How Do I hire a good painting contractor?
There are many reputable business in Indianapolis. Here is a brief list of items that any potential customer should consider when hiring a contractor
1. Communication: one key is to understand the process of communication from the estimator to the crew. Will he/she be on site to clearly define the scope of the project to the crew? Did the estimator actively listen to what you are needing done with your project? Did he/she give good feedback and demonstrate a strong industry knowledge?
2. Employees: who works for the contractor, how long have they worked for them, what is their level of experience, do they do any type of background investigation in the hiring process?
3. Painting References: one item that should always be provided is references. Any painting contractor should be able to provide several references of prior customers that had similar projects completed to the one proposed.
4. Insurance: this is tremendously important. Inadequate or uninsured contractors put their crews and the customers in jeopardy. Never feel bad asking to see verification of liability and worker’s compensation coverages. Always make sure that the certificates are up to date and are provided by reputable insurance companies.
5. Group Affiliations: is the contractor a member of the Better Business Bureau and what is their standing? Do they have affiliations with large trade associations like the PDCA or referral organizations.
6. Conflict Resolution: no matter how great a painter is, there will always be issues and accidents. What is the company’s policy on resolving unsatisfactory work, damaged property or other potential issues that may arise in the work process?
7. Warranty: what type of warranty do they provide and does it cover just labor or labor and materials?
8. Sub Contractors: get verification if the contractor is using employees (these would be payroll/W2) or 1099 subcontractors. If they use subcontractors, every individual subcontractor must have their own liability and worker’s comp certificates (or worker’s comp waivers) to prevent any fall-back on the customer.
9. Materials: what type of paint do they use? Are they using the high-grade of products or the lower construction-grade of materials?
10. “Gut-feel”: although there is no way to quantify this item, don’t shy away from your gut feel as an important aspect of the decision process. At the end of the day, you may have this contractor in your home or business for an extended period of time. Make sure you are comfortable with them and their crew.
11. Payment Terms: how do they handle payment terms and what method of payments do they take (cash, check, credit cards)? It is standard to have some type of down-payment upon scheduling or start of work. Beware of contractor’s who ask for the majority of payment up-front or need final payment prior to completion of the job.