What questions and information do I ask when hiring a painter?

1.What Kind of Guarantee or Warranty do you offer? Industry standards provide for a one-year limited warranty. We are very confident in our work and thus offer a two-year labor and material warranty. Elastomeric coatings used for stucco and masonry can receive from 5 to 10 year* manufacturer's labor and material warranties. (*Depends on painting procedures followed.)

2.Why Repaint the Exterior? Painting the exterior of your home or business will do more than simply create an attractive appearance. It will provide protection from the sun, the weather, and other environmental factors that can gradually damage your home or building and protect your investment. Important considerations are:
• Choosing attractive colors*
• Choosing correct types of paint
• Selecting proper applicators
• Proper surface preparation
• Following manufactuer's suggested application procedures
• Thorough clean up
*See 3 and 4: How do I Choose the Right Exterior Colors

3.How do I Choose the Right Exterior Colors? Whether you're painting your home for the first time or simply repainting it, you will want to carefully select exterior colors. Here are some points to remember when making your selection:
• Consider Neighboring Homes. You'll want yours to be compatible with those surrounding it and not exactly the same.
• Consider the area in which you live. For example, multi-color Victorians are appropriate in San Francisco, but would seem out of place in some other areas.
• On homes with unique architectural detail, use an additional color to emphasize them. To get ideas on colors to choose, look at actual homes, magazines, or go to a paint supplier's website to use the Virtual house painting wizard. (See Industry Links)
4.How do I Choose the Right Interior Colors? The following are some questions to consider when choosing colors for the interior of your home.
• How do you want the room to feel? We all react differently to color, depending on our associations with it. But it's always extremely powerful. Don't underestimate the effect it can have on your mood.
• How will the room be used? In a small space where you won't spend much time, such as a powder bath or entry, color can be much more dramatic.
• Will it be a day room or a night room? It is wise to paint test swatches on your walls and check them at the time of day when you plan to use the room. The quality of natural light changes considerably during the course of the day.
• What are the predominant colors of your furniture, upholstery, carpets, and artwork? Look to them for inspiration, but fight the impulse to match too exactly.
5.How do I Choose the Best Contractor? No matter who you award the contract to, here is a list of things that every reputable painting company should provide.
• Written estimate The scope of the contract should be clearly defined including areas to be finished, surface preparation, type of material, number of coats, and total project cost.
• How long has the company been in business? Statistics indicate that most contracting failures occur within the first five years of operation. Who will perform the work? Competency of personnel and quality of work is often questionable when completed by seasonal or part time employees or subcontracted painting companies.
• When is the job to be paid? When a contractor requests significant payment before work begins, it is usually a sign of insufficient credit or under capitalization. Either or both could lead to problems.
• Who did you speak with when you were first called? A personal response to your call assures you prompt attention to your needs now and in the future. Voicemail or message service cannot always produce the same results. Ask for the contractor's mobile number.
• Were references offered? References will help you determine the contractor's ability to perform.
• Is the contractor properly insured? If the contractor is not adequately insured, you risk having to insure the project yourself.
• Is the contractor properly licensed? It is illegal for a contractor to contract and receive payment for work without a license. A homeowner has no recourse against an unlicensed contractor with the State Contractors Board.
• What is the warranty on the project? Material and labor warranties which are longer than those mandated by law indicate confidence in the ability to perform as promised.

Article Resource:
George G. is sales manager for Painting Pros Chicago www.yournewpaint.com a Chicago residential painting contractor. I hope you found this article useful. When you need to paint your house, visit : http://yournewpaint.com/ , they are painting contractors based in Chicago.