Everyone has heard at least a few horror stories from people who have had unfortunate run-ins with local house painters. For every exceptional service, there will always be the chance of finding some less-than-stellar local painting contractors. To help you choose the right local house painters that will help your home reach its full potential, keep these 5 tips in mind.
Table of Contents
- Ask For a Recommendation or Referral
- Read The Reviews and Examine Their Portfolio
- Check for Licensing & Insurance Coverage
- Find Out What Materials Are Used & Their Painting Process
- Look For Experience & Employees
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Looking For House Painters Near O’Fallon? Contact HBP Painting Contractors
Ask For a Recommendation or Referral
Often the best way to find local painters is through the recommendation of friends and personal connections. They will normally point you in the direction of the best, most reputable service in the area.
Discussing with someone who has on-hand personal experience with a local painting contractor will give you greater insight than any number of reviews possibly could. You can ask specific questions and an honest evaluation of their work, and ask if they would use them again in the future. If not, it may be best to look elsewhere.
If no one has had any work done in the past few years, don’t worry, you can still fall back on the following tips!
Read The Reviews and Examine Their Portfolio
Reviews are always a fantastic resource when evaluating your options. Reading the opinions of others who have already used the services of your potential painter is invaluable in casting your own judgment. It is usually most revealing in terms of their customer serviceability, and will reveal any glaring issues with the company – people often only review when they have had either an exceptional experience or an awful one.
You should also look at examples of the local painters’ past work to see the quality they provide: most companies will have some type of online portfolio for this exact reason. If there are dozens of impressive examples on show, it is likely that they maintain a high standard throughout their work.
Check for Licensing & Insurance Coverage
If things go awry, you may kick yourself for ignoring this one! This is vitally important in protecting both yourself and the painting contractor. If anything is damaged, or any accidents occur, general business liability insurance and worker’s compensation policies will cover you.
Some states do not require a license to operate, like Illinois, while others, like Missouri, do. Though it is not always a requirement, it is generally a good idea to choose a local painting company with a license, as they tend to be more reputable. If the company belongs to an association that guarantees quality standards are kept, like the Painting Contractors Association (PCA), they are also more likely to be trustworthy.
Find Out What Materials Are Used & Their Painting Process
No matter how skilled a painter is if the materials are not up to par the finished work will be of inferior quality. A professional, reputable outfit will not cut corners with materials to increase its profits. Their equipment will be exactly what is required to complete the job to a high standard and, most importantly, the paint will be high-quality.
You should find out how they conduct their work, paying particular attention to the time dedicated to preparation. Any contractors that skip lightly over prep are unlikely to finish the job to a satisfactory standard. It is worth asking if the painter offers a satisfaction guarantee to give yourself that extra peace of mind.
Look For Experience & Employees
With subcontractors, there are no guarantees. They may do a phenomenal job, be pleasant to work with and be experts in their craft. But equally, they could do and be the opposite. When you choose a company of local house painters with employees, you will know that they have been trained, vetted, and will hold to the standards of that company.
Ideally, you will want to employ the services of a painting company that is well-established in the local community, with years of experience behind them. Companies that have a name and reputation to uphold will go to great lengths to ensure that their employees reflect their values and standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Choose a Good House Painter?
Good local house painters and local painting contractors should have:
- Great reviews
- An impressive portfolio
- Proper licenses and insurance coverage
- A proven painting process
- High-quality materials
- Employees rather than subcontractors
A good house painter will have a mixture of all these traits. Even more so, a friendly and courteous attitude that will immediately put customers at ease.
What Questions Should You Ask a House Painter?
Asking about insurance, materials, and experience is a fantastic place to start. You may also want to inquire about the expected length of time and hours required for the job. As well as any potential prep work that will need to be completed, and, of course, the price!
Getting a written contract defining the scope and payment for the job will protect you if any discrepancies arise.
What Is a Reasonable Down Payment For a Contractor?
According to Angi.com, the typical down payment for a professional house painter is somewhere between 20% and 30%.
While the total price of the job may change according to the scope of the work, the percentage taken for a down payment will usually remain the same. It may increase if the work is particularly unique, or requires niche materials to buy in advance.
Looking For House Painters Near O’Fallon?
Contact HBP Painting Contractors
If you’re located in O’Fallon or the surrounding area, you can request the services of local painting contractors that are both reliable and reputable at an established local painting company.
HBP Painting Contractors is a family-run painting company near O’Fallon, Missouri. They have been serving the local community for over 30 years – the Hartrum family has been in the painting business for five generations – and have honed their skills and customer experience to an outstanding level.
The entire painting process gives its due diligence before any work has even started. HBP Painting Contractor’s team of experts will communicate with you through every stage of the work. We will listen to your input and carefully enact your customized requests.
HBP also uses the mantra of “Prep. Paint. Repeat.” to highlight the importance of preparation in the painting process. To achieve a quality finish, the team follows a 6-step process. The process includes analyzing the space and plan, preparing the surface for painting with a thorough clean, and repairing cracks or damage that may have appeared.
The high-quality, professional workmanship of the team is matched by the quality of the materials they use. HBP Painting Contractors use only the finest paints from Sherwin Williams in their work, to ensure the final result will be perfect. You can look to the glowing customer reviews for an outside opinion, or evaluate their work yourself in their gallery.
If you’re unsure or concerned about the potential cost, contact HBP Painting Contractors for a free consultation and estimate, so you can find out if our service is right for you, risk-free.
