What you should ask when getting an estimate for painting

Meeting with a painting contractor to discuss your next painting project can seem like a daunting task, if you had all the answers you might even do the work yourself so where to even begin?

Let us walk you through the basics of what to look for and what to ask during an estimate appointment so that you will be able to make clear what you want to be done and also gather the information you need to make an informed choice of contractors.

With so much disruption in the last year, more people have been putting off painting that is urgently needed to protect the exterior of their homes. As for the interiors, with everyone working from home lately, it’s just become more obvious what you like and done like about the walls inside your home.

The first thing to ask – are you licensed and insured?

Ask for their home improvement contractor license number and proof of liability insurance and workman’s compensation insurance.

Get the legal stuff out of the way right upfront…

Every contractor should be licensed with the state and in good standing. The state sets requirements for each type of contractor and once they are licensed, they are required to perform to certain standards. With state licensing the contractor has something to lose if they don’t do work that meets the minimum guidelines set by the state.

Having insurance to cover any accidental damage to your property as well as insurance in the event that a worker becomes injured should be considered requirements before you allow anyone to work on your home. It protects the workers, the contractor and you most importantly. Ask for proof of all insurance in the form of policy numbers and effective dates.

Do you have examples of work in the area I can see or customers I can talk to?

Any good painting contractor will be able to provide you with a portfolio of work performed in the area and contact information for previous customers. One of the nice things about selecting a painting contractor is that you will often see their yard signs on jobs and you will be able to see the results for yourself from the street, at least for exterior painting.

Talking to former customers and seeing before and after photos can give you a sense of each contractor’s work and the results they are able to produce. You should combine this with a search on the internet to find reviews of former customers as well to get a complete picture. 

Ask for a detailed description of the work from prep through painting and cleanup

You want to know all the steps from start to finish. Since this is a service, asking for a list of all the steps is akin to asking for a list of installed options when you are buying a product like a car. You want to know what happens from the moment they arrive until they are leaving for the last time.

Do they move things around like patio furniture, or do you have to clear the work area? Will they replace any rotten wood and if so, is that an extra charge, etc. Ask about their prep process, will they caulk all the seams around doors and windows, will they prime spots that are sanded to bare wood, etc.

What paint will be used, how many coats, where and why?

This is important because the quality of paint can vary from one manufacturer to another and within one manufacturer’s product line you will find a series of quality levels available.

Most Painters will use high-quality paints because cheap paint hurts their reputation in the long run. You also want to protect your home so paint quality isn’t the best place to cut corners.

Ask them if they will need to prime first, and how many coats the house will need. It may be their recommendation that not every exterior wall needs two coats, sometimes it’s a function of which way the house is facing and how much sun exposure each wall is getting.

Ask about the paint manufacturer’s warranty and ask for a copy of it with the information your contractor provides you.

When can my job be scheduled, how long will it take and how many painters can I expect.

It’s not unusual for the job to be scheduled a few weeks in advance, most painting contractors line jobs up one after another and the larger ones do the same even with multiple crews. You should expect that the work won’t commence right away.

You should be able to pick a firm start date though, this will allow you to plan your life and their work schedule in a way that works for both of you. Depending on the size of the job and other factors the contractor should be able to give you an idea of how long the work should take within a day or two.

Remember that for exterior work the weather is also going to affect the timing and duration of the job. That’s not something anyone can control so it’s important to understand that things like rain can shut down their work for a while and nobody can do anything about it.

Ask how many painters to expect at your house, this is a decision usually left up to the contractor but it’s nice to know because it will impact how long the job takes.

What kind of communication can I expect, who do I call if there is a problem, will you confirm and check-in before, during, and after the work is completed?

Communication between you and the contractor starts with your request for an estimate, you should ask who your point of contact is and if you will be called with scheduling information before the work starts and daily during the job. A good contractor will make sure you don’t have to re-explain the job to the crew when they arrive and that everyone involved will know what the scope of work is.

You should be given a point of contact you can call any time with questions or concerns. You should also expect to do a walk-through of the final job. This gives both you and the contractor an opportunity to find any spots that might need last-minute attention.

A few days after the job is completed you should receive a final call to make sure that you were completely satisfied and that everything came out as expected.

How much will the paint job cost and does it come with a warranty? 

You get what you pay for in life right? The lowest price may not always be the best and if it’s very low it might be because the contractor hasn’t fully understood the scope of work. The last thing you want is a contractor realizing they underbid the job so badly they are losing money on it. On the other end, you may get a price quote so high it’s basically signaling that the only way the contractor will do the job is if it’s a windfall. This might be due to them being overbooked or overestimating what’s involved.

Other factors that can cause the price to fluctuate include the cost of materials and which paint brands are being specified for the job.

Remember that the price quote also only reflects the work that is anticipated, if you decide you want your shed painted or your front door and that wasn’t in the original agreement then the price will naturally increase to include the additional work.

Remember to ask how they want to receive payment, it’s normal for a contractor to ask for up to 50% of the job cost in advance. This allows them to purchase paint and supplies for your project and gives them some protection. The remaining 50% is generally paid after a final inspection of the finished work.

Lastly, ask about guarantees and warranties. A good paint job done with quality materials should last you 10 years or more. You will likely find that a contractor will guarantee the paint job for a year or two. During that time if any areas were improperly prepped you might notice paint adhesion problems but after that, you should assume it’s applied properly.

Armed with all this knowledge you should be fine talking with as many contractors as you like and hopefully you will find the best one for your project. If you are ready to get started and in the Pasadena area consider adding CertaPro Painters® of Pasadena to your list of contractors to meet with. We can easily answer all of the questions listed above and show you what we can do to make your next painting project a successful reality. Get your free estimate today!