Having your home painted will transform its appearance and your enjoyment of it. So it is important to hire a painting contractor that will do the job well and not cut corners.
To protect yourself, here are some common house painter scams:
Wall Repairs Not Taken into Account
Before they are painted, walls often need to be repaired. A contractor might try to save time and money by not including it in the bid or contract, and then coming back to you later and asking for more money. Or they won’t do the necessary repairs, affecting the quality of the job.
Make sure that wall repairs are accounted for in the bid and contract.
Expensive Paint Upgrades
Paint gets more expensive as you go from flat to gloss, or from lighter colors to darker ones. If you sign a contract that specifies, say, two coats with a $500 deposit, and then choose your colors, you may run into troubles. Darker, glossier paint choices might cost you more than originally estimated and may require a primer coat, also not accounted for. So, you’ll wind up paying more than expected
So pick your colors and sheen finishes with the painting contractor before you sign a contract or put money down.
Costly Additional Coats
Again, your house painter contract may specify two coats of paints but in some cases, the conditions of the walls may require a third. This is where costs can start to rocket. Some painting contractors will even seek to sign a contract stating the walls and ceilings of the house will be painted, without specifying how many coats will be needed. Beware.
Make sure the costs of any additional work are spelled out in the painting contract.
Few Contract Details
Beware if the bid and painting contract is bare bones (just how many coats and size of deposit) because the painting contractor is trying to avoid the expense of the necessary details. What type of paint they’ll use, fixing drywall damage, caulking, tape seams, corner beads, protecting flooring and furniture, accommodating order changes, deglossing of semigloss paint and much more should be part of the contract.
Other Painting Scams
A painting contractor might sell you on a premium paint and then only buy a can or two, and mix it with cheaper paint. Or they may water it down, extending its coverage but decreasing the paint’s capacity to protect your walls, making it vulnerable to peeling, cracking and chipping.
To protect yourself, keep track of the new cans of paint as they’re brought in. They should look new and not have paint on the rim (indicating they have already been opened). If it’s a five-gallon bucket, the lid should be sealed with the plastic strip. And it’s rare to need to mix water with paint with today’s new paint technology.
To ensure your home is painted well, with no corners cut, contact us today for a free house painting estimate. JD Hostetter and Associates is Indianapolis area’s siding, painting and home exterior contractor of choice.
