How to Hire Salem Painter

If you’re like a lot of homeowners you enjoy doing projects around the house but if your home is very large or higher than one story, painting can be a bit daunting especially where heights are involved. Finding a professional painter to handle the job might be the better and safer option when dealing with ladders and high places. If you hire a qualified Salem painter you can be certain he’ll have all the proper equipment to complete the job quickly and safely.

Most people paint their home as a routine part of maintenance and to keep up appearances with the neighborhood but if the paint is of poor standard or the work is poorly done, you defeat the entire purpose of the project. Anyone can claim to be a painter, but painting takes a certain amount of detailed skill so when you decide to hire someone for the job you need to become an informed consumer. No matter what the size of the project is, you need to feel assured that you’re hiring the best painter for your specific job.

Where to Locate a Professional Salem Painter

When you make the decision to hire a Salem painter there are a number of places you can start. Check with your local paint store or home building center. Painters and other contractors will often post their business cards on the bulletin boards provided by these stores. Search the internet for a listing of Salem painters local to your area. These listings can often involve time and money that usually only a professional will bother with.

Find out if anyone you know has ever hired a painter in the past. Possibly they can show you the work that was done and let you know if they were pleased with the job or if they have any complaints. If the Salem painter did a good job, it could be an excellent way to get a recommendation. Have a look through the yellow pages of the local phone book. It’s still considered the most conventional way of finding a variety of services when you need them.

The Salem Painter Interview

Hiring Salem painter based solely on his estimate is not usually a good idea. Spend some time talking about your project with each painter you consider hiring before you ask for an estimate. Ask a few painters to visit your home and do an onsite walk through with you. Talk with each one about their knowledge and years of experience as a painter. Inquire if they have worked as a subcontractor on larger jobs. Working as a subcontractor within the industry is a good sign of a painter that provides quality work.

Ask each Salem painter for proof of current license and insurance. Liability insurance is also a must for every Salem painter to protect you from any possible damage. You’ll also need to check that they carry workers compensation if they have any employees. If an employee gets hurt while working on your property, you don’t want to be held liable for any potential medical bills. Be sure any painter you want to hire is bonded. If he fails to fulfill the terms of the contract the bond will provide protection in helping you get your project completed.

Ask for references from each Salem painter and follow up on them, but don’t rely on references alone. While references might be a good indicator of a reputable painter, the truth is if there are any unsatisfied customers out there, you probably won’t be given their contact information. A better choice for checking any contractor is the Better Business Bureau. If there have been any complaints they will be able to let you know as well as tell you if any complaints have been taken care of. A complaint or two is not unusual but finding out how they were taken care of is very important.

You’re ready to ask for some bids once you’ve gathered your list of prospective painters. If you don’t plan ahead, this could be confusing since every Salem painter has his own method of handling a job, from the paint he prefers to use to the final cleanup. It’s even possible for the prep work to vary since one painter may take the time to scrape and sand the surface while another may use a power washer. Both of these techniques require varying time and effort and this will show in the bids you get. You should supply each Salem painter with a list of what you would like included in their bid. This way when you look at the bids they should all be uniform in the scope and details of the project which will make them much easier to compare.

Signing a Contract with Salem Painter

Once you have the Salem painter you want for your project, you need to put together a contract. This should detail your project, the steps required to get it done, the paint that will be used and the cost of labor. The painter’s phone, address and any other contact information should be included along with his state license number and copies of liability and workers comp policies. You should also make certain that a specific completion date is included.

Ask about a guarantee if there should be a problem with the paint such as chipping peeling, chalking or excessive fading within the first couple of years. If there is one make sure it’s also in writing that the painter will fix the problem at little or no cost to you. While the paint itself may come with an extensive warranty, it will not include the labor cost of having the job redone.

Remember that you want to hire a painter you can trust. A lot of the work will probably be done when you aren’t around so it’s difficult to know exactly what’s being done. Once the final coat is on you wont be able to determine if the surface was properly prepared or primed or how many coats of paint were actually applied. When you want to hire a qualified Salem painter, you should keep in mind that like any other contractor, he’ll be working in your home and you want to find the best person for the job.