Part of keeping your home in tip-top condition, looking good and feeling like home, is a good paint job. You should consider giving your home a makeover every decade or so. This is an exciting opportunity to make sure your house is revitalised and new feeling. Painting your home helps to keep it safe from the elements and looking fresh!
Painting your home, outside or inside by yourself can take a very long time. And even if you put on a braai and get some friends to pitch in, it will still take a long time. But most importantly, doing it yourself might leave you open to either covering yourself in paint, or making a messy mistake on your house. So, if you want this makeover done as quickly as possible, with as little disruption to your home and with as few mistakes as possible, you need to hire a painting professional.
There are a number of reasons to hire a professional, and it can be simply put down to safety (yours specifically), speed and quality. Professionals have the expertise and know-how as well as all the necessary equipment and materials to get the job done quickly and perfectly. Painting often requires standing on a ladder for long periods at a time, which can be both arduous and dangerous, so hiring someone to do this for you will be safer and healthier for you. Painting your house can also be highly disruptive, and the quicker it is done, the easier the whole process will be on you and your family. In addition to all that, a professional painter will also provide you with all the knowledge you need to make the best decisions on paints, finishes and decoration that you want.
So, now that you’ve decided to hire a painter, here’s what to look for:
1. Experience
When you start to look for a painter, make sure you are looking for an established contractor or company that has years of experience. Ask them how long they have been working and what kind of jobs they have done recently. Also check if they have liability insurance, in case of an accident.
2. Referrals and good reviews
The majority of painters rely on word of mouth to find more work. As such, if you’re looking to hire someone local, it’s always good to talk to your local community to find someone who comes highly recommended. Don’t be afraid to ask for references from the painter you are speaking to. Ask them to provide the name and number of recent clients. If you’re looking for someone online, you can also check for reviews there. This will give you a good idea if this professional is one you can trust to be in your home and to do a great job!
3. Reliability
There are a few things to look out for to determine if the professional you are looking at is reliable. How they present themselves and their company will speak volumes about their trustworthiness and reliability. They should be punctual, respectful, and maintain a neat and clean appearance when they are discussing the job with you. (Once they start painting they will most likely be in paint-spattered overalls, and that is great too). They should have a well-maintained vehicle with visible branding for their company. They should also be polite and have clear, direct communication with you and be willing to answer any of your questions. They should also be respectful in their conduct towards any workers they have. They should also be fit enough to do physical labour, as painting is physically taxing work.
4. Workers
Make sure you know who will be working in your house. If you’re hiring a contractor with multiple staff members, make sure you are introduced to them so that you know who will be coming and going during the painting process.
5. Specialisation
Discuss with your painter if they have any specialisations and determine if this lines up with the work you are wanting done. Painting the inside vs the outside of a house are two quite different jobs, with different paints and finishes involved. Communicate with your painter to make sure you are both on the same page about the project. Ask them if they have any experience with decorating, if those special extra touches are what you’re looking for. Different companies will generally advertise what their specialisations are.
6. Costs
Once you’ve done a walk through with a painter, they should be able to provide you with a thorough estimate of the costs involved. They should have an accurate measurement of the area to be painted. These costs should include the paint and any additional supplies that may be required, like special stencils and the labour. Check with them about what type of paint they use, and what kind of quality guarantee they can provide you. You may be able to bring the costs down if you source the paint yourself, but be sure to get the right type (and quality) of paint and the right amount! Check with the painter how many coats of paint they will be applying. If some repairs will be required, like smoothing over holes, scraping off old paint, replastering, this is the time to speak to them and to find out how much extra that may cost.
7. Preparation
Find out how long the job will take and get advice on how best to prepare for the job. It is often best to move your pets out the house for a day or two for their own safety and stress, for example. Move your furniture out of the way and cover anything that can’t be moved from the area that is going to be painted. Also find out how much preparation the painters will be doing themselves, like cleaning the walls first, scraping, repairing and adding masking tape to fittings, etc. This way, you know what is expected of you.
8. Clean up
Once the painting job is done it will require some time to dry. A professional painter will leave your place as spotless as possible, so that the only thing you need to do is to move your furniture back into place. Confirm with the painter what else may need to be done and how long you should wait before you can make full use of that room again. In most cases, you shouldn’t need to wait longer than a day.
And ta-da! You have made it through the whole process, without making a mess or falling off a ladder! Wasn’t that easy? Having a freshly painted home can feel refreshing and satisfying, especially if you have added a bit of colour or decoration to your home.