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Hiring a painting contractor can feel clumsy and sometimes awkward, especially if it’s your first time. After all, every painting business advertises itself as professional, genuine and reliable. But does this mean they’re all the same? Well, unfortunately no –but how do you tell the difference?

Hiring a painting contractor for residential or commercial painting goes something like this –you inquire from your friends and family or search online for recommendations, filter through to get the best 2-3 painters, request for a painting estimate from each of them, and compare the quotes to make a decision. In this article, we will be focusing more on the last part of the process –the estimate.

Perhaps the most difficult part is choosing the right estimate from the available options, or even knowing what to look for in an estimate. To avoid ending up stuck with a dishonest, unreliable and sneaky painting contractor, look out for the following red flags in the painting estimate;

1) No Contact Info or Physical Address
While there is so far no standard format for painting estimates, you should at least expect some contact information and physical address typically as the first part of the estimate. Most companies print their estimates on the company letterhead; others simply have a provision for this info. If there is no company physical address, give them a benefit of doubt and ask for it. If they hesitate, run! They’re probably an overnight drive-by company with no physical location.

2) Shallow Scope of Work
While the painting estimate doesn’t need to be tens of pages of details and fine print, the painter should capture all the important details of the project right from inspection, surface prep, painting, and clean-up. If they just mentioned ‘prep work’ without offering brief details of what is entailed, you may be easily short-changed. For instance, if you think pressure washing, paint stripping, sanding, priming, and caulking is important, let that be included in the estimate.

3) No Clear Timelines
While some painting projects might delay based on several genuine factors –for instance, if it’s raining or excessively misty, exterior painting may be delayed –the painter should at least have some tentative timelines to help you plan and prepare for the project. This way, you would know how long you won’t be able to use your kitchen in the event of kitchen painting or how long you should hold off your dinner party if you’re planning to use the deck. If all you get is “1-3 weeks” as the timelines, you’re probably dealing with the wrong painter.

4) Low Bid Than Usual
If it’s too good to be true…well, you know the ending. Sure, low-priced painting estimates are quite tempting, especially if you’re on a tight budget. But that’s exactly what some painting contractors are counting on to outbid their competitors. If the bid is unusually too low, chances are they’re planning to cut some corners, e.g. using low-priced, low-quality paints or skipping some important prep processes. So don’t be tempted to automatically pick the lowest bidder, instead, go for value.

The Bottom Line

The painting estimate you receive from a painting contractor should have all the details to help you make the decision. If they’re sketchy, sneaky or inconsistent about the most important information, consider looking for other options. Additionally, the painter shouldn’t request a total lump of some payment at the beginning of the project.

At The Painting & Wallcovering Co, we offer consistently high-quality, reliable and efficient painting services, every single time. Our painting estimates contain all the relevant details you need to make your decision. We currently provide residential and commercial painting services in the areas of Moorestown, Mt Laurel, Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Voorhees, Evesham, Medford, Tabernacle, and Shamong. Give us a call today for a free painting estimate.