors will skimp on insurance and leave the people holding the bag. You might potentially be liable for an harmed worker and repairs for a poorly completed work. If you do consider a low proposal of a contractor, make sure you ensure the validity of their insurance.
Workers
It is also significant to know who is going to be in your home working. A cheap proposal may perhaps also mean cheap workers. If the contractor is underbidding everyone else, they can’t afford to pay professional labor. This can be day laborers or illegal immigrants. These type of workers are often not covered by workmans comp, which again leaves you paying the bill should they become harmed.
Warranty
As with most things you pay for, you need to make certain that there is a warranty of some sort in place. If the contractor is estimating on the low side, you must question what type of warranty they offer for their job. Keep in mind that offers that are ridiculously small are probably just barely covering the cost to the contractor to do the job the first time. This means if they have to come back and fix anything, they are going to do it in a rush or not do it at all.
This brings us to the next warranty issue, how much of a warranty do they offer? The customary standard is five years for a painting contractor warranty and if they’re offering this, have you studied the fine print. Don’t take anything for granted, especially when using the services of a painting contractor. What you think is an average warranty may possibly be full of loop holes for the contractor to squirm through.
Length of Time In Business
Not that a contractor that has simply been in industry for a year is not as good as the contractor that has been doing this for 10 years… but you want to check the length of time they have been in business. Sometimes it can be a sign of a contractor that moves around a lot in an attempt to avoid honoring warranties. The recommendation is to only hire contractors that have been in the region for about 10 years. Ten years gives contractors adequate time to establish a popularity and supply you a list of clients that were satisfied to contact. A good contractor should be able to offer you about 25 ndividuals to contact. That is if they work full time.
The Real Cost
Yes, the offer may appear to be small, but that does not necessarily mean that is all the project is going to price you. Some contractors expect an upfront deposit, however, keep in mind that this is not a normal practice and if they are asking for one you ought to be wary. Most frequently the deposit is asked for to help the contractor buy the materials that are needed to do the job. The contractor must have the money to buy the materials they need to do the work. There is also the risk that the contractor might take the deposit and disappear.
Conclusion
You can save a lot of time and expense by hiring a house painting company, so that your home is looking incredible in less time than if you did it yourself. Be careful though not to hire a painting contractor just because they are bidding you a ridiculously small bid. This is your home, and poorly made paint job might be something you have to live with for a pretty long time.
Nicky Taylor is President of HFC Painting Inc. His Smyrna painting contractor service is 5 star rated. Nicky has owned his painting contractor Kennesaw service and home improvement company for over 28 years as well, serving all North Atlanta area. He contributes his wisdom on exterior or interior painting and other home improvement