How to choose the right Seattle painter:
If you are seeking a painter for a Seattle painting project it is important to carefully consider the qualifications of the house painter and the reputation he or she has gained over the years in the area served.
Having a contractor license is required by the state of Washington and is usually a given that the Seattle painter you are evaluating will have one you can check here to make sure: http://lni.wa.gov/
When it comes to checking references there are a few things to keep in mind. Most contractors are not going to give you names and emails of customers they have had issues with. Also many of their past happy customers are simply too busy to call or email back everyone who asks about references. This is why I recommend using online reference checking. A few good sources are http://yelp.com/ http://angieslist.com http://bbb.org and of course http://google.com having a few positive reviews online will give you at least some assurance that you are dealing with a professional.
How long they have been in business is another thing to consider. 1 year is not enough time to know enough about how to operate a successful house painting business and 20 years may be too long for them to truly care about your reviews as a customer. It is also a big plus if the owner of the business will be on the job working with the crew. This will help with communication of any issues as the job progresses.
Although it may be tempting to go with the lowest bid when evaluating the estimates, it is usually not a wise decision to go this route. Often times the low bidder is not accounting for enough time to complete the paint job correctly. If the low bidder realizes that his estimated time is running out he will often start cutting preparation steps and often these steps will be noticed not to long after the final payment check has cleared.
If you would like a general idea of how much your painting project may cost it is O.K to ask about a ballpark figure over the phone for small projects. Larger projects will need to be cost estimates on site.
When evaluating estimates look for the one with the most detail. The more detail and costs breakdowns the better. This will give you a clear understanding of why the price came in where it did and help you to get an understanding of the work and steps involved in the entire house painting process.
Often times we are recommended by our customer’s family, friends and neighbors. Referrals are a great way to find a Seattle painter. Another area of consideration for knowing a quality contractor from a fly by nighter is to look for the professional affiliations they are associated with. http://mba-ks.com/ and http://pdca.org are great organizations to be a part of and will show a level of professionalism from your contractor. I will also occasionally get call the paint store I use giving me a referral. Some of my customers have simply walked into the local paint store (not the big boxes) of a paint company they trust and ask about local painters in the Seattle area. Another thing to keep in mind is that not all painters are suited for all types of painting projects. Some companies will only do exterior new construction and would not be a good choice for restoration of old siding. Some will only brush and roll while others spray.
If you know that you are going to be particular about the quality of the finished product and see some example photos of the contractors work that are detailed and representative of results you would expect, you will have additional reassurance of what you can expect. It is also perfectly acceptable and advisable to ask specific questions about type of products used and why they use them, how the painters get desirable results, and basically how they do what they do and why they do it that way. A good Seattle painter will have in depth knowledge of the exact procedures needed to produce beautiful results. An example of this is asking about the paint removal process they use. I use a heating method that pulls the old paint coatings off the wood and leaves the wood dry and clean and ready for a prime soaker coat. I could write a small book on this entire process but engaging in a detailed conversation will help you rest assured you have made the right decisions.
If you are interested in getting an estimate from me please click on the link below and I will be happy to discuss your Seattle painting project further.
