What to Look for When Hiring a Painting Contractor
When it’s time to paint your home or business, you’re faced with a major decision: do it yourself or hire the pros? While DIY projects can be fulfilling and effective on a smaller scale, you’ll want to work with professional painters to get the best results in a timely manner. One of the benefits of living around Nashville, Brentwood, and Franklin, TN is that there is no shortage of painting companies to hire – of course, this abundance can also make it hard to choose a contractor. As with any major decision in life, it pays to take your time and do your research before making the final call.
Here are five things to look for before hiring a painting contractor for your home or business so you end up with the best outcome.
1. Strong Communication
The best painting projects rely on proper communication between all parties. If you aren’t kept in the loop throughout the project, all sorts of problems can arise, such as scheduling conflicts, the use of the wrong products, misunderstandings that set the project back several days, etc. The contractor you hire should be able and willing to answer your questions, let you know when they’ll show up and whether they’re running late, inform you of any problems or changes they discover during their work, and so on.
2. Range of Services
“Painting” is an umbrella term for a variety of skills and services. While most people can open a paint can and brush a surface, professionals know the ins and outs of different paint types and techniques, the necessary prep work to ensure optimal results, how to solve problems on the fly, and more. There are also key differences between interior and exterior painting as well as residential and commercial projects. Simply put, you want to work with a painting contractor that comes equipped with a broad base of knowledge and resources to provide the best service possible. The more they can do and the more they know, the more they’ll be able to meet your specific needs.
3. Years of Experience
Age isn’t everything, but the number of years a contractor has been in business does make a difference. Companies that have been around a while have not only proven their perseverance and stability – they’re also bound to have learned a thing or two along the way. So, even if a newer painting company has all the necessary qualifications, you might want to stick with a contractor that has a bit more experience under their belts. In addition to considering the company’s age, look into its credentials and specific experience as it relates to your needs. For instance, one contractor might primarily specialize in interior painting while another has plenty of experience with deck staining. Don’t be afraid to ask a given contractor about the previous jobs they’ve done to get a better sense of what they’re most familiar with.
4. Excellent Reviews
As long as you have internet access, you should always check out a painting company’s reputation online (if applicable). At this point, most residential and commercial painting contractors will have some sort of online presence, whether it’s just a website or they’re also on various social media platforms. Likewise, there are countles review sites tailored toward painting contractors where previous customers can sing their praises or air their concerns. Reading some of these reviews will give you important insights into a particular contractor before hiring them. Note that most companies will have at least some neutral and negative reviews and that the presence of only positive reviews is a bit suspicious. That said, you’ll want to prioritize painters that maintain a solid track record overall and who come recommended by a majority of people who have worked with them before.
5. Fair, Transparent Pricing
Cost is always a consideration when hiring painting contractors. And while we all want to save money in any way we can, going with the cheapest option can yield poor results that end up costing more in the long run. Of course, you don’t want to feel cheated, either. As such, it’s worth doing some research of your own before even receiving your first quote. If you need your door painted, for instance, look up the average cost to refinish a front door in your area and try to determine what such a project should run you. From there, gather quotes from more than one painter in your area and compare them to the figure you came up with. If the price seems far too low or high, this is a red flag. But even if a contractor is charging more than you initially expected, it’s worth asking them why they came up with the figure they did. The best painting contractors are open and honest about their pricing.
Looking for a Reliable Painting Contractor Near You?
Even if you’re eager to paint your property, don’t be too hasty when selecting a contractor. You’ll thank yourself for making sure the company you hire is communicative, knowledgeable, experienced, reputable, and fair when it comes to pricing. If you’d like to save yourself some time, however, know that Nash Painting meets all of these requirements and more. You don’t have to take our word for it, either – click here to read some of our glowing testimonials.
To learn more about us, our services, and our values, call us at 615-829-6858 today!