Painting your home is one of the most popular and affordable remodeling projects. People often divide their homes into sections and paint one section each year. Some people do the entire interior or exterior at once, which makes it a bigger project. No matter which style works best for you, you will want to hire a professional company to help.
A painting company should send a professional to your home to see the size and scope of the job so that the company can provide you with a written estimate. While he or she is at your house, you have an opportunity to interview this person to make sure that the company is a good fit. Read on to learn the four key questions you should ask.
- Ask for References
Any painting company should be able to provide you with a list of references upon request. This list should include customers whose homes the company painted recently, and you will want to call the references to verify that the company did a great job. If they are unwilling or unable to provide you with this list, you should find another painting contractor. By the same token, make sure that they give you more than one or two references. This is your opportunity to make sure that the company is professional and does quality work before you are committed.
- Ask for a Written Contract
Once the company comes up with a price, it should be in the form of a written contract. It should include the total cost as well as any terms for payment. You should not ever pay for more than 50% of the job before work begins. Ask questions about what is included. You will want to know if the price includes prep-work or moving your furniture. You should also include whether they offer a warranty on the work. If you get everything in writing, you won’t have any surprises.
- Ask If They Have Insurance
It is very important that your painting company has insurance. They should have no trouble showing you a copy of the policy. The company should have General Liability Insurance as well as Workman’s Compensation. This way, any damage they might do is covered, and if any of the painters in your home are injured on the job, their insurance will cover it. Otherwise, you could be held liable for it.
- Ask How Long It Will Take and How Many Painters Will Be There
You will want to know how long they expect the job to take and how many painters will be in your home. This will be an estimate because weather and other unexpected issues can interfere with the best of intentions. However, you will want to get an estimate for how much time it should take. It is also important to know how many people they plan to send into your home so that you know what to expect.