Hiring a Professional
If you do not have the time, know how, or patience to paint your house yourself, or if you just do not want to you should hire a professional to do it. However, not just any professional will do. You want to make sure you get a true professional, not just some guy who thought it would be fun to open a painting company, and can offer good prices because they have little or no experience. So, how can you know if the painter you hire really is a professional or not? And, how do you ensure that you get the best quality workmanship at the best price?
Well, the first thing you can do when you hire a professional is find one with liability coverage and workmen's comp. If you hire a professional you will want to make sure they carry workmen's comp and liability insurance to protect yourself. This does two things for you, it protects you from most problems that may happen if they get hurt at your house, as they may have to be up on scaffolding or ladders to paint your walls and ceilings. And second, painting is more of an amateur trade then most trades are, as anyone could call themselves a painter, so, if the painter you hire carries professional liability coverage they are probably a professional. They would not have the coverage if they weren't. So that is a great place to start.
The next thing you can do when you hire a professional painter to do your interior or exterior painting, is ask for references and check them. Your best way to find someone that does quality work is to see there work, and make sure you like it before you pay them for the work you want them to do. If you get references and check them and no one has anything bad to say, you can feel confident that even if the professional you hired lacks some experience, that they do a good job. On the other hand, if they give fake references, or do not have any to give, you are probably safer going with someone else.
When you hire a professional you have to be clear about your expectations. Because it is not their house, they will not have the instinctive, natural vested interest in quality and protection of property as you do. They may not care as much about the quality or grade of the paint, as they aren't the one that has to live with it. So, you will want to specify that they use a specific grade of paint, that they apply a certain number of coats, etc. You will also want to specify they must use a masking and a drop cloth to protect your property. By doing this you will get better results, and you will not be disappointed.
Hiring a professional will save you time, but if they end up being a big headache you will wish you would have taken the time to learn how and do the job yourself. So, take precautions and hire a professional worthy of the term. Be a smart consumer that knows how to check references and not just take the "this is how it is" answer, but one that demands quality and precision in the work they pay for. You have to live with the walls and house that have been painted, so why should you settle for less than a superior, quality job?
