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6 Questions to Ask Before You Sign a Painting Services Contract

What should you ask before you commit to hiring a professional painting service contractor? Here’s what to ask before signing a painting service contract:

Whether you’re trying to sell your home or improve its curb appeal, a coat of paint can go a long way. In fact, a fresh coat can even improve the value of your home.

Homes with no color sell for an average of $4,035 less than similar properties. Even adding a coat of light blue paint to the bathroom could help increase the value by $5,440.

Calgary House Painter

House Painting and Renovations Contract

Are you thinking of hiring professional painting services to give your home an upgrade? It’s important to find a professional you can trust. Here are six questions you can ask during your search.

By asking these questions, you can narrow down your options to find the professional painting service you need.

Start your search with these tips today!

1. What Experience Do You Have?

First, take the time to speak with friends, family members, and neighbors in the area. Have any of them paid for professional painting services recently? Ask about their experience.

Would they recommend the same painter, or do they suggest you look for someone else? Speaking with people in your inner circle will help you narrow down your options.

It also gives you a unique insight into local painting companies. Instead of asking the painter all your questions, you can speak with someone like you: a customer.

Once you have a list of painters in the area, research their business. You can start by visiting the Better Business Bureau website.

Is each painter on your list a member of the BBB? Are they a part of any other trade associations? If so, they’re likely committed to their trade.

Ask how long the company has run and operated. A long-running company has likely outlasted other companies in the area. This indicates they’ve won the trust of their customers.

If you choose an inexperienced company, on the other hand, you might come across problems. They’re likely still working out kinks in their business model. They could even lack the resources necessary to finish your project.

Employees

Make sure their employees are experienced as well. Who will work on your home? How long have they provided professional painting services?

Ask the company’s owners if they run criminal background checks on their employees. It also helps to ask if they hire employees or subcontractors. If it’s the latter, there’s a chance they can’t thoroughly vouch for the painter’s skill set.

Choose someone who is experienced. Otherwise, you might not receive the quality services you were expecting.

2. Are You Licensed and Insured?

As you interview companies that offer painting services, prioritize looking for a company that’s licensed and insured.

Are they licensed for both commercial and residential properties? Some licenses only cover one or the other. Make sure the company has the licenses necessary to finish your project.

Some licenses might vary depending on the scope of your painting project, too. Are you looking for an interior painting service or exterior? Make sure the company is qualified to provide the services you need.

Don’t forget to look into their insurance coverage, too.

What if an accident occurs while the painters are working on your property? Are you expected to cover the damages and expenses?

Instead, choose a professional painting service from a company with comprehensive business liability. If anything does happen, you’ll have peace of mind that you’re covered.

3. Do You Have Customer Testimonials?

Remember, you don’t have to believe a company at its word. Instead, ask if you can speak with some of their recent clients.

Make sure these clients hired the painting company within the past year. That way, you’ll have a better idea of their current capabilities.

Ask the customers about their experience working with the painting company. Were there any incidents? Did the finished product meet their expectations?

You can also find reviews on the Better Business Bureau website or the company’s Google My Business listing.

Reading reviews and speaking with clients will help you learn about the company’s painting services from an unbiased source.

4. Can I See Photos of Past Projects?

To truly make sure the company meets your expectations, ask to see photos of their recent projects. Make sure the photos match the scope of your own project.

For example, if you need an interior painting service, ask to see photos of the same rooms you want painted.

Do the photos meet your standards and expectations? How recent were those projects completed?

If the photos don’t meet your expectations, keep searching.

5. What Materials Do You Use?

You can also ask each painting company about the materials they use. Are they using cheap, sub-par materials? If the company is cutting costs, the color likely won’t last long.

Weather, time, and general wear and tear can cause the paint to fade. If you need exterior painting, sun exposure can also cause discoloration.

During your search, make sure to prioritize finding a company that uses high-quality paints. Otherwise, you’ll end up needing your property repainted down the road.

6. Do You Offer a Warranty?

It’s important to get quotes from at least three companies in the area. That way, you can compare their prices and find someone who fits your budget.

Some painters ask for $4,000 in labor and materials for painting the exterior of a 2,500-square-foot home. The interior might cost around $5,500.

Don’t hire the least expensive contractor, though. Instead, make sure they’re capable of meeting your expectations.

What’s included in the estimate? Are labor and material costs calculated?

Is there a warranty? Some companies offer a one- to three-year warranty for their services. Ask what the warranty covers, such as materials and labor.

Get everything you discuss in writing, too. That way, you can avoid any disputes in the future.

Don’t forget to review the entire contract before you sign on the dotted line.

Get a Fresh Coat: 6 Questions to Ask Before Hiring Painting Services

Ready to give your property a fresh coat of paint? Make sure to ask these six questions before you hire painting services. By asking these questions, you can find the best company for the job!

Want to discuss your next painting project? We’re happy to help.

Get a free quote from our team today!

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Insider Tips for Choosing the Best Interior Painting Services

Insider Tips for Choosing the Best Interior Painting Services

Get top quality results for you home’s fresh coat of paint by hiring the best interior painting services. Learn how to find the very best with these tips.

 

Interior Painting ServicesHow do you choose between interior painting services in town? You want to hire someone who will do a great job on your home or commercial building, but how do you know which one is best when they all have great reviews on their websites? What sets them apart?

Maybe you’ve hired a contractor before and you’re already overwhelmed by the thought of having to do it again. We understand. Let us give you some helpful tips for choosing the perfect interior painting service — one that will give you the best value for your money. Read on to find out what they are so you can relax and be confident with your choice.

Step 1: See What’s Out There

When you’re looking for a professional painting company online, whether they’re going to paint your home or commercial business, try not to get overwhelmed with all the choices. Take a deep breath and remember: Right now you’re just seeing what’s out there. Peruse the options. Make a shortlist of the ones you have a good feeling about.

Pick 5 or 6 of the best interior painting services for your list, and put them in order of most to least reputable, and by how informative their website is.

Some good places to start looking for a painting contractor are:

  • Friends and family referrals
  • Better Business Bureau
  • Painting & Decorating Contractors of America
  • Angie’s List 

When checking the BBB’s website for your local area, take a look at the Annual Homeowner Survey area. This will show you the most trusted referrals.

Step 2: Get Some Bids

You have your list of interior painting companies. Get multiple bids so you have some options. You’ve probably considered the fact that they can get booked up fast. So collect the data needed by each company, which usually includes the square footage, and wall area, of your home or commercial space.

If you’d rather have each interior painting company call you go ahead and fill out the information on their website or send an email. You may be happy with the one that calls you first just because they got back to you first, but you still have some decisions to make, so don’t settle right away.

Healthy Competition

You’ll want to get bids from several professional painting services so you know the range of prices and quality of work, friendliness, reputation, and general availability for the time period during which you need to get the job done. Getting multiple bids also reminds the contractors that they have some competition for the job.

First Meeting

You might feel loyalty towards the first one that arrives to look at your home or building, but this is just a psychological phenomenon. Keep your wits about you and remember, you want them to compete for your business. Healthy competition is a good thing. Don’t automatically go for the “low-ball” bid, as tempting as it may be.

Try to get at least a few bids before making your decision. You’ll thank yourself in the long-run when you make the right choice and you don’t have a ruined livingroom.

Step 3: Interviewing Companies for Interior Painting Services

Remember, you have the upper hand; They’re competing for a job you’re offering. Ask them tough questions, because later you could regret not doing so. Brainstorm what you’d like and need to ask. Here are some recommended questions to ask during the interview.

  • How long have they been in business (the longer the better)
  • Do they use subcontractors or do they use a regular crew (red flag – cheap labor)
  • Do they offer a warranty (a must)
  • Are they insured (a must)
  • Has the interior painting company received any awards (bonus points)
  • Can they provide references and a picture portfolio (a must)
  • What brands/types of paint do they usually use or are willing to use (cheap paint is a red flag)
  • How much of the wall preparation is included in the contract (don’t get scammed)
  • Do they keep a clean workspace, and clean up afterward (a must)

As you may already know, painting can be a smelly job. Consider staying at a local hotel or at a family member’s or friend’s place if it’s your home you’re having painted.

If it’s your business, work together on how to put up warning signs for the public and colleagues and how to block off any areas that should be avoided by foot traffic or long-term occupancy. For health precautions, consider asking about how much time one should stay in a wet-paint area without a mask.

Step 4: Take Some Time to Think

Let yourself rest take some time to think about which one you want to hire. Think about how each company reacted to the questions. Did they seem too proud to answer them? This is a warning sign. You’ll want a company that’s easy to work with and responsive to your requests during and after the painting project.

Step 5: Check Their References

It’s easy for companies to add fake reviews to business websites these days. Research the interior painting company’s references before you make any final decisions. You’ll thank yourself later. Dishonesty is all too prevalent these days, but there are great companies out there too.

Wrapping Up

You’re now empowered to choose with confidence. This fearlessness will work for you during and after the hiring process. You’ll know it did when you end up choosing the right company for interior painting services, and when you see the results. Remember, they are working for you. Don’t let them treat you rudely or keep you waiting for answers to your questions.

After all, getting a new coat of paint should be a fun, exciting experience. Your interior environment is important for your well-being. You don’t want to look at your walls and remember a poor experience. Stay uplifted by choosing wisely.

Contact us today and keep us on your shortlist for home or commercial business interior painting jobs. We look forward to giving you friendly, honest service at a fair price.

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Wall Painting 101- How the Pros Do It

Painting a wall seems easy. You buy some paint, use a brush, and just do it. If you ask the pros though, they’ll tell you these top wall painting secrets.

When painting, the color you choose can have a dramatic impact on your mood and overall feeling.

Studies have shown brighter colors can make people feel more upbeat, while darker colors can make you feel sad.

The color you choose to paint with is essential, but it’s only half the battle, to truly add to the ambiance of a room it must have a professional paint job.

Painting a room does seem like an easy task until you have paint streaks and botched layers. If you ask the professionals, they will give you these expert wall painting tips to make sure it comes out neat and elegant looking every time.Wall Painting

Wall Painting: An Experts Guide

Each painter has a particular way of painting that they believe to be the best. They all have specific brush techniques and methods of preparing that they perform time after time. How do we know what techniques are the best?

Follow along with this expert guide that is dedicated to helping you get the perfect paint job every time.

Preparation

When it comes to preparing to paint a wall, you can look at like preparing for war. It is one of the most critical steps to make sure you get the perfect paint job. If you miss a step or get lazy, you might have paint leak through your barriers, and that’s a big problem.

So its best to put in the work, in the beginning, to make sure the rest of the process is smooth sailing.

First, you should inspect the walls to make sure they are not any holes, cracks, or rough spots. If you find holes, make sure to fill them in along with any cracks. If you have paint that’s chipping, you can go ahead and peel it away. Any spots you find can be easily cleaned with a non-toxic cleaner.

Make sure to lightly sand down any rough spots you find to ensure you have a clean, smooth surface to work with.

Protect Your Assets

When you are finished preparing the wall, its time to move on to taping. To make sure your painting tape holds, its recommended to get a high-quality tape such as frog tape. You can then go along baseboards, molding, doors, window frames, light fixtures, and switch plates.

When it comes to taping, the better edge you create, the better the results will be in the end. Don’t skimp out on the taping portion.

Next, move any furniture in the area if you can to another room. If moving the furniture to another room isn’t an option, make sure to cover it with a plastic throw.

When you feel comfortable with your furniture being protected, throw a drop cloth down on the floors to protect them as well.

Time to Begin Painting

Time to open up the paint can and begin painting. It is a smart idea to pour the paint into a ramp. The ramp helps when painting a wall to ensure the paint is evenly distributed throughout the entire wall.

An important thing to keep in mind when choosing a roller is to look for one that has “shedless” on the label. A shedless roller is higher quality and will make sure you don’t have any unwanted fibers coming off the roller and sticking to the wall.

When you begin to paint, starting at the top and working your way down is the proper way to paint a wall. It is best to work on the ceiling first and work your way down from there.

Technique, Technique, Technique

The technique is what separates the professionals from amateurs. One of the techniques professionals use is called “cutting in.” This technique helps protect the trim and edges by painting straight lines alongside them, eliminating the need to go over it multiple times.

With the cutting in process, you paint the top and bottom first using straight lines and then fill in the middle using a roller.

Another technique that professionals use is called keeping a “wet edge.” This technique involves keeping the “cut in” portion wet to maintain the working area of the wall.

If you do not keep a wet edge while painting, it will give the wall different layers, and ruin the look of it.

Using these professional painting tips will help maintain a professional look while also maximizing efficiency.

Wrapping up

While you finish up your painting job, it is essential to remember the job isn’t finished quite yet. It is recommended not to touch freshly painted walls for at least 2 hours after you finish. It is best if you can leave it overnight to avoid any unwanted streaks.

If possible, you can leave the windows open to help circulate the air.  If it is humid outside, it is not recommended to open the windows.

When the humidity is high, the air contains more water vapors and can affect the finish of your paint job. Due to the increased moisture in the air, the paint can take longer to dry as well.

When finished with your tools, it is recommended to soak them in hot or warm water to get the excess paint off. Most paint will come right off with a little water because many paints are water-based in this day in age.

If needed, you can use a little bit of mild soap for stubborn paint that won’t come off. Cleaning your tools immediately after your finished ensures you keep the integrity of the tools, and they will be ready to use for your next paint job.

When finished with your paint, you can put the lid back on with a little tap from a hammer. Make sure the cover is on tight, and paint can last up to another two years once opened.

When The Professionals Are Needed

After reading through this guide, you will have learned how to properly paint a wall. Keep in mind though some paint jobs are harder than others, don’t get discouraged if you have a massive project.

That is what the professionals are here for, if you need assistance with wall painting, contact us today, and we can help.

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I’d like to introduce myself…….

Every once in awhile you come across someone or a group that is so passionate for their craft, that you just have to share it. This is the one of the many things like I enjoy about my new position as President at Harding’s. Our entire team of Licensee’s has a passionate dedication to their craft and to our clients experience.

After 16 years in the franchise business, I chose to tackle a different realm altogether. I think my previous role(s) have prepped me perfectly for this job. My passion for my own craft and the mastery of it drove me to find a role where like minded people could collaborate together to build upon a great foundation like Harding’s. Harding’s started in Midnapore, Calgary in 1996 by Dalton Harding. Dalton grew the business to include many painters that were passionate about the mastery of their own craft. Today we have grown to 9 residential painters, a commercial painting division, a cleaning division, an exterior cleaning/maintenance division along with ceiling texturing, renovations and a professional handyman service.

Many of the painters that started with Dalton have stayed “on board” (haha, a little joke about my past) and bought into the business that they now task me to operate. I look forward to many years of growing and learning the Home Improvement businesses we have established.

Check out one of our licensee’s talk about his passion here.

Rob Hilditch, President of Harding’s

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