Choosing Your Painting Contractor in Atlanta

This information will be helpful for everyone who plans to have interior or exterior of their house painted. If you are looking to hire painting contractors Atlanta or elsewhere, you want to make sure they answer several important questions to your satisfaction. Below you will find what I would call a good start before you make the decision about whom to hire.

First of all you want to meet them in person. It should be easy to accomplish as almost all contractors offer a free estimate or quote for the job. If you do not feel comfortable with them for any reason, and they did not come from a referral, then I would suggest going with your gut feel and keep looking. There are many companies who offer house painting services, and you need to get several estimates anyway.

Another important point is references. While most companies will offer them to you, it is your responsibility to follow up on checking them out. Please do not think that just because they give you a list it is enough. Make several phone calls, and if you can visit some of the reference provided they don’t mind. Hopefully there will be a few not far from where you live. Ask as many questions as you can come up with, from personalities to the quality of work to the overall satisfaction. Ask for anything customers might not have been happy with. Once you’re satisfied it should become an important deciding factor on which house painter to choose.

Now let’s talk about project costs and payment options. While you might be tempted to go with the lowest bidder, it usually is not the best option. Low price often means low-quality materials which will not last long and cutting corners on technological processes and steps which will show it quite soon, forcing you to do the same project over again. Low bidders may save you money in the short-term, but they almost always cost you money in the long run. When you have several quotes, usually someone in the middle is the right company for you, provided all other things being equal. Also ask if a cash payment might give you a discount (if you can afford to make a full cash payment). Some contractors will offer cash discounts instead of paying some percentage to credit card companies.

Ask the painter about materials they use. If you’re familiar with the brand and do not mind it being used then I would suggest to go along with their choice. If you insist on using the paint that the contractor does not normally use, be prepared to pay the premium, as the contractor may not have an account with the company you prefer and therefore will have to pay full price for the paint. I would also suggest giving painters colors you chose, and not asking them for advice. Smart painters would gently decline to advise you on colors as they know that they might have to redo the job should you no longer like the colors they suggested in the first place. This would certainly create an unnecessary strain in business relationship.

I also would suggest going with a local painter whenever you have a chance. High-quality contractors normally would have a number of happy customers in the area where they live. It makes it easy for you to check the references, have them come in for “warranty work” if needed, saves on travel time, allows your project to be finished sooner, and creates a nice sense of community.

If you live in a Metro Atlanta area, click on  Atlanta Painters for more information. We also have a resource for you on how to choose colors for house painting.