Tips for hiring a painter

While painting is an easy DIY job for some, it may not be for others. If you're caught up with various commitments or find yourself time-poor in general, you may want to consider hiring a painter, as it can often be a time consuming job. Whether it's interior or exterior paintwork you're after, painters are usually easy to find and not too expensive.

How to hire a painter? It's not always as simple as it seems. There are various things to look out for when it comes to finding the best cost and quality. Read on for some tips on hiring painting contractors.

Hiring a painter: What to look for

When hiring a painter there are some key points to look out for to ensure that you'll be paying for quality work:

• Get a written quote, as opposed to an estimate, to ensure that you won't be paying for surprise costs at the end of the job.
• Try to get at least three quotes to make sure you're paying the best price.
• A quote should include start and finish dates, as well as a break down of labour and material costs.
• During the pricing process, make sure that the painter is offering their quote for free before calling them out.
• Check out the references of all potential painters.
• If the painter has completed any exterior work, ask for the locations and go check it out yourself.
• Ensure that your chosen painter holds valid liability and workers compensation insurance.
• If you're looking for some finer details on interior paint jobs, ask the painter for photos of previous work.

Some things to watch out for when hiring a painter

Now that you know what to look for, it's good to know what not to look for! Some painters are not as reputable as others - some things to be wary of include:

• A painter won't sign their own quote. This is a sign that they may include extra costs once the job is complete
• If your painter asks for the cash up front and won't accept a payment plan, this is something to watch out for. A good payment plan is to pay a decent deposit, for example, 20 per cent, then pay an installment when they're halfway through the job and the final amount when the job is complete.
• If your painter recommends a brand of paint and offers to include it in your bill, this may be an honest suggestion. However, it is best to check out the brand of paint to make sure they're not marking it up too severely.
• Be wary if your painter refuses to supply references or offers to start work immediately at a very low cost.

If you don't know where to start looking for a reliable painter, ask friends, family, neighbours or co-workers if they know anyone. If you're having multiple types of work done on your house and happen to have a building contractor, ask them about painters. Working on site with painters all the time means they'll probably know of a few good ones. You could also try asking at your local paint store or searching online.