Harrisburg Painters: 4 things to know before hiring

With summer looming, your home might be in need of some love. Hiring painters can be intimidating and stressful. Paint is made to last about 10 years, meaning you’ll need to update it every decade or so. We talked to our Harrisburg painters to learn 4 things to know before hiring painters. Here they are.

1. Should You Do it Yourself or Hire a Pro?

Painting seems fairly easy, so why hire someone? Large painting project like an exterior can be cumbersome and tedious very quickly. Besides the time it takes to paint, you could need a fair amount of tools and paint. For an exterior job, you could be looking at a cart full of items to complete the job. There are several reasons hiring a pro could be right.

Time Savings

Saving some cash by doing the work yourself can be really tempting. Keep in mind that a professional crew provides several painters for a few days to paint even a smaller sized home. That’s several sets of dedicated hands working full days, for several days. Painting your home yourself can take you a good deal of time to get done, especially if you have other obligations at the same time.

Safety

Being a painter means spending a good amount of time on roofs, ladders and scaffolding set ups. While a majority of painting is safe and done on the ground, there are some hard to reach places that can cause even the pros to cringe. With experience comes knowledge of how to remain safe while working in precarious positions.

Quality

Putting paint on a wall is fine and good, but getting a professional looking result that lasts and protects your home is a bit more complicated. Preparation and painting techniques make all the difference. Experimenting while working on your home probably won’t turn out the best results. You could end up spending more time and frustration on the project. Paint is the first line of defense against weather and critters. Do you really want that responsibility?

Speed

Bringing the pros in to help with your painting means a crew will arrive to work. Most companies will not send you less than a handful of painters to complete an exterior painting. Taking on the job yourself means a couple weeks or a month of weekends and evenings moonlighting as a painter. Instead, bring in a crew to get the work done much more quickly.

2. What You Need to do to Prepare for Professional Painting

There are necessary chores to be done before the painting starts. Some companies include preparation in the job, others will make it an additional service for more costs. There is no standard expectation across the industry. This can be an area where you can contribute work to reduce the costs of work.

Move Furniture

Painters will usually cover your furniture with plastic sheeting, but it can get in the way and accidents do happen. For the safest option, moving the furniture from the room. Getting furniture from the room will allow for easy working. Remove wall hangings and extra furniture to save you on the bottom line.

Outlets and Switch Plates

This is a little step that can trip up a crew. Taping plate covers costs time and energy in painting a room. It’s easier to remove them so there is no chance of getting paint on them. Removing paint from these plastic covers is challenging at best. With inexpensive options, if there is paint on a plate, replace it. With nicer ones, be more cautious. Removal might be for the best.

Allocate a Staging Area

Set aside an area as a catchall for your painting project. If your workspace is a large, common area, you may need a room or area to allow painters to store their items overnight. This allows them to work longer without cleaning up and removing cans of paint and brushes to their trucks. This will ultimately keep items corralled while saving work hours.

Clean the Walls

To start any painting job, the crew cleans the walls. Even if you are an avid cleaner, the walls will need to be washed before work happens. Any amount of dust or cobwebs mixed with paint will create a mess of your job. This is another task some crews will allow the homeowner to contribute to the project. Mix water and mild detergent then use a sponge or rag to wipe down the walls. Don’t soak them, just clean surfaces to be free of stains and dust.

Put Away Pets

Put your pets away to keep them safe and reduce messes. Painters get set up and then in bounces a pet to get paint everywhere. While they will whine, it’s for the best to keep them out of work zones.

3. Where to Start Looking for a Reputable House Painter

Typically, there are 3 ways to find a good, professional painter. To be sure you have the best option available, use a combination of the 3.

Online Searches

The easiest way to start your search is online. There are websites available for any reputable painting company. Remember that on their sites, you will never get a full scope of experiences. A website won’t give you the negative experiences their customers may have had. Even so, this is a good way to start your search and get quite a few qualified painters.

Referrals

Referrals are a great way to get a feeling for a painting crew. A personal referral of a provider is the highest compliment the company can get. If you have friends or family that have painted recently, inquire who provided the service.

Review Websites

There are any number of review websites online. Once you have narrowed down your list of painters, use the review websites to get a better glimpse into the good and bad experiences some customers have had.

4. Things You Should Expect from a House Painter

Hiring a professional painter means a few standards for your job. Here’s what to expect.

Timely

From estimate to job, your painter should be timely. This means no extended lunch breaks and arriving on time to start the job in the morning.

Walk-through

More than likely, you’ll get a walk through for your estimate. Otherwise, be cautious hiring the painting company. How are they to know how much paint you’ll need or any repairs that might need done. Once you have hired a crew and the job is done, expect a second walk through. This is your chance to inspect the work and let the contractor know if there are any problems.

Colors, Finishes, and End Goal

A professional painter wants you to be happy with the end result. When you discuss your work, make sure you’re on the same page about finishes, colors and finished product. This allows the workers to have an end goal in mind as they work.

Insurance & Licenses

At the estimate appointment (or before) inquire about insurance and licenses. Professional companies are used to this question and happy to provide further information. They can provide you with providers and policy numbers. This is just a layer of protection should there be problems with the work or any injuries on your property. Hopefully you don’t need it but keep this information on hand just in case.

Thorough Estimates

Estimates should be thought out, well-researched listings of the necessary tools, time and products for your job. Do not accept a scribble on a napkin. A poorly written proposal can indicate a poorly run company or poorly painted room. The estimate should provide information on labor and materials for your specific job. While the number isn’t a hard, fast cost, it should give you a good idea of the cost and where the money is going.

Questions?

Now is the time to ask questions you may have. Painting is a big cost and huge investment into your property. Your time with the estimator is the opportunity to ask any questions you may have and make sure you feel well informed before signing a contract.

If you’re ready to move forward with a painting job, we’d be happy to schedule an estimate appointment with you. Our team is happy to answer any questions and create a painting plan for your job.