If you’re a homeowner, it’s possible that you’re looking to upgrade your property. When it comes to home upgrades, exterior painting is one of the best choices a homeowner can make. After all, a fresh coat of paint can do wonders for your curb appeal and help increase your home value. Of course, you don’t want to put your property in the hands of just any residential painter. Here are a few questions you should ask any exterior painting service before hiring them. Read on to learn more about what you should be looking for in potential local painters.
1. Do You Have Certification?
A valid license is important to see from any contractor you hire for your property. The right certification is proof they have received the right to work from your local region and state. It also alerts you that they’re aware of the safety practices and procedures related to the job and dealing with a residential or commercial property. Don’t make the mistake of falling for a contractor who doesn’t provide a valid license just because they offer you a good deal. After all, unlicensed contracting work can end up being more trouble than it’s worth, especially if they’re untrained.
2. What Is the Time Frame?
An experienced contractor should be able to give you a time frame for how long it’ll take to do the job. Your time is important, and you need to know just how long these contractors will be on your property. Knowing how long it’ll take to complete the exterior painting job will allow you to make the necessary plans before services begin. You likely want someone home to monitor the situation. Plus, if you have pets or little children, you may need to plan for them to be somewhere else while the painters are on the property. After all, having several strangers around may cause them anxiety, or they may get in the way of the contractors while they’re working.
3. How Long Will the Results Last?
An exterior paint job is a major project, so of course you want to have a general idea of how long results may last. According to Hunker, a lifestyle and design website, high-quality exterior paint jobs can last up to 15 years without repainting. As long as you do your due diligence to hire the right contractor who uses the best paint and equipment, you can expect the actual job to last several years.
4. What Is the Estimated Cost?
There are a few factors that affect the final fee of your exterior painting project. First of all, just how big is your home? If you live in a one-story single-family home rather than a mansion, clearly there’ll be a big difference in price to paint your exterior walls. The location of your home matters, as rates can differ based on the city or state. To ensure you’re getting a fair price, you can ask for a few quotes from different contractors and request a written estimate.
5. Can You Provide References?
Seek out references before you hire a contractor for a big project. Those references can help reassure you that the contractor you’re thinking about hiring has done a good job on their past home painting projects. Ask them questions about the level of professionalism. Inquire about whether the contractor showed up on time and how well they respected the home. It’s a major red flag if a contractor hesitates to give you any references. After all, if they did a decent job and have a good relationship with past and present clients, there should be a plethora of happy customers to chat with.
6. May I See Proof of Insurance?
Insurance matters for any contractor work, including exterior painting. Regardless of how skilled your painters are, an accident can still potentially happen on any labor-intensive job. As long as they have insurance, they’ll be covered for any medical or hospital fees that can occur. Therefore, you won’t be liable to pay for it, giving you peace of mind as a homeowner.
7. Do You Have a Specialty?
Not all painters operate the same. They don’t all offer the same services or do the same type of work. Therefore, if you want the outside of your home painted, always find painters experienced in that type of work. Some painters specialize in interior paintwork. Others specialize in cabinet refinishing or repainting, and of course, some painting contractors can do all of the above and then some. Just check they can also back up any specialty they have by showing you a portfolio of past projects or giving you references that can validate that.
8. What Colors Should I Choose?
Even once you found the right contractor to revamp the outside of your home, you still have another challenge in store; you must choose the right color. The color wheel has so many hues and variations to choose from, it can seem overwhelming for a homeowner, especially one without a background in art and design. But don’t sweat it. Your exterior painting service can help guide you with the perfect color scheme for the exterior or interior of your home. You can narrow down your choices by telling them what your favorite color is or describing the type of mood you want to set. Of course, you can always stick with the same color, as a new coat of paint will still make the home look new again.
9. What Painting Colors Are Trending Now?
Are you a homeowner who cares about trends? When you hire an exterior painting service, they can help ensure your home is trendy from the outside just as much as it can be from the inside. According to The Spruce, some of the more popular home painting colors for 2023 have included blacks, blues, and even grays. Of course, colors such as white, beige, and earth tones never go out of style.
10. When Can You Start?
Once you find the right painting contractors for your needs, you’ll likely want them to get started on upgrading your space right away. Working alongside them to determine the most convenient and ideal time for both of your schedules is going to be one of the most important steps in the exterior painting process. No matter what the season is, painting professionals are available to get the job done for you. Their team will be able to provide you with details regarding any potential start dates, and you’ll be able to go from there.
When you decide to upgrade your home exterior with a fresh paint job, you’re making the right choice. Make sure things go according to plan by hiring the right painting team who exudes professionalism from start to finish. By asking the right questions you can find the ideal exterior painting service for you. However, you can make things easier by using our painting experts. We’ll answer any of the questions above, as well as other questions that you may have for us. Contact our team at Derheim Painting for a consultation today to learn more about how we can assist you! We look forward to hearing from you and learning more about how we can help.