House painting in Danville can be a challenge, even in looking for a potential painting contractor. Not all painting contractors are the same, as many of them charge differently for their services. It’s often difficult for a customer to discern the differences between the various estimates they receive. This is why you want to make sure which of the potential contractors is worth the price, and which of them isn’t.
All painting contractors in Danville and surrounding areas look at a lot of residential and commercial buildings every single day. Each of them may have more or less similar ways of preparation work and cleanup, as well as the painting job itself. Many contractors have different schedules as well. These factors directly affect the price which inevitably comes to you when discussing your job with potential contractors in Danville and surrounding areas. What makes it even harder for the customer is that there can be noticeably huge differences among those estimates.
One of the reasons why estimates vary (and there are big differences among them) is what is written in the bid. For instance, if one contractor includes a single coat of paint, the other contractor includes two coats of paint. If your surface is textured or dry, you will most likely choose the other contractor who does two coats of paint. Your potential contractor may verbalize it, but its better that this aspect should be in writing.
Next is the level of preparation work. Good preparation is the foundation of all good paint jobs, and can vary greatly. Again, your contractors may just say it orally, but it’s better to have the prep work spelled out in writing. Then, there’s the paint. Depending on the content and quality, paint prices may vary greatly, from $15 per gallon to $50 per gallon. Whether you choose a contractor who uses a more expensive paint over a contractor who uses a cheaper brand, it’s critical to compare the paints and make sure that everything you were told by the contractors is in writing.
Another reason for different estimates is that the contractor may have a lack of knowledge. The company may be new to the business, so it doesn’t have a clear idea or process of estimating for a painting job. They may have years of experience as painters, and they know how long it takes them to paint a house. The problem is that they just rely on their gut feel, instead of taking time to exactly measure how much paint should be needed in a single space, for instance. They don’t really have an idea what their costs are because they haven’t measured their job but instead they figure the estimate out just by looking at the space. From this they may earn a lot of money, or sometimes lose a lot of it.
These are some ways for the customer to know if they are getting an accurate estimate. It helps to know what the contractor does during an estimate. For instance — how much time do the contractors spend with you during the job? Do they actually measure the space or do they just look at it? Do they ask a lot of questions and jot your answers down? The more questions they ask, as well as the longer the hours they spend with you, will directly affect the particulars of the contractor’s written estimate.
Planning for house painting shouldn’t be a rush job — it takes thorough and careful planning. It’s not bad that you want to be cautious when hiring paint contractors. Take your time, compare, and study the different estimates being handed to you by potential contractors. Compare the details and the level of work, as well as the paints they are using. Make sure that everything you’re being told by the contractors is written down. Don’t also forget to check their references, to make sure you won’t miss anything. Custom Painting Inc. is willing to give you a written estimate once you choose us for house painting in Danville.