When it comes to your house, choosing who will paint it is a significant money related decision. A good decision will see your home sporting a quality paint job that stands the test of time. A bad decision could mean walls that do not stand up to the rigours of a family.
So how do you choose a painting contractor from the hundreds of possibilities on offer?
1. Ensure they are registered
The first thing you need to do is ensure you engage a registered painter. Currently all painters and decorators operating below the 26th parallel in Western Australia are required to be licensed by the Building Commission if they intend to carry out painting works valued at over $1,000. How do you know if a painter is registered? Simple. Ask them to show you proof of their registration (you will need to check the date on it to ensure that it is current).
2. Know what you want done
Be specific about the work that you want carried out and detail the exact areas that need painting. If you know the colours you would like, include those in your ‘brief’. You also need to specify when the work must be done by.
In order for you to accurately compare prices, each contractor must quote for exactly the same work. We always recommend getting at least three written quotes.
3. Check references
Ask each contractor for the names of previous customers as a reference and contact those people to get their reference. Another alternative would be to ring the Master Painters Association and ask them for a reference on one or all three of your prospective contractors
4. Preparation
In your job brief to the contractor ask what they do to prepare each surface for painting. The things they should indicate include:
- Surface preparation
- Undercoats (include type and brand)
- Finish coats (type of paint, brand, colours and number of coats.)
- Asset protection
- How will the contractor protect nearby plants when the exterior is being painted
- How will the contractor protect furniture, fixtures and fittings when the interior is being painted
5. Confirm start and finish dates
Ask when the work will be started and finished. They should also be able to tell you how many painters will be working on the job and what the remedy/penalty is if the job is not finished on time
6 .Warranty
Ask the contractor if they will be providing a warranty. If a warranty is offered establish if it covers labour and materials and ensure that you receive a written copy by the conclusion of the job.
7. Quality Control
It’s worth engaging a quality control specialist if you feel a little anxious about the process and quality of work that may be provided. Any Master Painter can provide this service – a service fee would likely apply.
Finally, we always recommend that you consider a Registered Painter who is also a Dulux Accredited Painter. Why?
All Dulux Accredited Painters use Dulux premium paints, personally sign an ethical and professional standards document, comply with all safety regulations and hold a minimum of $5 million public liability insurance. It all adds up to a quality job that will add value to your home.
They are skilled painters:
Dulux Accredited Painters are specially selected by Dulux for their superior skills and their commitment to the painting industry. This commitment ensures that they engage in proper quality assurance practices.
They are reliable:
Dulux Accredited Painters are reliable and will turn up on time or telephone you. Their reputation is important to them, another reason why they have been selected by Dulux.
They produce quality workmanship:
Using premium quality Dulux paints is another indication that your Dulux Accredited Painter is a quality painter. The pride they take in their workmanship leads to a quality job and customer satisfaction.
Environmentally conscious:
Dulux Accredited Painters are committed to adopting practices that are friendly to the environment including:
- Compliance with environmental legislation
- Compliance with air and noise quality guidelines;
- Adopting friendly waste management practices;
- Safe and responsible clean up of brushes and paint equipment;
- The use of environmentally friendly paint products with low odour formulation such as Dulux Envir02, a premium paint product with low VOC (upon request).