Questions to Ask When Hiring a House Painter

Painting can be a costly and time-consuming activity to undertake. Some projects can be completed on your own, but for larger or more complex jobs such as painting garage doors, brick, or shutters it’s advised that you hire a professional painter.

On its own, hiring a painter is a process that eats up a lot of time. Typically, this is because you want to ensure that your time and money are well spent on the project.

It’s vital to ensure you hire the most qualified painter possible, and what better way to do so than through an interview?

This article aims to guide you through a set of Questions to Ask When Hiring a House Painter.

Questions to Ask When Hiring a House Painter:

You have to interview yourself first. It sounds funny, but it is the first step to coming up with questions to ask the painter you are planning to hire.

1. What is my working budget?

Painting can be costly depending on the type of paint job you want and the area of your painted surface, and staying with your budget is a difficult task for many.

Painters differ in experience and working terms. Some painters may ask for a higher price, while others may settle for a lower one for the same job.

Self-hired painters may charge more or less depending on their expertise. However, working with a company may be cheaper or more expensive, depending on the crew and type of paint job.

Cheap painters may use inexpensive materials and paint, giving you a bad paint job.

Top Tip: You need to consider all these when looking for your painter, and it is advisable to gather multiple quotes to get the best painter.

2.  How soon do I want the job completed?

Ask yourself this question to determine whether you’ll hire a company or a painter with a crew.

Some painters charge per hour while some charge per day, so the length of time taken to paint should be noted.

3. What is the work involved?

You need to know if you’ll require some skills like carpentry or masonry for the paint job.

You will hire a painter with the qualifications that meet your needs instead of hiring separate people for the job.

Some repairs might be needed when prepping the surfaces for painting.

4. Have I made the necessary preparations?

It is ideal to empty the areas that will need painting so that your items aren’t damaged.

Keep in Mind: A painter will not know what you deem as valuable, so always move your items out of the way to prevent any damages!

You can cut down on costs for surface preparations by doing what you can by yourself. For instance, if you want your driveway painted, you can go ahead and remove any stones or leaves around it and even pluck any growing plants on it.

Now that you have all these questions down, you can go ahead and look for your potential painter. Below we will guide you through questions to ask when hiring a house painter.

Questions to Ask When Hiring a House Painter: The Painter 

1. Do you provide a free estimate?

Seek a written estimate from each contractor.

Your estimate should include concise breakdowns of material cost, coats of primer and paint needing to be applied, labor costs, the brands of paints, and a clear description of what surface preparation is required.

A free estimate will give you an overview of the type of materials and work applications they’ll use when working on your home. Check the references and past work.

Remember: Get your painter to include the time for the job in the quote, as well as how long it will take before they begin.

2. Can I check your credentials?

You need to ensure that the painter you are working with has the necessary qualifications for the job. It also goes for the crew the painter is working with.

Most companies don’t budget for crew training and hire a qualified painter instead. Regular training is needed for a perfect job.

You should also find out whether the crew is from a sub-company of the company itself. A sub-company may have different terms and warranties than the parent company.

A company with a trained crew promises a good job and good working terms for the painters. Ask for an employee description so that you know whom you’re working with.

3. Does your crew have safety training?

Painting necessitates various chemicals and tools that may require proper handling.

Even with insurance, you need to be assured that the crew has proper training on handling accidents and incidents such as fires.

Unsafe practices can also damage your property, and you need to be sure that won’t happen.

Ask for the policy manual and ensure it includes a safety policy, or ask for proof of safety training for the team or the painter themself.

4. Can I see a list of references?

A good painter has had some experience in the profession. If the painter is working with a company that has a website, look up customer reviews to get a rough idea of their work, this will allow you to determine how experienced they are and how frequently they get hired.

With a reference list, ask the homeowners about the quality of the job the painters did and whether they were satisfied.

Bear in Mind: A professional painter would be glad to show you a record of their references and previous jobs.

5. What materials do you use?

The final paint job is determined by the quality and type of materials the painter chooses to work with. Before you hire a painter, you should find out what kind of materials they will be using.

Inquire about the various materials and tools they intend to use, and then observe how they choose to employ them.

Key Insight: You can also change your mind about some of the materials used and express your thoughts on them.

If they intend to use power tools, inquire as to the type of power outlet they will be using so that you can determine whether it is compatible with the one in your home. You’ll also want to know whether any of the tools will make a lot of noise so that you can alert your neighbors ahead of time.

Some materials necessitate proper disposal, and you should inquire whether or not they offer to handle the removal themselves. If this is not the case, seek advice on the appropriate storage or disposal of the materials in question.

Request a written copy of the material list and a price for each material, which should be compared to the final price. You can then calculate their labor costs and decide whether or not it is worthwhile to pay for their services.

6. What kind of painting prepping do you do?

Inquire with the painter about the preparation work they perform before a job. If they can do a good job and do it at a reasonable price, they should not need further help from outside professionals.

Concrete painting may necessitate using different preparation work, such as pressure washing. Inquire as to whether they provide such services for your convenience.

Some painting projects may necessitate carpentry services, particularly if you need to replace existing pieces. Check to see if this is something they are capable of doing.

7. Do you offer a workmanship warranty?

For an activity as delicate and expensive as a paint job, you need the painter’s assurance in the form of a guarantee or a warranty.

Lookout For: You should flag the long warranty periods, such as 10-20 years, because the company may not even be in existence then.

Look for:

• A labor and material warranty ensures that you will receive free service if something goes wrong with your paint job.
• A short-term warranty of approximately 1-2 years is standard and realistic in this industry.
• A written warranty will be available for both parties to use as a reference.
• Examine the warranty exclusions to determine what is not covered by the painter’s guarantee.
• After making a warranty call, the procedure is to be followed to determine how long you will have to wait before being attended to.

Some warranties cover only part of the job, and you also need to check this and know the percent coverage for both parties. They should cover more than you do.

8. Is my home safe in your hands?

The painter should be respectful of your home, and they should inform you of where they will be and what materials they will be employing.

There have been numerous cases where customers’ homes have been burglarized, with homeowners being injured as a result. The majority of such occurrences can be avoided by thoroughly checking the painter’s credentials.

If they are working as part of a team, it is crucial to know whether they conduct criminal background checks. When it comes to a device with a history of addiction, you can request a switch or ask for measures to be put in place to prevent temptation.

If you notice any suspicious activity during the painting activity, you should contact the authorities immediately and avoid taking any chances.

9. Are you going to be part of the project?

A project developer can provide the majority of quotations. They assure you that a good and proper paint job will be done, but they will leave the rest up to the crew.

Please consult the painting company about whether the painting crew will be under their supervision following the contract or whether the company can guide the staff.

Any changes must be communicated to the owner and project manager in advance of the changes during the job.

Establish a proper project management system to ensure that everything runs smoothly. It will serve as a guide for employee check-ins and material utilization.

10. How long have you been a qualified painter?

Your house will remain painted for an extended period, but the painters will be long gone. Their experience determines whether or not they are qualified for a position, and you can see this in their certification.

If you are working with a crew, find out their areas of expertise and their previous work experience. One man can undo everything that everyone else has done perfectly.

Don’t Forget: A simple Google search can show you reviews, and the greater the number of reviews, the greater the number of paint jobs they have completed.

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