Not every home improvement job can be done by DIYers. For example, electrical work, HVAC repair, and bathroom remodeling require more expertise than most people. There are other jobs that, at first glance, seem like a walk in the park in comparison. Painting is one.
After all, what could be simpler than throwing some paint on a wall?
But the truth is a quality paint job that looks great is more complicated to achieve than most might think. And like most homeowners who tackle the job themselves can attest, it’s often better to hire local painting contractors to handle the challenging work.
This guide tells you what you need to know about working with professional painters.
In it, we’ll cover what working with a quality contractor looks like, how to find the right one, what you can expect regarding costs, and more.
Table of Contents
- What Is a Local Painting Contractor?
- Can’t I Just Do the Job Myself?
- What Can I Expect from Professional Painters?
- What Should I Look for When Hiring a Painting Contractor?
- How Do I Know If I’m Getting a Fair Price?
- What Is the Average Price for Interior Painting?
- How Much Does It Cost to Paint a 12X12 Room?
- What Is the Average Price for Exterior Painting?
- Where Do I Find the Best Painting Contractors Near St. Charles?
What Is a Local Painting Contractor?
Simply put, painting contractors are professional painters that businesses, homeowners, or general contractors hire to complete a painting job.
But a local painting contractor isn’t just a painter with some tools and a van. They run a legitimate business, often licensed and registered with the state. They may have several employees, or they could be a sole proprietorship. And they might get the bulk of their clients from sub-contracting for others or through their marketing efforts.
Above all, a trustworthy local painting contractor has the skills, tools, and experience to do the job better than the average person.
They may even offer services like staining, wallpapering, and wall repair.
Some local painting contractors may specialize in residential or commercial painting, while others may have the skillsets for nearly any type of job.
Can’t I Do the Job Myself?
You certainly can!
But once you jump in, you may wish you hadn’t.
Here are a few things to consider before tackling your interior or exterior painting job yourself.
- Do You Have the Time? – Painting a home’s exterior can take a crew of three about a week to finish. That translates to about 120 man-hours. If you are committed to taking the DIY route, be sure you’re ready to spend plenty of weekends and evenings getting the job done.
- Do You Have the Eye? – Local painting contractors will also help you determine which colors will look great and which will fall flat. They’ll also be able to recommend which sheen best fits the space.
- Do You Have the Knowledge? – Many first-time home painters discover only too late that they’ve made many errors along the way. And the result is a splotchy, uneven mess. A painting contractor has the knowledge and experience to avoid those errors entirely.
- Do You Have the Tools? – Of course, there’s plenty of skill involved in professional painting. But a local painting contractor will also have access to specialized tools that make the job go faster and ensure a higher quality end product. Tools like paint spray guns, edge painters, high-capacity rollers, and more.
What Can I Expect from Professional Painters?
After you’ve found the right contractor to partner with, it’s time to get to work.
Here’s what you can expect from quality professional painters along the way.
1. Planning
Whether you’re giving your home’s entire exterior a fresh new color or you’re just looking for an expertly painted accent wall, every project needs a plan first.
The best local painting contractors in St. Charles will meet with you to better understand the environment, discuss your goals, and even offer recommendations based on the latest trends.
Once that’s done, they’ll draw up a contract to finalize all the details.
2. Preparation
Next up is the preparation stage.
There’s a lot more to a properly prepared environment than most people may think. Cleaning, sanding, taping and covering furniture must occur before paint touches a wall.
Have a look below to get a better idea of what’s involved.
Quality local painting contractors can handle all that (and more).
3. Repairing
Painting over surfaces with dents, divots, and holes leads to a problematic and uneven finish.
The best professional painters can repair your surfaces to ensure the best possible results.
4. Painting
Skill isn’t the only thing needed for a picture-perfect job well done. You also need the best materials in the industry.
For many top local painting contractors near St. Charles, that means using only Sherwin-Williams paints and equipment.
5. Approval
After the project is finished, the contractor and his/her team will ensure the job is done to your exact specifications.
They’ll likely do a walkthrough with you and fix any outstanding issues before moving on.
6. Cleanup
Last but not least, your painting contractors will clean up the workspace and leave your home or office looking just like it did before the project began.
Ensure this is included in your quote, as some contractors will take off before this essential step is done!
What Should I Look for When Hiring a Painting Contractor?
Now that you know what to expect from the process, it’s time to find the right local painting contractors to work on your project.
However, not all contractors were made equal. So, how can you weed out the trustworthy ones – particularly for commercial painting needs?
Try to find contractors with the qualities below to ensure you’re only working with the best of the best.
- Experience – Try to find a contractor with 5+ years at least.
- Expertise – Don’t forget to ask if they have experience with your specific project type (interior, exterior, cabinetry, etc.).
- Reputation – Check Google, Facebook, and Better Business Bureau ratings.
- Licensed – Ensure they’re properly licensed and carry insurance (liability and worker’s comp).
- Affordable – Research what kinds of prices make sense and which are over-inflated.
- Offer a Guarantee – Look for contractors that back up their work with satisfaction or quality guarantees.
- Employer, Not Sub-Contractor – Painters that use legitimate employees have more control over the quality of the work.
For more on what to look for when hiring a painting company near you, check out our comprehensive guide.
How Do I Know If I’m Getting a Fair Price?
Before you sign that contract, let’s talk money.
When working with contractors, it can be challenging to know whether you’re getting a fair deal or being taken advantage of.
The sections below will help you better understand a reasonable price for your project.
What Is the Average Price for Interior Painting?
HomeAdvisor says the average price for interior painting is about $3.50 per square foot.
It’s worth noting that this will vary among contractors—usually from about $2 to $6 per square foot.
Other factors that may come into play for your quote could be:
- Quality of the paint being used
- How extensive preparation needs to be
- Whether surfaces need to be repaired or replaced entirely
For a 2,300-square-foot home (the national average), you can expect to pay around $4,600 to $13,800.
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a 12X12 Room?
Since the average cost for interior painting is about $3.50 per square foot, you can expect to pay about $500 to paint a 12X12 room ($3.50 X 144 square feet).
But don’t forget—prices vary among contractors. And since the range of most interior projects is between $2 to $6, you may pay anywhere from $288 to $864 on average.
How Much Does It Cost To Paint The Interior of a Home?
What Is the Average Price for Exterior Painting?
Home exterior painting is more affordable than interior painting at $0.50 to $3.50 per square foot.
This boils down to an average of $3,048, with a typical range of $1,777 to $4,321.
But like interior painting, your quote will depend on a few factors, including:
- Material type
- Material condition (in need of repairs?)
- Building height
- Regional cost of living differences
Request a fair price from HBP Painting Contractors today. We offer free in-home consultations and estimates.
Where Do I Find the Best Painting Contractors Near St. Charles?
Working with a local painting contractor can make finishing your painting project a breeze. Plus, you’ll be left with a great paint job, won’t leave your home a mess, and will last longer than if you did the job yourself.
However, finding painting contractors near St. Charles can be challenging if you don’t know where to look.
That’s where HBP Painting Contractors comes in. We’ve been trusted St. Louis painting contractors for over 40 years!
The local painting contractors at HBP have been providing quality painting services to the St. Charles area for over three decades.
Our paint technicians are skilled, experienced, and never subcontracted (all HBP employees). Each project is outlined from start to finish using our 6-step painting process, and we use only the highest quality Sherwin-Williams products.
Our dedication to quality workmanship and exceptional service is what’s helped us earn 5 out of 5 stars on Google, Facebook, and the Better Business Bureau.
So if you’re looking for 5-star professionals to do the job right the first time, we’d love to help.
Get in touch today for your free consultation and estimate.
