Warning Signs All Consumers Need to Know When Hiring a Painter

When you hire a team of house painters in Narragansett RI to transform your home’s exterior, the last thing that you want is for your house to look worse than before the work began. The unfortunate reality is that some people claim to be professional painters offering exterior painting and deck staining services, but they actually are not experienced professionals.

At Two Brothers Painting, we take customer satisfaction seriously. We want you to love your experience with our home painting team, and we want you to enjoy the beautiful results that we create on your property. In fact, because we value customer satisfaction so highly, we also want to help you avoid making a poor hiring decision. What should you avoid when hiring house painters for your next project?

Questionable Payment Requirements

It is common for painting contractors to require an upfront deposit. After all, contractors need to pay for materials and supplies upfront. Deposits also show the client’s good faith before any labor is done. In fact, legitimate, experienced painters may require a deposit amount that equals anywhere from the cost of the materials up to 50 percent of the project’s total cost. However, you should be suspicious if a larger deposit is required before any work is done.

In addition, you should focus on the accepted payment methods. House painters should accept cash, checks and credit cards. If a contractor only accepts cash payments, this is a major red flag. Regardless of how you pay, ensure that you receive a written receipt for the deposit.

No Written Estimate or Contract

Professional home painting contractors always prepare written estimates upfront, and they require the homeowner to sign a contract before work begins. These written documents protect the contractor as well as the homeowner. They clarify the full scope of the project, the agreed-upon payment terms, the types of products and materials that will be used and other important aspects of the project. You should steer clear of any painting contractor who is unwilling to prepare a written estimate and a written contract for you.

Lack of Liability Insurance

Skilled house painters always take substantial steps to stay safe on job sites. However, even when precautions are taken, accidents can happen. A contractor’s liability insurance protects the painters as well as the homeowner. You should always ask to see proof of coverage before a painting project begins. If an exterior painting contractor is unable or unwilling to provide proof of coverage to you, you should hire a different contractor.

Low-Quality Materials and Supplies

Even the most experienced house painters cannot deliver impressive results if low-grade painting products are used. Generally, professional painters prefer to use good paint products for a variety of reasons. For example, better paints may not clog up their sprayer, and fewer coats may be required for complete coverage. Quality paints may simply be easier to apply properly. Painters who use cheap, low-grade products may not have the experience to know the difference, or they may be trying to cut corners to pocket a higher profit.

As a homeowner, you want to enjoy long-lasting results from your exterior painting project, so you only want your painters to use superior products on your home. Our painting company exclusively uses PPG, Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams paints, depending on the surfaces we are painting.

Lack of Experience

The best exterior painting company to hire is an experienced one. Often, new painting companies will be formed by experienced painters who once worked under another contractor. The contractor should be able to tell you about the company’s history and about his or her professional background. Be cautious when hiring a contractor with minimal experience. Our painting company has more than 15 years of experience with exterior painting projects.

Inadequate Reviews and References

Before you finalize your hiring decision, you should take time to research the experiences that previous customers have had with the contractor. Reading online reviews is essential. Keep in mind that quality house painters may have one or two negative reviews combined with dozens or hundreds of positive reviews. If the contractor that you are interviewing lacks a sufficient number of online reviews, ask for a list of references. These references should be past customers who you can and should contact for a personal recommendation. You also should drive by at least a few homes to see the quality of the contractor’s workmanship in person.

While there are many house painters in Narragansett RI who would be happy to paint your home, it is crucial that you do your homework before making a hiring decision. At Two Brothers Painting, we are an experienced contractor that consistently focuses on customer satisfaction. We want you to feel confident about your decision to hire us, and we refuse to disappoint you with the experience we deliver or the results we provide on your property. In fact, many of our new clients are referred to us from our previous customers, and we will do our part to earn your referrals as well.

Are you ready to get started on your exterior painting project? Our house painters are available to consult with you on colors and to answer all of your questions about scheduling, the process and more. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our team.