How to Hire a Good House Painter and NOT Get Ripped Off

Some people like to repaint their houses themselves.  Others would want a more professional job.  The (minor) hassle in hiring a professional house painter is searching for the right one. Yes, it’s really a minor issue.  If you do your homework, you can find a good local painter to do the job for your house.

The first step is for you to search through the internet.  Just type in the keywords which is your city or locality followed by the phrase “house painters.”  For example, if you are in the Los Angeles area, type in the keywords “Los Angeles house painters”.   By surfing through the internet, you now limit your choice to painting companies with websites – and eliminate the fly=by-night house painters.  Also, painting companies that maintain a website are firms that take the effort to keep abreast of new trends and technologies in their discipline.

When you visit their websites, take a look at the gallery and houses they have done painting jobs on.  Read the testimonials of their satisfied clients.  From there, you can narrow down your choice to four or five companies.  You then can now contact your selected companies, either through the phone or by filling up a form in the website.

After you contact the painter they’ll arrange a time to meet you and give your house an estimate.  Painting estimates may be within a similar price range but sometimes an estimate can be very high or low by comparison, this is typically a reflection of the painter’s business practices such as their insurance, what quality of paint they plan on using, how skilled their painters are and so on.

The estimates are actually a good talking point for you and the painters.  You may ask them what materials they are using.  You may also ask them why their painting job has a time frame of so many days.  You can say that you don’t need so many painters and that it’s okay to have the painting done in your house a bit longer.  You will then see who among the painters are more knowledgeable and professional in their craft.

Rapport with the painters is also very important.  Remember that these people will be your house visitors for several days, if not weeks.  After talking to three painters, choose the ones you are most comfortable with.

At the end of the day, you will be choosing your painters based more on their knowledge of the painting craft and their ability to interact with you.  Cost will actually be secondary.  (Of course you shouldn’t get a painter who quotes way beyond your budget.)

Again, if you don’t want to be ripped off, start by surfing through the Net and interviewing several prospects.  You will eliminate mediocre painters that way.  And if you live in Los Angeles consider yourself lucky because there are many top-notch house painters in that area.  Just key in the words “Painter Los Angeles” and you will come across some real professionals.