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Before you hire a contractor to paint your home, bear in mind that expertise can differ considerably. Below are five qualities of a good paint professional. Ideally, you should ensure that you lookout for these signs before you sign a contract. • How will you prepare for painting? Every professional painter should know this. And if they don’t, they probably don’t have any business painting your home. Proper surface preparation is a key element in deciding how long the paint will last. Therefore, you should pay keen attention before the paint goes on your wall. Some painters don’t give this stage the attention it deserves. For instance, with exterior projects, the painter should begin by totally scrapping loose paint and then power washing the areas to be painted. Time also needs to be allocated for these areas to properly dry out thoroughly. Interior projects also require a significant amount of preparation even before the primer goes on. This is one of the areas where corners are cut in order to deliver a lower quote. If your painter isn’t budgeting time to prepare the surfaces to be painted, then you should raise the alarm. • What steps will you take to protect my belongings? A professional painter shouldn’t be so focused on the job of applying the paint that they forget that they may also ruin other parts of your home if they are not careful enough. For instance, your artwork, prized possessions, furniture, cars and other appliances should be properly masked or put away before painting begins. Protecting your possessions is an important part of the painter’s job and it takes time to mask and cover everything with care. Similarly, your patio stones and concrete should also be protected as paint on them can be very hard to remove. Thus, a professional painter should be able to foresee that they may be putting other items in your property at risk if they do not mask them properly. You also need to know that they carry proper liability insurance in case of an unexpected accident. Be sure to ask what steps your contractor will take to protect your belongings and what insurance they have in place. • Are you using high quality paint? Some painters favor a particular brand of paint, and that on its own is not a bad thing. However, be sure to confirm that the brand and quality you paid for is what you are actually getting when it is delivered. This is important because there are different grades of paint. The name may be what is on the invoice, but the grade may differ from what you actually paid for. Ensure you are getting what you paid for by confirming the paint type and quality once it arrives. High quality paint can be expensive, but it is worth every penny as it will be more durable, easier to clean and last much longer. • Do you dilute the paint? Real and experienced paint contractors understand what brand and paint quality does the job best in terms of overall quality and longevity. Also, once it comes to the actual painting, they also know that paint isn’t meant to be diluted with water. Some painters are of the opinion that paints should be watered down, however, this is not necessary and is typically only used to reduce costs. Make sure you ask your prospective painting contractor that they are not watering down your product. • Can I inspect your work before I make my final payment? Upon completion of the job, a professional painter should be willing to walk you through the job they have done. Although, a real pro would do this first before inviting the owner to join in. This is done so any spot that may have been missed is corrected before a final payment is made.
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Painting contractor, consumer protection, 5 things to ask, painting, painters, quality paint, trusted contractors, surface preparation,
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