If you are contemplating making certain improvements at your residence, you undoubtedly find yourself facing a range of crucial decisions. For example, if you have made the decision to repaint the exterior of your home, you undoubtedly find yourself wondering how you go about obtaining the best paint contractor for the project. There are a number of factors that you need to take into consideration when it comes to selecting an exterior paint contractor for your residence.
Experience is Crucial
The first factor that you must examine when it comes to engaging the services of a paint contractor to work on the exterior of you home is depth of experience. The reality is that the appearance of the front of your home is vital. This is true for a whole host of reasons, including when it comes to the value of your residence.
The painting trade can have tremendous turnover. You should establish a minimum length of experience of at least two years when it comes to engaging the services of a paint contractor for your residence.
Does a Contractor Have Employees or Does a Contractor Subcontract?
A key question that you must ask of a contractor is the employment status of the painting crew. In other words, you need to find out whether or not a contractor utilizes employees or subcontracts.
If a contractor employs painters to work on projects, as the employer the contractor is responsible for maintaining appropriate insurance to cover these individuals. If a contractors subcontracts, generally speaking the contract does not have a legal responsibility to insure subcontractors.
No matter the structure maintained by a contractor, you need to make sure that you obtain proof of insurance. In the case of a contractor who subcontracts, you need to verify that any subcontractor assigned to work on an exterior paint project at your residence appropriately is insured. Any subcontractor should be able to provide you with appropriate proof of insurance with ease.
Experience is Crucial
The first factor that you must examine when it comes to engaging the services of a paint contractor to work on the exterior of you home is depth of experience. The reality is that the appearance of the front of your home is vital. This is true for a whole host of reasons, including when it comes to the value of your residence.
The painting trade can have tremendous turnover. You should establish a minimum length of experience of at least two years when it comes to engaging the services of a paint contractor for your residence.
Does a Contractor Have Employees or Does a Contractor Subcontract?
A key question that you must ask of a contractor is the employment status of the painting crew. In other words, you need to find out whether or not a contractor utilizes employees or subcontracts.
If a contractor employs painters to work on projects, as the employer the contractor is responsible for maintaining appropriate insurance to cover these individuals. If a contractors subcontracts, generally speaking the contract does not have a legal responsibility to insure subcontractors.
No matter the structure maintained by a contractor, you need to make sure that you obtain proof of insurance. In the case of a contractor who subcontracts, you need to verify that any subcontractor assigned to work on an exterior paint project at your residence appropriately is insured. Any subcontractor should be able to provide you with appropriate proof of insurance with ease.
Preparation Work
Repainting the exterior of your home necessitates more than just putting on a fresh coat of paint. In order to properly undertaking the painting of the exterior of a residence, a good amount of preparation work should be undertaken.
Before making a commitment to hire a particular paint contractor, you need to find out specifically what the contractor will do in the way of prep work. You need to make certain that a particular contractor does not employ shortcuts in prepping for a residential painting project.
Formal, Comprehensive Estimate
When you narrow down your search for a paint contractor, the next step is to obtain a formal, comprehensive estimate. You need to obtain a full and complete estimate of costs associated with all phases and aspects of a residential exterior painting project. You absolutely need to be certain that there will be no hidden costs or surprises when you engage the services of a paint contractor.
In addition, you also need to be certain that you obtain a guaranteed estimate. In other words, you need to make clear that a paint contractor you select will stand by the estimate or bid placed on your residential exterior paint project.
Guarantee or Warranty
There are two types of guarantees you need to take into account when you seek the assistance of a paint contractor. First, there is a guarantee associated with the paint manufacturer itself. You need to make sure that you familiarize yourself with that guarantee. Obviously, this necessitates your involvement in the selection of paint that will be utilized on the exterior of your residence.
Nearly all reputable painting contractors provide a warranty on the preparation and application processes associated with the exterior of your home. You need to make certain you understand the nature and extent of this warranty. Moreover, you need to make sure that the paint contractor puts this particular warranty into writing in advance of starting a project at your residence.
Recommendations
Odds are that you have family members, friends, or colleagues of some sort who have engaged paint contractors to do exterior work on their homes. Take the time to obtain recommendations from them. This can include both recommendations of paint contractors to utilize, as well as warnings about those to avoid.
References
On a related note, a reputable paint contractor should be more than happy to provide you with references from prior customers. Although prior performance does not guarantee future work, it does provide a solid insight into a paint contractor's abilities and the manner in which a contractor undertakes a project.
Repainting the exterior of your home necessitates more than just putting on a fresh coat of paint. In order to properly undertaking the painting of the exterior of a residence, a good amount of preparation work should be undertaken.
Before making a commitment to hire a particular paint contractor, you need to find out specifically what the contractor will do in the way of prep work. You need to make certain that a particular contractor does not employ shortcuts in prepping for a residential painting project.
Formal, Comprehensive Estimate
When you narrow down your search for a paint contractor, the next step is to obtain a formal, comprehensive estimate. You need to obtain a full and complete estimate of costs associated with all phases and aspects of a residential exterior painting project. You absolutely need to be certain that there will be no hidden costs or surprises when you engage the services of a paint contractor.
In addition, you also need to be certain that you obtain a guaranteed estimate. In other words, you need to make clear that a paint contractor you select will stand by the estimate or bid placed on your residential exterior paint project.
Guarantee or Warranty
There are two types of guarantees you need to take into account when you seek the assistance of a paint contractor. First, there is a guarantee associated with the paint manufacturer itself. You need to make sure that you familiarize yourself with that guarantee. Obviously, this necessitates your involvement in the selection of paint that will be utilized on the exterior of your residence.
Nearly all reputable painting contractors provide a warranty on the preparation and application processes associated with the exterior of your home. You need to make certain you understand the nature and extent of this warranty. Moreover, you need to make sure that the paint contractor puts this particular warranty into writing in advance of starting a project at your residence.
Recommendations
Odds are that you have family members, friends, or colleagues of some sort who have engaged paint contractors to do exterior work on their homes. Take the time to obtain recommendations from them. This can include both recommendations of paint contractors to utilize, as well as warnings about those to avoid.
References
On a related note, a reputable paint contractor should be more than happy to provide you with references from prior customers. Although prior performance does not guarantee future work, it does provide a solid insight into a paint contractor's abilities and the manner in which a contractor undertakes a project.
Author
Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who writes for Scaffold Store, the favorite and trusted scaffold supplier of the largest contractors.
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