Things to Consider When Hiring a Painter

Are you thinking of hiring a painter? Depending on where you live in the Philadelphia area, you may be in for a few surprises due to the age of your home. No matter where you live, or the number of seasons your home has endured, you want to take some time to think about what you want out of a painter and do some investigating. Here are a few things to consider when hiring a painter.

Think About a Contract

Since you are hiring a contractor to do work for you, you want to take some time to consider just what work you want done. All of this should be captured in the contract that you and the painter agree upon. Succinctly and comprehensively map out details such as:

• How many coats of paint
• Working hours
• Surface preparations
• Priming and brand of primer
• Brand of the paint to be used
• Costs involved

Having a well-thought-out contract can help you to make sure you get the job done to your satisfaction.

Check for Lead

Lead paint was used pretty commonly before 1978. If you are in an older home there may still be some lead paint on your walls from the original paint job. You can check this by taking some paint samples from your walls and having them analyzed. Dealing with and disposing of lead paint adds considerable cost to a painting job.

Inquire About Extra Costs

Some painters will require that all of the prep work and patching be done before they begin the job. Others will do this for you at an extra charge. The same goes for moving and arranging heavy furniture so a painter can get to the walls. Make sure that you inquire about these costs ahead of time so that you are not surprised when the final bill from your painter arrives.

Choose Your Colors

Don’t wait until the painter shows up to begin thinking about what colors you would like in your rooms. Take the time to plan ahead and choose your colors in advance. Even if you are not going to use the same store that your painter is going to use to purchase the paint, the colors used by paint companies are generally consistent from reseller to reseller. Have a list ready to hand to your painter and be sure to specify to which room each shade of paint is headed.

Don’t Forget the Finish

Also take some time to consider the finish of the paint that you would like on your walls. Satin, gloss, a mix of the two, each one can give a very different look to a room. If you aren’t sure of what you want, get some paint samples and put them on the wall to see what you like better.

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