HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE Find out how long has the painting contractor has been in business? The Painting Trade has a pretty high turnover and only the most professional and determined will survive long term. So, be sure to contract with a painter who has been operating for say at least two years or longer. DO THEY USE EMPLOYEES OR SUBCONTRACTORS Will your contractor be using their own employees or subcontracting out the job? If the contrator is directly paying the workers on the job then each worker receives a paycheck from the contractor. If the workers are receiving their pay from another source than the contractor, then you have subcontractors on the job? When the workers are direct employees then the contractor's workers' compensation and general liability insurance policies come into play, so, make sure the workers are covered. If the workers are actually subcontractors, they should be able to produce their own insurance policies. Nonetheless, always demand the contractor give you a copy of their proof of insurance for both for their company and any subcontractors. LICENSURE Check to make sure the painting contractor has a state or city issued license, a general liability insurance policy and a worker's compensation insurance policy? You should see it as a critical issue for your contractor to have all the necessary insurances and licenses. Any reputable company worth their sale will be licensed and insured and have all the proper documents to prove it. Remember, these insurances protect their workers they have on your site - so make sure you and your home are covered. DO THE PREPARATION WORK Ask in advance concerning the preparation work the contractor will do? A corner cutting contractor will skimp on the preparation work that should be done. A painting contractor worth his salt will always take the time to assure all preparations are done to industry standard, meaning what they have proposed they will do and what you have both agreed upon. The proof is always in the pudding, so make sure it's delicious for you when the job is done. CHECK THEIR REFERENCES Ask your contractor for several references. Then actually call the references and determine if they were actual clients and before you make your a hiring decision. KNOWLEDGE Chat with the contractor and see if they can make recommendations as to what materials will work best for your project? This is a good tell as professional contractors will be up to speed with all the latest products and techniques. They should be a wealth of knowledge with suggestions for colors and finishes and be knowledgeable about the latest trends. Most certainly, experience counts. INSIST ON A FORMAL ESTIMATE Have the contractor commit to the scope of the project in writing including the materials they'll use and amount of preparatopm work. Make sure the contrator uses a formal proposal or bidding sheet and not just hand you a business card with numbes on the back or a haphazardly drawn-up dollar figure on a napkin or paper. All truly professional painting contractors will make sure their prospective clients will receive a written proposal and contract together with their job specifications. WHAT'S THE GUARANTEE Make sure to find out what the Guarantee is? You should make sure to not only receive a written guarantee for the products by the paint manufacturers, but you should also receive a warranty on the application and preparation processes. WHAT'S THE COST Price seems to remain king in the project job world with everyone trying to stretch their dollors as far as the can. However, deciding on the lowest price proposal is not always the wisest way to go and should not be your first or only consideration.

No matter what the price, you need to make sure to work with someone with skills, experience, and who is properly licensed, insured, aware of and follows all safety guidelines and is of course a good worker. You have to ask yourself, will that be the one underbidding everyone else to get the job? And, are they underbidding because the bounce from job to job without any referals?

Here to, you may not want the highest bidder either. Always look at the whole picture from a few steps back. The truth is all painting contractors operate on very thin profit margins. You may hear the story of homeowner who got away with hiring students, being unlicensed individuals and were happy with their work. Then there is the old adage of if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. ALWAYS OBTAIN AT LEAST THREE BIDS For all your requested bids, always ask the same questions and and state the same expectations. When you have all yous bids in hand, which should take no longer than about a week, then you can carefully compare all the proposals and check things like providing for the same amount of preparation, materials provided and the scope of work. dateon't forget to make sure the contractor has all the proper documentation for insurances and licensure.