Painting

Painting Insights

A fresh coat of paint either on the interior or exterior of your home, can give your home a whole new look and feel. And, while there are many options to consider when updating your home, one of the best, most cost effective options is new paint.

For many homeowners, choosing to do the job themselves can potentially save money, but introduces a number of issues that makes the fee for a professional painter well worth the investment. For example:

• Often homeowners have found that painting is not always an easy job in terms of doing the job physically and having the skill to accomplish certain parts of the project.
• The end result doesn’t always look like they imagined it would.
• Often, homeowners do not have the right tools needed to do the job well or safely. And, by the time they outfit themselves appropriately, they may have spent the savings accrued by doing it themselves.

For the majority of homeowners, hiring a professional painter is often their best bet at getting the work done properly, in a timely manner and safely.

When planning, keep the following in mind:

The benefits and knowledge a skilled paint contractor brings to the jobsite and areas in which they can help you are many, including:

• Color choice - there is a rainbow of colors to choose from. Try to find colors in other things that you like for example a pillow, a piece of paper or clothing
• Texture and look desired - texture (faux finishes like leather, stone, color wash, etc.), type of paint (oil or latex), sheen (flat, satin, eggshell, semi gloss, enamel)
• Environmental factors - oil based or latex paints, new low VOC paints are available.
• Proper tools to use - brushes (come in many sizes and styles for different paint applications), rollers, sponges and other tools for special effect finishes. A professional painter knows how to use them all.
  
• Wall repair - wallpaper removal, repair cracks, nail holes and other blemishes, texturize walls if preferred.
• Prepping the area - clean surface, remove hardware, clear out furniture, tape woodwork and other areas to protect

A skilled painting professional is able to help you make the right choices and has the skill and patience to complete the job in a satisfactory manner.

How to select the right paint contractor:

• Prepare a list of all of the jobs needing to be done.
• Do you want a special texture or look created? From this list you will be able to identify the skills and experiences a painter will need to have.
• Ask detailed questions about their experiences. They should be able to provide examples including pictures of previous work completed.
• Get references and call them. Reference checks can ensure that the painter is capable, responsible and trustworthy.
• Ensure that the painter is bonded, licensed and insured. This will reduce your risk while the painter is in your home.
• Obtain written estimates including pricing and timing for completion.  Make sure you understand all details including if the quote includes labor, type of materials included, or any variables that could affect the final cost.
• Obtain a signed contract that includes all of the pricing details for labor, materials and time for completion.

By planning ahead and finding the right paint contractor you can guarantee that the value of that contractor will be realized by the end result of quality craftsmanship and a beautiful home.