Hiring painters: what they want you to know
If you have decided to paint your home then you are probably looking at hiring painters to help with the job. It’s a big task after all, even for the most enthusiastic DIYer. Before you do any hiring, here are a few things that painters wish you knew.
7 things to know about hiring painters
1. Don’t be a back-seat painter
Once you have made your hiring decision then let the painters do what they do best: paint. It’s highly unlikely that you have as much experience as professional painters, so trust them to do their work in peace. You do your thing and let them do theirs.
2. Preparation is key
Bad painters may cut their price by taking shortcuts when it comes to preparation. Good painters factor preparation in and recognise it as important to the success of the paint job. Prepping a wall for painting may take some time, but in the end it will likely save time as you won’t need to call the painters back to do it again.
3. Don’t leave ALL the prep to the painters
Before even hiring painters, you must know that the paint job will go a whole lot quicker if you do your bit to get your home ready. Ensure you cover everything you don’t want painted, remove fittings like plug covers where necessary, move little (and big) things out of the way and clean areas that are dirty or dusty.
4. Speak up
If, during a paint job, you decide that the colour you have chosen is not working out as you imagined or the texture of the paint is not quite right, then tell the painters. Don’t sit in horrified silence until the job is complete, and then request for everything to be done again. Most painters are flexible and will work with you to ensure the paint job is perfect, or at least close to it.
5. Listen up
Painters may have a few suggestions for you based on their experience. They might be contrary to your requests, but hear them out. The type or colour of paint you have chosen might not be the best idea for reasons you may not have thought of.
6. Don’t compromise on the paint
Everyone is trying to save money, but choosing an inferior paint could end up costing you more in the long run. A bad quality paint, for example, may require many more coats, and therefore much more paint than a good quality one. Also, an inferior paint will not last as long as a premium one. So, if you choose a cheap paint then you can’t blame the painters if the paint job is anything but smooth and only lasts a year.
7. Request an inspection
Painters don’t (or at least they shouldn’t) mind if you ask for an inspection of the paint job before the painters have packed everything up. It is much better than being called back once, twice or thrice to do touch-ups. Take your time to check the paint job and make a list of any spots you’re not happy with before the painters leave your property.
