You’ve finally had it. Your home’s interior or exterior has needed a new coat of paint for months (if not years) and you’ve put it off for too long. If you don’t have the experience, time, or confidence to get the job done yourself, your only option is to hire a residential painting service. This is where you should take a deep breath and pause.

Sure, you want to get it done as quickly as possible. There are so many contractors out there to choose from, you may be tempted to just pick the first one you find. But this could be a huge mistake. Before you make a decision, watch out for these three common mistakes people make when hiring residential painting contractors.

1. Prioritizing Cost Saving Over Quality

We all want to save a buck, and home renovations don’t usually come cheap. It’s perfectly fine to look for painting services with low rates. However, be sure to not lose sight of quality. A contractor might charge lower rates for a variety of reasons. They might not be licensed or insured. If that’s the case, don’t bother. Or, they might be less experienced or use cheaper products than other companies. Maybe they’re desperate for business and feel they can get away with shoddy service if they charge less.

Whatever the case, a cheaper service might actually cost you more in damage control in the long run. The paint job might need touching up after the fact, or it won’t last as long as it should. You might find bubbling, messy streaks, or loose drips around the house. Not worth it.

2. Neglecting Research

In this day and age, there is no excuse for not doing your homework. With a search engine at your fingertips, you can find out all you need to know about a potential home painting service. See if they have a website. If so, is it professional? Is the company licensed, insured, and certified in any way? Are there images of past work or customer testimonials? A company’s online presence says a lot about it.

Additionally, see if you can find online reviews from past customers. If there are positive and negative ratings, look at both and pay attention to what is said. Do the reviews seem fair and impartial? If a reviewer isn’t anonymous, you can even try to reach out to them and get their first hand opinion of a candidate.

3. Unclear Estimates and Poor Communication

You don’t want to be blindsided by your bill. This is the purpose of receiving an estimate. But beware of contractors who sneak things in after giving you their quote. Make sure you get the contract in writing to avoid any surprises (and to have legal recourse) when the work is done. Also, look into the average cost to paint a house in your area and compare that with any estimates you receive. This way you’ll be armed with knowledge to fight back against any unfair treatment from a dishonest contractor.

Don’t make these errors when hiring a painting service. Take your time, do your research, and only consider the most professional painters. All American Painting Plus, Inc. is a licensed and insured painting and repair services company serving Northern Virginia. Our people are experienced and customer-focused. All our work is backed by a two-year warranty. Give us a call at 703-620-5563, or email us at info@aapplus.com for an estimate and more information!