HOW TO CHOOSE PAINTING COMPANY
You want to paint your home and you want to use professional painting contractors to do the job. That’s a smart move, especially if you call our company.
How do you know that you’re hiring a trusted company with insurance? Well, you ask! There are several questions you can ask before coming to any agreements with a painting company.
How long is your warranty?
True professionals give an assurance of their work in the form of a warranty, or guarantee. Some companies offer warranties of 10, 20 and even lifetime warranties. Those are red flags, simply because those businesses will likely be out of business long before those warranties run out. However, there are plenty of fair and realistic warranties that painting companies should be offering.
1 year guarantees are common, and most poor paint jobs show up within the first year. 2-3 year guarantees are also common and realistic. Anything over 3 years should by checked out more closely. A decent guarantee will cover both the material and the labor to repair a defect.
Paint manufacturers frequently offer longer warranties; those only cover the replacement of materials. Most warranties have exclusions, so it’s important to understand that the warranty does and doesn’t cover. They should be provided in writing and available to review.
Unscrupulous contractors frequently offer unrealistic warranties to provide customers with deals of the century, knowing they’ll be long gone by then. Or, alternatively, they may discuss a warranty with you but never provide it in writing. read more about painting contractors here.
Are you insured?
There are two types of insurance that painting companies have: comprehensive business liability insurance, and workmen’s compensation. The former protects your property from damage and the latter protects you from liability and the workers in case of injury.
Workmen’s compensation insurance can be pricey, so many poor painting companies will try and operate without it. Never work with a contractor that doesn’t have both insurances in place. In the case of workmen’s compensation, an injury on the job where the company holds no insurance could leave you personally in danger of a lawsuit.
It’s your right to confirm the insurance before hiring a company- poor contractors will try to pass off other insurances as proof of their insurance, or change dates on a policy to try and trick you.
Is the company a member of the BBB?
In addition to the Better Business Bureau, are you part of any trade associations or a local chamber of commerce? Membership to any of these shows that a company is stable and committed to the trade.
Membership of the BBB requires a yearly fee, which demonstrates the contractor’s confidence in their service record, and that they don’t mind customers checking them out.
While membership of a trade association shows the company’s commitment to providing customers with a high standard of service. Trade associations frequently provide training, education, technical consulting, and even a written code of ethics.
Becoming a member at the chamber of commerce shows stability and an interest in the community.
Some dishonest painting companies may feature the logos as though they are members, however you can check up on them using the appropriate website.