FINDING A GOOD PAINTER IN OHIO

SO YOU HAVE DECIDED THAT IT IS TIME TO BRING IN A PROFESSIONAL TO PAINT YOUR HOME. WHETHER YOU ARE DOING THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THERE ARE MANY THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN MAKING THIS IMPORTANT DECISION.

If you want to know how not to get ripped off then you need to get this free report from Columbus House Painters and find out the do’s and don’ts to this entire process. Be prepared with Columbus House Painters News for what to do and what not to do. Go get your free report from the leading information guide online at Columbus House Painters right now so you can learn to be safer with your home and your money.

 

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR IN A GOOD PAINTER:

 

1. Check to make sure that they have a contractor’s license.

2. Be sure they have two or more references.

3. Find out how experienced they are.

4. Get at least one other bidfor the job to make sure they are not totally ripping you off.

5. Find one that will give you the pricing over the phone.

6. Find out the flat rate estimate beforehand.

 

The best place to start looking for a painter is your family and friends. Other people that could tell you where to find a good painter are contractors, real estate agents, or your local paint supply store. And you may be able to find painters in your area if your city provides a list of recommended painters. When you ask people if they know of a painter, check to see what type of job the painter did for them. And see if the painter does houses or commercial work.

 

WHAT YOU SHOULD ASK:

 

Does the painter provide quality work?

 

Because everyone has their own idea of quality, check out their house and see for yourself if it’s good. Look at how well they did on the trim, windows, and around doors. Did they apply caulking in straight lines? And the surface preparation needs to be good, whether it’s inside or out.

 

Was the painting contractor good at protecting the areas that weren’t painted?

Concrete, roofing, and plantings are what this includes for the exterior. And for the interior, protecting furniture and the floor is very important. If you don’t like the quality of work they have for one job, then they’ll probably have the same quality if you hire them. You shouldn’t have to clean up after your painter because it’ll only cost you time, money, and frustration.

 

Did their demeanor please you?

This is important to know. You want your dealings with them to be as stress free as possible. Enjoying their job helps too.   This should be the first question you ask. If they aren’t any of these, then don’t hire them.

 

Is a warranty included?

 

If they do include a warranty, then make sure it doesn’t expire before 3 years. You can’t just go by their word on this. Get it in writing and understand its limitations! A good painter is happy to stand behind his warranty. A good painter should know what they can do and use quality materials. They should offer a warranty.

 

HIRING A PAINTER

Think about the last time you bought a car. Chances are you didn’t go to the yellow pages, choose a dealership at random, and buy your car from the first lot you visited. People often do this to find a painter – they look them up in the phonebook and choose the first one listed. Like when you buy a car, you need to research and compare prices though.

 

QUESTION

 

WHAT PREPARATION IS DONE FOR THE SURFACE?

Prepping the job right results in a good paint job that lasts longer. Make sure they have a plan for sanding, scraping, and washing the surface.

 

DO THEY USE PRIMER BEFORE CAULKING AND PAINTING THE SURFACE?

All bare surfaces require a primer. Surfaces that have been painted before usually don’t need a primer.

 

WHAT AREAS ARE THEY PLANNING TO CAULK?

Make sure they use quality paint that doesn’t need to be really expensive, but it shouldn’t be really cheap either. Make sure the painter can explain the benefits of the paint they are recommending and ask for documentation of any manufacturer’s warranty info and product data.

 

FIND OUT HOW MUCH THEY’LL CHARGE

Ask them to check out the job and get a quote from them in writing. And make sure the quote states how long the job will take. It sucks to try and live in a house that is covered with drape cloths. The same things should be specified in the quotes, like the areas to be painted, the number of coats, etc.

 

Execute A CONTRACT

EXECUTE a contract specifying the work to be done, total cost, payment schedule, start date and estimated completion date. Make sure the contract includes the paint brands and colors to be used in each location, as well as the number of coats. Make sure the contract specifies that the painter is responsible for cleanu and the removal of paint from all surfaces (windows, floors).

 

LOOK FOR THESE THINGS FOR A GOOD PAINTER

There are plenty of things that can make a professional painter better then others.

 

1. NEED INSURANCE — The prospective painter need to be insured with workers’ compensation and liability insurance. You need to look  at a copy of their insurance policy.

 

2. CHECK WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU — Ask the local better business bureau to figure out if anyone has filed a complaint against your prospective contractor.

 

3. Also check out the website www.angieslist.com to see what others say about this person. They’re probably pretty good if they have positive reviews on angies list.

 

STEPS TO SAFETY

It’s possible for accidents to happen with any home improvement project. So that injury and property damage are avoided, ask them what safety precautions they take. A good, experienced painter won’t mind these questions.   Their attention to detail should be present while working.

 

THEY SHOULD CLEAN UP AFTER THEMSELVES

Ask them how they plan on leaving the job when it’s done. You don’t want to be cleaning u after a painter for hours after they’ve left your home.   Also, ask about disruption during the project.

 

QUICK TIPS *****”’

 

* SMALL business painters will be much more affordable because their overhead is lower.

 

* If it’s a big job, ask a number of painters and discard the cheapest and most expensive options. The cheapest probably didn’t estimate right and will charge more and the more expensive are probably too busy anyway.