How to Hire the Best Commercial Painter

Hiring a painter for your commercial space can seem overwhelming. If you’ve never had experience with painters for this sort of endeavor, you could be confused where to begin. Reviews, recommendations, portfolios; it can all be a bit much. We asked our pros for help. Here’s how to hire the best commercial painter.

Experience

It’s important to hire a seasoned pro for your commercial painting project. College kids or all around handyman offers might have the brawn, but do they have the experience to complete the job. Since you’re representing your commercial property, you’ll need someone who has worked in commercial properties. Commercial spaces also have different requirements than a residential painting job. Surfaces and materials mean an alternate skill set is in order. A professional commercial painter will be able to provide beautiful, long-lasting results.

Reputation

Experience and reputation are not one in the same. A company can have a long standing history of work but what do their past clients have to say? There are several ways to gauge the reputation of a painter. Start with online review sites. It’s best to avoid proprietary company websites since they are likely to only include the best reviews. Try sites like Home Advisor, Thumbtack, or Google My Business for a wide range of reviews, both positive and negative. This will help you get a good metric on the work they provider does.

Communication

Communication on any project of this magnitude is imperative. When you contact the company, you should receive a quick response. Businesses are not expected to maintain lines 24/7 but you should hear back in a timely manner.

When talking back and forth with the company, you should feel as though the responses are professional and informed. Are the representatives treating you with respect and professionalism? A reputable company will be happy to spend time discussing your project.

Estimates

An estimate can be a key indicator for the type of service you can expect. You should avoid any estimates that are scribbled on the back of a business card or done over the phone. An estimate usually involves a visit from a team member to discuss your project needs, review the condition of the property and go over expectations. You will have an opportunity to be involved in the process from this point forward. Normally, if a written estimate is not given to you at the appointment, it is sent over shortly after.

Contract

Do not hire a contractor or begin work without a signed contract in place. Beyond the estimate, the contract should lay out the scope, paint types and colors, materials to be used, schedule and estimated completion date. It will normally detail out the payment schedule and how unforeseen issues are going to be handled.

Price

Cost will always be a factor in choosing a commercial painter. Be wary of extremely low offers. To get these low costs, providers could be using unlicensed contractors, sub par supplies or questionable practices. Less than quality outcomes and no guarantees come from low offers. Experience, quality and licensing all cost and will result in higher estimates. You will get what you pay for. This doesn’t mean that you should choose the highest bid either. Costs do not mean the company has the required licenses.

Bonding, Licensing and Insurance

At your estimate appointment, you should inquire about the credentials of the company. Any professional painter will be happy to provide you their information when it comes to licenses, bonding and insurance. Local governments determine the license requirements. Peruse your city or county website to get further information. Bonding will keep you safe from incomplete projects. If your painter disappears for any reason, you can file to have the project completed. Insurance coverage should include both liability and workers’ compensation. This protects the crew. If anyone is injured on your property, this insurance covers the employee, rather than the homeowner being responsible.

Disruption

Commercial painter crews offer options to avoid disruption of your normal business operations. Some crews work in the off hours, others will work in particular parts of your business, then move through, allowing you to move employees, but ultimately keep working.

Ready to get started with your project? Contact our commercial painter team and schedule a free estimate.