How to Choose a Professional Painter

Price is certainly an important factor in choosing a professional painter. Who doesn’t like a bargain? But can you really afford, ‘the cheap guy’? For some people the hunt for a bargain is a reward in itself. However, sometimes a lower price tag does not mean “less expensive”.  Think of how you sometimes shop for a box of breakfast cereal or maybe laundry detergent. You do some calculating based on the number of ounces in the package compared to the price tag, then you decide which is really the less expensive option. Often the one with the lower price tag is more per ounce, costing you more over the long-haul.

The way in which this relates to choosing a painting contractor is self-evident. Often the person who is charmed by the lower price tag is, in the end, disappointed by their purchase. Let us look at some important things to consider when you choose a professional painter to do work in your home.

• Customer Satisfaction Guarantee: does the professional painter offer a satisfaction guarantee and stand behind the guarantee. The company who is here today and gone tomorrow will do you no good if there is an issue down the line. As a matter of fact, a recent interaction with one of our customers comes to mind. She had hired someone to paint her kitchen and they used the wrong color. When she called them back, there was no response and she ended up calling us to do the right color. As you can see, she ended up paying twice for the job. Not much of a bargain.
• Warranty: When you find a professional painter that offers a warranty, that means they stand behind their workmanship and they use quality materials from companies that stand behind their products.
• Business License: Another thing to look for is whether they have the proper license to be working on your home. Believe it or not, you need a home improvement license to legitimately paint people’s houses in New Jersey. If the “cheap guy” doesn’t have a business license, that’s not a very good sign. If they are content to do business illegally in New Jersey, there’s no telling what they might end up doing in or to your home.
• Liability and Worker’s Compensation Insurance: Are they FULLY insured? I know of a painting contractor who burned down part of someone’s house because they did not handle oily rags properly. If something that catastrophic happened in your home and the contractor did not have liability insurance, do you think he’s going to pay out-of-pocket to repair your home in a situation like that? Worker’s Compensation insurance is very expensive because painters often work on ladders. Because of the cost, some contractors do not carry this insurance. I know at least three different contractors who had major falls off ladders in people’s homes. All three were seriously injured and one is no longer with us if you understand what I am saying. Were you aware of the fact that if someone falls off a ladder in your home and does not have Worker’s Compensation insurance, they can sue you? One injury in your home, and the “cheap guy” will end up being a very expensive proposition.
• Thoroughly Vetted Employees: consider who the contractor will be sending to your home.  Are they legally allowed to work in New Jersey? Have they been background checked and drug tested.  You want to feel safe and not worry about your family and possessions. Taking this a step further, a clearly defined and documented code of conduct for employees can ease your mind, so you know what the contractor expects from their employees in your home.
• 5-Star Reviews: Take some time to research the company you are considering hiring. Do they have a high number of positive reviews? Whether reviews are on Google or Social Media you can look for positive feedback, and contractor resolution for any customer concerns.

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of good contractors out there, T. Whitaker Painting being at the top of the list. However, there are also plenty of questionable and downright dishonest contractors out there. I know plenty of stories that have been relayed to me by my own customers before hiring T. Whitaker Painting. It does not make me happy to know that these people got shoddy workmanship, damage to their home or just blatantly got ripped off. But this does happen and, unfortunately, it happens all the time. You get what you pay for.

So, how do you choose a professional painter? Well, do your research and ask questions. How long they have been in business, and do they have positive reviews? Request proof of insurance and proof of their business license. Do they offer a warranty and customer satisfaction guarantee? And finally, are their employees vetted so that you and your family will feel safe with them in your home.

If you need painting or wallpapering done in your house, I highly suggest you call T. Whitaker Painting because they check off all the boxes of a legitimate and honorable painting business, people that you will be happy to have your home and a job that will leave you with lasting beauty.