What should you look for when hiring a house painter in Alexandria, VA?
We’ve all heard horror stories about bad handymen, cowboy builders and rip off merchants. If you’ve got some house painting that needs doing, for example, how do you know you’re making the right decision when it comes to the contractor? You want to be careful about the person you hire – not just because of the quality of the work that they’ll do, but price, and safety – how do you feel about having this person on your property?
Here are some tips to help you select the right person for the job:
The Quote
Any contractor who wants to take on your painting work should be able to provide a free, no-obligation quote. It’s not unusual for contractors to take measurements, or sometimes even take pictures for reference when putting your quote together. If you’ve got any questions about their methods, it’s best to ask at this point. Are they going to include doorways? How are windows going to be handled? Are they going to bring their own ladders? Have they got the right kind of insurance? Will they need somewhere to leave brushes and rollers overnight? Do they need to prepare the surfaces before painting? What happens if there’s any damage to your home? How long do they think the job will take?
References & Recommendations
If they’re a member of some sort of trade or professional association, you might want to check it out. The best advertising is always going to be word of mouth, of course, so it’s worth asking around friends and family to see if they’ve had any painting done recently, and if they’d recommend the painter – or tell you to avoid them.
First impressions
This is a fairly important factor. If you’re going to have someone painting your home (or indeed doing any job), make sure you’re comfortable having them around! If you think that they’re the sort of person to be peering in a window, or rifling through your underwear drawer, they’re probably not the right kind of contractor.
Price and billing
Are you happy that the price quoted isn’t either too high, or too low? Have they included their painting materials as part of the quote? If they’ve quoted you per day, have they given an indication of how long they thing the painting job will take? Remember that too quick is as bad as too long – second coats mightn’t want to be applied during the same day. If you’re not happy with their work, how will you negotiate further work being done? I’d be extremely uncomfortable with anyone asking for any kind of money up front for materials – if they can’t afford these things in the first place it may mean that they’re not very well established.
Materials
First off, be clear as to whether you’re expecting them to provide paint etc, or if you’ve already got it picked out. Will they be using an undercoat? Are they using a well-known (and reliable) brand?
With a bit of thought and planning, a bit of care and careful questioning, getting your painting Alexandria VA job done should be easy!