Looking for a licensed painter for house painting in Concord can take a bit of work. Sure, there are many painting contractors who serve Concord families and businesses but it is important to be aware that not all of them are the same. Their prices, as well as skills as painters, may vary quite a bit.
Fortunately, there are ways to hire a painting contractor that’s the right one for you to work with. Use the following ideas to help you find the right painting contractor to do your house painting in Concord.
Instead of looking through the yellow pages or blindly finding contractors online, it’s better to ask around first. Talk to your friends, relatives, or neighbors and ask them if they have any recommendations for you. If you are new to the neighborhood, refer to consumer guide websites which offer testimonials from the homeowners who have worked with the contractors in your area. The local Chamber of Commerce may also be able to provide a list of painters who are well-thought of in the area.
It is also important to determine whether the contractor is licensed, insured, and bonded by the state. This also involves your own protection and safety since any unexpected damages or loss on the site will be covered by the contractor. They will cover you, too, as a homeowner, if you don’t like the finished work. Do not accept the services of a contractor who isn’t unable or unwilling to provide you with a proof of a state license.
Gather at least three bids so that you will have a basis on which to compare contractors before hiring one. Schedule an appointment with the contractors to come to your home. Ask each candidate some questions such as:
- How long have you been in the business?
- Do you have the proper state licensing?
- Are you insured or bonded?
- Do you do the work yourself or do you subcontract your work? (The company doing the work itself is preferred over subcontractors.)
- Can you provide references?
- What brands of paints do you use?
- Do you offer written warranties for the finished work?
It’s also important to be specific about the work that the contractors are going to be taking. It’s a good idea to take each potential contractor around the areas of your home that need to be painted. Be specific about what parts you want to have painted, as well as the type of paint, the paint color, or paint finish that you want. The more information you can provide the contractor, the more accurate their estimate will be.
As important as the factors above are, also consider the behavior that the contractors display at work. If the contractor acts professionally, is courteous, returns phone calls, provides estimates in a timely manner, and arrives on time to the work site, then you’ll know you’ve found the right contractor to work with. Of course, speaking with the references they provided is the best way to determine the contractor’s behavior until you work with them.
Once you have decided which contractor you want to hire, it’s the right time for you and that contractor to discuss about the contract. Ask for a written contract and read and study it carefully. As a client, you have the right to ask the contractor questions you have pertaining to things in the contract that need to be clarified. These things may include the time the job will take from start to finish, the hours that the painter(s) will spend on the site for each day, as well as the expected completion date. Other important things to be clarified are the areas to be painted, the paint colors for every area to be painted, details on the prep work and cleanup, and the payment for the contractor. This should all be clearly stated in the written estimate and referred to in the contract.
You want to give the contractor the proper courtesy that they deserve, but it’s also important to stick with your specific requirements in order to get the job well done. After all, it’s your home and it’s your hard-earned money that you’re going to spend on this project.
Because of the wealth of information about house painting in this high-tech area, hiring a licensed painter may seem easier than ever. It still takes some time and effort on the homeowner, though. Completing these steps above will help you find the right painting contractor to do house painting in Concord.