Choosing a painter is equally as important as choosing which paint will go on the walls of your home. You want both to be reliable, deliver the highest standard results, and bring your design vision to life. In this brief article, we discuss how to choose a painter that you can entrust the walls of your home to.
Do: your research
While it is easier to simply hire a painting service closest to your home, it can save you a lot of time and money to do a bit of research and weigh your options. A quick look on a painting company’s website should show you whether or not their painters are licensed. We talk more about why a license is important in a later section.
Other things to look out for are customer reviews and visual examples of work a painter has done for previous clients. If you live by the coast, it may be worth getting a painter who has experience with troubleshooting and preventing the effects of coastal climate on residential areas (e.g. mold, discolouration).
Don’t: be afraid to ask questions
Before you entrust the walls of your home to a painter, you want to be sure that you have the right person for the task. There are a number of questions that you should ask a painting contractor before engaging their services. Here are a few suggestions:
- Do you have experience with residential painting service?
- Can you show me your registration?
- What insurance coverage do you have?
- Can you provide references?
- Do you have any visual examples of previous work?
- What brand of paint do you use?
- How much time do you intend to spend on this project and will it affect the cost?
- How do you calculate the price of a painting project?
- What is included in the quote?
- What should I do to prepare before you arrive?
Experienced and reliable painters will be able to answer these kinds of questions easily and be happy to discuss further. If you are not satisfied with their responses, it may be worth seeking out a different painter.
Do: hire someone you can trust
In Western Australia, licensed or registered painters are those who have had specialised training and are able to provide a painting service that meets industry standards. Their license also allows them to take on jobs costing over $1000. You can simply look them up on the Register of Painters.
Here at Elite Painting, all of our experienced painters are registered with the WA Building Commission Painters Registration Board. Please note that we only take on jobs costing $5,000 and over.
Don’t: set unrealistic expectations
Even if you hire a professional painter, this does not mean they should complete the job in one day. A painter that promises to finish the job as quickly as possible might skip some steps and do a sloppy job, leaving your newly painted walls prone to drying with unsightly streaks and bubbles, which can even lead to cracking.
Instead, ask your painting contractor how much time they expect to spend on a project and whether that affects the overall cost so you can plan ahead. Your painters should aim to minimise disruption while providing a quality paint service. Experienced and registered painters will be honest about what is achievable and complete the project within an agreed time frame.
Do: work closely with your painter
At Elite Painting, we provide you with colour advice which can help you achieve the exact aesthetic you want for your project. It is a good idea to first select the furniture, textiles, and decor for a space before picking a colour. The perfect colour can easily be tailor made to complement the furnishings by mixing paints. Get swatches or paint testers to show your painter so you can both envision what the final look will be like and make changes if needed.
If you have already purchased, or are planning to purchase, certain brands or colours of paint for your home project, make sure the painter you hire is aware of this decision. This is so you can plan and discuss with your painter the best course of action to take. Your painter might suggest a different type of paint or recommend products to better seal and protect the paint from the weather and deterioration, or to create a certain design effect you are after.
Don’t: rush into things
Taking the time to seek out the best painter for your project will provide a peace of mind as you can expect the highest standard results and services. Our team at Elite Painting offer a 5 year workmanship warranty and are committed to providing you with exceptional commercial painting services at competitive prices. Get a custom quote without obligations today.