Since I started my home improvement business 26 years ago, I can say that I have heard some unique reasons to go for the cheapest price. However, I also get a lot of calls from homeowners who regret their decision and realize they made a mistake. They tell me they wish they had paid a little more for quality service. Many wish they had done more research on their potential contractor before deciding to use them.

What I’ve discovered over the years is that most homeowners don’t know how to properly evaluate painting contractors before hiring them. Just because a contractor is cheaper doesn’t mean you’re getting your money’s worth. When it comes to hiring contractors, cheaper priced services often end up costing much more. With the high cost of labor and materials, profit margins are not that great in the paint industry. Really cheap services in the paint industry are cheap for a reason. The quality and value of services is being cut back.

Best rate your contractors on the following 10 conditions.

1. How long has the contractor been operating in your area? Is instability common in this industry? Some painting contractors work a few years in one area and then start to feel the warmth of dissatisfied customers, so they move to another city and start the whole process all over again. If a contractor has been working in an area for 10 years or more, it is usually an indication of stability.

2. Does the contractor pay for his help by the hour or as a percentage? When I started my business in 1982, I paid my painters by the hour. After about 7 years of paying by the hour and not being satisfied with their performance, I decided to switch to paying by percentage. I found that the quality of work increased dramatically and projects were completed in half the time. Painters had an improved mindset when paid percentage. Painters also have a special interest in the quality and timeliness of their work. Better performance means a smaller to-do list at the end of the job and in less time, which translates to better pay. Be sure to ask the contractor this question. This is just a suggestion. Obviously, there are some hourly painters who have a good work ethic. Due to this success, I will never pay my painters by the hour again. I have been able to provide a higher quality service overall since I paid on a percentage basis.

3. Does the contractor present a well-written and organized contract to sign that describes what they are going to do? This is a good indication of how organized you are. If you are well organized, in most cases you will transfer your crews. Well-organized people are very uncomfortable with disorganization and will generally work to keep projects and teams well organized.

4. Does the contractor request a deposit in advance? Although the size of a project can determine whether or not a deposit is appropriate, for the average size paint and repair project (3,000 to 8,000), I recommend not paying a deposit. The painting contractor’s ability to finance the project is an indication of financial stability and, more importantly, his desire to operate at peak performance while ensuring that you are happy. I have heard many stories over the years of homeowners who have given the deposit only to have the contractor leave after a day or two of work never to be seen again.

5. How well has the contractor communicated with you since you first contacted him? Do you respond quickly to your questions and concerns? Communication is very important to most quality professional contractors. This is another indication of the core values ​​you operate by. During your project, you will definitely want good communication.

6. Are painters working for the contractor covered by labor compensation? Make sure of this because many painters say they have liability insurance, but liability insurance is not the same as workers’ compensation and will not cover painters if they are injured on the job. Another consideration is how well the contractor has insured his crews against injury. Some contractors pay their crews under the table and there is no history that insurance companies can verify. Crews may not be covered in such cases. This can put you at considerable financial risk. This is another indication of the core values ​​that govern the performance of contractors. Contact your insurance company and ask these questions.

7. Be sure to check your references. Even though they will give you their best references, you can still get a feel for qualities like neatness, punctuality, communication, and overall opinion of the quality of work. Keep in mind, however, that everyone has their own opinion on what constitutes quality work, so don’t decide based solely on their references.

8. Be wary of aggressive cutthroats, as they are more volume oriented. They have to destroy as many houses as they can to make some kind of profit. In most cases, there are no core values ​​that drive the quality of your work. You can only bear to suffer from this type of contractor.

9. Make sure it is understood that there should be a tour between you and the crew chief to take care of touch-ups and any issues before paying for services. This is crucial, both for you and the contractor. It assures you that you are satisfied with your work and helps eliminate warranty problems for the contractor, saving you time and money. Seasoned contractors who truly care about their clients know that this is the best approach to finishing a project.

10. You should also check the following obvious things: a business license, Better Business Bureau for unresolved complaints, how long they have been in business, how many teams work for them, written and detailed warranties.

Always put quality first. Spending a little more time qualifying your painting contractors will pay off. You will have fewer headaches during the project. You will have a more attractive home with a paint job that will last longer.