When hiring a commercial painter in Concord, it’s natural that you may have many questions in mind. Do not hesitate to voice your concerns to the contractor regarding the project before hiring them as well as during the commercial painting process.
While there may be a lot of other things that are going in your mind, do not forget the following essential queries to discuss with every contractor you’re considering before hiring one of them:
Are you licensed and insured?
In many states like California, licensing is essential for a business to run and operate legitimately and to suit up to industry standards. Truly professional painting contractors have prepared and submitted fees and pertinent documents in order to obtain a business license.
However, you may also need to be aware that there are contractors who operate despite their absence of a license or they have an expired license. It is very important to confirm whether the contractor’s license is valid or not.
When a contractor is licensed, he should also be insured. Ask the contractor if he carries worker’s compensation insurance. In case you are uncertain about a contractor’s license, contact the insurance company and confirm that the policy is valid and active. A contractor who is insured will protect you from financial liabilities in case a worker gets injured while on the job, as well as protect you from possible crimes like theft.
How long have you been in the business?
While there are businesses who are new and operating for less than a year, but they’ve already shown exceptional service — you can judge that by looking at the glowing client testimonials. After all, even veteran painting companies had to start from scratch and build their reputation over the years.
But in general, people prefer companies who have already been in the business for many years as their experience speaks of their reliability and stability in the industry. In the case of companies with less experience, you may need to ask for references and even perform a background check on them to make sure that they are reputable and reliable.
Do you employ your own workers, or do you use subcontractors?
A lot of painting contractors use subcontractors instead of hiring their own workers to lower their costs and in turn make more money. Subcontractors are usually paid a flat rate, and as a result, the contractor does not have to bother about paying employee benefits and taxes.
However, beware of hiring contractors who subcontract as that will put yourself and your business at risk. Since the subcontractors are paid a fixed fee, they may cut corners to finish the job more quickly. This will translate into a low-quality painting finish. A contractor hiring third-party workers increases the likelihood that they also may not carry worker’s compensation insurance — which goes back to the question #1.
A painting company that is sufficiently staffed with highly-trained, licensed, and insured workers will get the job done faster and more efficiently. Having their own workers is one of the hallmarks of reputable painting service companies.
What kind of materials do you use?
It is important to know what kind of paints and materials the contractors will use because it can impact on the end result of the painting job as well as its durability. If you want to go for long-lasting and durable coatings, for instance, you may have to pay for more expensive paints (which usually cost up to $50 a gallon), as well as materials such as caulk, primers, spackling compounds, and many others.
If the contractor offers a quote that looks suspiciously low, it could mean that they skimp on quality products in order to cut costs and make more money. In this case, ask the contractors about what kind of products that they will use on the site. If you prefer specific paints to be used, be sure to let them know.
Do you offer references?
When companies provide you with up-to-date lists of references, it is an indication of their confidence and pride towards their service record. A reference is also one of the easiest ways to make sure that the company has built an excellent reputation among its customers. Many reputable companies can readily provide you with references even if you don’t request them.
Is your company affiliated with a local or national painting contractor association?
While memberships are not usually a requirement, they do speak of the company’s stability as well as their commitment to their trade.
Being associated with such groups keeps the members informed about the current trends in the commercial painting industry, provides them areas for discussion, and solutions pertaining to legislative and regulatory issues, as well as help in training employees and workers.
Do you offer written warranties?
While contractors literally tell you that their work is guaranteed, it’s always better to ask for a written warranty. You’ll have something to back you up in case there are anomalies arising from their defective workmanship, and to be informed about what is and what is not covered by the contractor.
In many cases, when surface problems include fading or peeling paint happen too soon after the work has been done, you can blame that on poor workmanship, inferior materials, and/or improper application. The contractors will cover those issues with little or no cost.
However, if the surface suffers issues like leaking roof or vandalism marks/graffiti, these won’t be covered by the contractor. You may have to require their services but you’ll also have to pay them with regular service fees.
Asking questions will be a key to a good painting job for your commercial property as well as help you save both time and money, it can also prevent you from hiring bad contractors. After all, as an owner of a business establishment, you want to leave it to professional commercial painters in Concord who will take care in updating and beautifying your space.