A Residential Painter - 5 Ways to Contract Peace of Mind

Have you ever tackled painting any room in your house only to find you had bitten off more than you could chew? I certainly have, and I quickly discovered I should have hired a residential painter to complete the job.

I learned the hard way it's not enough to just slap a few coats of paint on my walls. A reputable residential painting contractor can help you decide paint color, type, techniques and other necessary materials.

Don't hire the cheapest contractor on the market either. Your home is probably your most valuable asset, so you don't want to pay someone to do a cheap job.

So what should you look for when hiring a residential painter?

Cost- Ask them for a free estimate in writing. This will go a long way to help avoid costly over-budget hidden expenditures. Some contractors require a deposit paid in advance. This practice usually indicates the contractor is not able to afford to buy the supplies necessary for the job a head of time. This may be the case for a small time neighborhood handyman, in which case it's fairly safe to advance him the money, but this should never be required with a regular licensed and bonded paint contracting company.

Insurance, licensing and bonding- These are extremely important things to have when hiring a contractor. Especially because accidents happen and if one occurs on your property, you could very possibly be liable for any medical expenses on behalf of the contractor or his helpers. Bonding also is important in case anything is stolen from your property. All of these three items protect both the contractor and you.

Contracts- Before signing a paper contract read it carefully and ask questions if you don't understand something in it. It's important to know up front just exactly what you're getting yourself into and what to expect.

Guarantee- Does this particular residential painter have a guarantee on his work? If not, don't hire him. A painting warranty usually is good for about five years. This is the norm in the contracting industry. Make sure you know what the warranty exactly covers.

Testimonials- Just how long have they been in business and can they provide a list of satisfied customers? It's true everyone has to start somewhere but just make sure you can see or hear a few testimonials from where he has painted previously. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau for an approval rating.

You may think it's an easy thing to hire a residential painting contractor, but you may be wrong. Don't be misled. Gather your courage and ask any and all questions your mind can come up with. You won't want to be sorry later for not having done so. Do your homework beforehand because you certainly don't want to have it redone, or worse, live with it if you are unhappy with the finished product.