Many homeowners consider time to be valuable to their lives. Instead of doing the work themselves, many hire a professional for house painting in Pleasant Hill. People believe that since they’re professionals they can expect them to do an excellent job.

However, it’s not so easy hiring a house painter. You have to beware of fly-by-night paint contractors who are unprofessional or unlicensed. They are only after your money and generally don’t care about the quality of their work. Some homeowners never bother to research the background of the paint contractors they’re considering. As a result, they end up hiring the wrong company and lose money.

Here are some simple pointers to help hire the right painter for your job:

1. One of the best ways to hire the right contractor is by asking around. Get referrals from neighbors, friends, officemates, or acquaintances that have had painting done recently. Ask them about the paint contractor and what their experience was with them. They may even recommend these contractors to you. You can also get referrals from reputable paint stores as well.

2. You want to obtain estimates from at least three contractors. When these companies provide you a written estimate, then it’s a good sign.

When receiving estimates, compare the ones you receive with one another. They should be within about the same price range. When you see a noticeable difference in the estimates — too high or too low compared to the others — ask the contractors for reasons behind the remarkable disparity of their prices. If they offer a low price, for instance, ask what’s not being done or added so you know how to accurately compare them with the other painters.

3. When you have a short list of painting contractors, interview each of them. Ask things such as:

• How long have you been in this business?
• Are you licensed and/or insured?
• Do you provide references?
• Do you subcontract or employ your own people?
• Do you provide written warranties for your work?
• What kind of products do you use?
• Will you use specific products I request?

These are only few of the samples of the questions to ask each candidate. You can think of other things to ask them as long as the questions are relevant.

4. It is also ideal that you should be specific on what the job is that you want potential contractors to work on. Do you want them to paint only the interior or exterior walls? Do you also want the trim, ceilings, or moldings painted, or do you want the walls alone? Do you want the painter to use one or two coats of paint? Will they paint only one room or will there be several? Specific information from you will help them provide the most accurate estimate for cost as well as how long the job will take.

5. Be alert and notice the contractors’ behavior, such as professionalism, ability to return calls or making it to appointments on time. Good contractors usually act as like your time is important and will treat you like it is. And if a contractor is busy, it’s also a good sign that it is reputable, thus it is trusted and in-demand by many clients.

6. Make sure to get at least three references from the contractors’ of past clients. Make sure to contact with them and ask them about their experiences with the contractor. If possible, visit their homes to evaluate the contractors’ work. If the clients’ experience with the contractors was pleasant, they may even recommend the company to you.

7. Now that you’ve settled on a paint contractor, request a written contract from them. As a customer, you have every right to ask the contractor some detailed questions pertaining to issues that need to be cleared — such as prep work before painting, cleanup and disposal of waste after painting, the duration of the project, paint brands and colors, and the timing of payments.

Many think that doing a little investigation before choosing a contractor is just a waste of time, money, and effort. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Doing some research before choosing a painter for house painting in Pleasant Hill can actually save you time, money, and unnecessary extra effort. It can also help you avoid the agony of ending up with unprofessional results from the contractor.