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5 things to consider when engaging a painting contractor

We’ve all been there – in our beloved homes for six or seven years and a little bummed out at how shabby and dated things are starting to look. The major culprit when you’re feeling like this about your home? It’s your walls. Yes, the colour that might have been de rigeur back then is probably very ‘beige’ today. And all that wear and tear that the average family inflicts on the walls of a home? It does starts to take its toll after a while!

So what to do?

Well, get a new paint job obviously!

While we realise this is something you can do for yourself (and we’ve provided tips on how to do this here and here) … for obvious reasons we recommend getting a painting contractor to do it for you. The quality will be better, the job will take (much) less time and will be a lot less stressful than doing it yourself.

What are some things that are good to remember when engaging a painting contractor? We have five key points to offer:

1. Cheapest is not always best

In fact, we’d go so far as to say cheapest is never the best. We understand the desire to save money but given how many times we’ve had to re-do a job done by ‘the cheapest’ painter we can assure you the cheapest quote usually always ends up costing more: in time, money AND frustration. We’ve all heard the adage ‘you get what you pay for’ and this is especially true in the painting industry.

2. Customer service

You may not think customer service needs to be that much of a consideration but given you will be interacting with your painting contractor:

  1. During an initial meeting
  2. While they are working in your home
  3. During post-job follow ups ..

You’ll want to be sure they are reliable, friendly and at all times will act professionally. If they’re not engaging with you in a positive way during that initial meeting, it’s best not to go any further than that.

3. Be clear about what you want

It’s important to be very clear with your instructions and ask the painter to provide you with a job sheet of what they intend to do. We’ve heard of a situation where a painter quoted to paint all internal doors … and the client was upset when the front door wasn’t painted as the painter did not consider that an internal door. Job sheets eliminate these kinds of misunderstandings.

4. Colour is key

If you’re looking to give your home a beautiful refresh, then the colours you choose are going to be very important. Please remember, the average painter is not a colour consultant! So do your research. Visit display homes, look in books, magazines or go online; these are all great sources of information and inspiration. Spending time with a colour consultant at your local paint shop is also a good idea.

5. Don’t forget the little details 

The exterior of your house is just as important as the interior so don’t forget to get your painting contractor to highlight unique features including trims or front door as they do tend to tie everything together. It might interest you to know that interior designers often state the front door is the first item people see in a house and yet it’s the last item home owners think about when painting.

Once the painting has been completed it’s time to turn your attention to your décor. Vases, lamps, furniture and wall art might now need an update too in order to keep up with your beautiful new paint job!

One thought on “5 things to consider when engaging a painting contractor

  1. Most people think only of the color combinations when hiring a painting contractor, but your article was a blast mentioning about letting these colors highlight the home’s hidden features and most remarkable details. Who would have thought that painting the door a contrasting or more dramatic color could do wonders to a house? When my granda gets a painter to redo her ancestral home in the country, it might not take much more than varnish, but I will definitely open it to her to try and experiment this time with her favorite shades and hues! Lovely ideas you’ve got there.

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