Questions to ask a painting contractor during an estimate

Are you holding off making an estimate appointment for the residential painting work you need because you don’t know where to start or what to ask?

With your home representing one of life’s biggest investments, it’s important that you can feel confident about your choices of painting contractors and focus on enjoying the results rather than sweating the details.

Here is a “cheat sheet” you can arm yourself with so that you’re able to ask the right questions and get the answers that matter for your project and your peace of mind.

Start with the legal stuff and ask  “Are you licensed and insured?”

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

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 previous customers I can speak to?

Any good painting company will be able to provide you with a portfolio of work performed in the area and contact information for former 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 as you drive by the house they just painted.

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 achieve. You should combine this with a search on the internet to find reviews of former customers as well to help get a complete picture. 

Ask for a detailed description of their work process from preparation through painting to final cleanup

You want to know all the steps they will take 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 will happen from the time they arrive until they are finished with your project.

Will they move things like outdoor furniture away from the house, or do you have to clear the work area yourself? Will they replace any damaged wood and if so, is there an extra charge, etc. Ask about their prep process, will they caulk all the joints and seams around doors and windows, will they prime spots that are sanded down to bare wood, etc.

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

This is important to know 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 different quality levels available. You may also need more of it in the future if you did something like added a garage or a shed you want to match so knowing the brand and the exact color name will matter.

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 is probably the worst place to try and cut corners.

Ask them if they will need to prime first, and how many coats of primer and paint 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 (and UV rays) each wall is subject to.

Ask about the paint manufacturer’s warranty and ask for a copy of it in the unlikely event there is a problem with the paint itself that the contractor won’t be aware of at the time of the job.

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

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

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

Remember that for exterior work the weather can impact 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 your project work for a while and nobody can do anything about it.

Ask how many painters will be dedicated to your project, 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 call before, during, and after?

Communication between you and the contractor starts with your initial 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 be on the same page regarding the scope of work.

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 finished work. This gives both you and the contractor an opportunity to find any areas that might need some 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 with the work.

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

Bear in mind that 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 what your project entails. The last thing you want is a contractor realizing they underbid the job so badly they stand to lose money by doing it. Alternately, 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 real payday. This might be due to them being overbooked or overestimating the work 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 by different contractors.

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

Remember to ask how much money they want as an initial deposit, it’s normal for a contractor to ask for up to 50% of the price 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 walk-through.

Lastly, ask about guarantees or warranties they offer on their work. 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 at least a year or two. During that time if any areas were improperly prepared you might notice paint adhesion problems but after that, you should assume it’s applied properly.

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