How To Hire A Commercial Painter: A Checklist

Hiring a commercial painter can be an intimidating prospect. If you approach it with knowledge, you’ll feel confident in your decisions. Before you start your search, here is how to hire a commercial painter, complete with a checklist of questions to consider before you sign on the dotted line.

Do they have a portfolio of past jobs?

Always ask your potential painter to show you images of their past projects. More than likely, a professional will be able to provide you images and potentially references for jobs that were similar to what you’re looking for. When you are provided the images, look for:

The edges and lines were colors meet to be even and clean.
Photos of employees working on a job. This ensures the picture isn’t just a stock image.
Before and after images, so you can see the differences and status change on the work.

What quality of products do they use?

Every painter is loyal to a couple of brands. This means that they are comfortable with their finished looks and stand by the product. Knowing the brand allows you to research the durability and flaws with that particular brand.

Is the scope of work well-defined?

When you receive your bid, you’ll want to make sure the exact details are all listed. If the repairs, preparation and painting are not all laid out, there could be misunderstandings between what you expect and what the crew provides. Look for items like the following on your estimate:

Information about the building like the type of exterior and surfaces to be included/excluded from the scope of work
Washing/cleaning
Priming, caulking and sanding
Repairs to wood and metal railings usually identified after power washing is done and based on time and materials
Number of coats of paint
What products to use
Crew size start and time needed to finish the job

Having this all placed on a document will allow you to account for all costs and makes ure you have no surprises down the road.

Will the painting contractor provide references?

In the age of online reviews, many people skip the step of seeking out references. While online reviews are a good place to start, you should also request references from your painter that you can ask questions of. Some items you might want to ask them include:

What kind of work did the painting contractor do for you? When was it done?
How did this project compare to others?
Was the project completed on time and on budget?
What did you like best about working with the company?
What would you change if you had to do it over again?
Would you hire this contractor again?
Do you feel comfortable working with the company?

More than likely, this is a large project to take on, and it’s really important for you to be comfortable with the provider you choose. Painting commercial spaces sometimes can take several days to weeks. Your contractor will be part of your day to day during this time so make sure it’s someone you can see yourself working with. You should consider your comfort level with each provider, including the following:

Do you feel comfortable with the scope of project and the process they propose?
Do you feel as though you are getting good value for the budget?
Can you easily communicate with the contractor?
How easily can you reach the contractor when you call/text/email?
When you assess each contractor against this checklist, you should be able to determine the one that stands out from the others.

If you’re in the market to find a commercial painter, we’d love to be considered. Schedule an estimate appointment with our team today.