Common Mistakes South Carolina Homeowners Make When Hiring Paint Contractors
First and foremost, research is the key to success when hiring a paint contractor. Request a minimum of three quotes from local South Carolina painters. Obtaining several quotes for a painting project may seem overly time consuming, but the process allows South Carolina homeowners to gauge current market cost per square foot. Additionally, consider the following advantages; you create an opportunity to spend 20 to 30 minutes with each contractor. Hmmm?
During that time take mental notes of the impression the contractors present to you. Does he appear professionally dressed as though he was on-the-job? Does he appear overly casual and on his way to a back-yard cookout? Is he prepared, or does he ask you for a pencil, a piece of paper, or a tape measure? Does his vehicle project a successful company? How soon can he start your project? If his time table is wide open, it may indicate that his services are not in high demand.
Selecting Your Contractor Based on Price
Hiring a South Carolina Paint Contractor based on the lowest contract price is a big temptation for homeowners. After all, a savings of $1,500 for example from one bid to the next is a significant amount of money to keep in your pocket. However, all Paint Contractors are not equal. Less expensive painters rarely guarantee their work and seldom honor verbal agreements to return if touch-ups are required. Be aware that a cheaper Paint Contractor might be applying low-quality paint in an effort to save money or produce his very competitive bid.
Low grade paints may not be in your best interest, as they do not wear well. Cut-rate paints are nearly impossible to clean and they may peel at a later date requiring repainting. Make sure the language in your contract clearly states which brand of paint is to be used on all interior and exterior surfaces, including primer and number of coats. As your home is painted, safe guard your investment by popping in frequently to make sure you see your preferred brand of paint cans open and being used.
Hiring an Uninsured Contractor
When hiring a South Carolina Painting Contractor, verify the Paint Contractor is paying workers compensation on his employees and has General Liability Insurance. It is important they meet these basic requirements. This way, if an accident happens (think : ladders) on your project, your homeowners insurance does not end up absorbing the cost and possibly medical bills.
Failing to Ask for and Check References
Ask for references; note hesitation, if any, on the contractors part to provide at least three references and follow through by actually calling them. This is the single best way of determining the integrity of the contractor. If he is honest and values his reputation, he will be ready for your request. Below you'll find several suggested questions to help get you started when following up on those references.
- Are you related to the contractor in any way?
- What was the quality of his workmanship?
- How long since the work was completed - how well has the paint performed?
- If problems arose, how were they dealt with - did they stay on budget?
- Were you happy with the crew's attitude, manners, or personal appearance?
- Did they keep the site clean during the job, as well as afterwards?
- Was the contractor or crew leader present on site to supervise?
- Was your project started and completed in a timely fashion?
Careful Inspection Before Making Final Payment
Take the time to research and note the contact information of specific regulatory agencies which protect homeowners through disciplinary actions against unethical contractors. It is easier to have the information on hand, rather than looking it up and jotting it down after the fact, (while possibly upset) should an unfortunate situation arise. Here at McCauley Painting of Greenwood, South Carolina we exercise due diligence in gathering the necessary information for our customers in advance. Not only is it available on our website, but we also include a hard copy with every proposal submitted to our potential customers.