Choosing any kind of painting contractor to work on your home can be extremely difficult, but even more so when you live in an area like San Francisco. With the houses being as close to each other as they are, and many of them being close to a century old, finding just the right painting contractors for your needs may take some time. When you also factor in that there is a very small window of opportunity to get any exterior painting done, you can see why painting contractors often charge an awful lot for their services.
What Kind Of Painting Do You Need?
When you first began shopping around for a painting contractor, perhaps the first thing that you should look for is just what kind of contractor you need. Not all painting contractors will be right for a particular job, as some of them will specialize in certain types of painting, such as interior, exterior, or faux and decorative painting.
While some contractors are strictly interested in doing the painting, others will incorporate their design skills or provide you with a more full service type of approach to painting the interior or exterior of your house. If you are not sure about color, style, or design, then finding painting contractors that are willing to do more than just paint is going to be important in order for you to get the best possible results.
Types Of Painting Companies
The most common type of painting contractor is going to be an interior painter, though considering the kind of weather that occurs in San Francisco, exterior painters are also in abundance. The outside of your home will need to be painted more often than a home in dry, less humid weather, and so there are a number of contractors in San Francisco that specialize in painting the exterior of the more traditional San Francisco Victorian homes.
Depending on the kind of contractor you work with, they may be able to do additional work such as drywall and plaster repairs, preparation and standing of wood, and small amounts of carpentry. Most of these companies will specialize in one particular area though, so you may end up having to hire several different companies in order to get your entire home painted.
What should you expect from painting contractor
If you have never had a professional painting contractor work in your home, then you might be surprised at just how more efficient and careful they are taking than you could ever be. Most of the time that they will spend in or around your home will be spent in preparation. They will obviously go out of their way to protect all surfaces and items in your home, as well as education outside your home from paint.
In addition, professional painting contractors have the right equipment to work quickly, with many fewer mistakes than you would ever make. While painting a room may seem like a simple and easy job, you can always tell the difference when someone has done themselves or when they paid a contractor to do it.
Additional expectations that you should have from a professional will relate to the obvious ones such as turning up on time, being honest and trustworthy, and being careful with your possessions. While you may not want to leave any stranger in your home unattended, by hiring a licensed and bonded contractor, you will help to protect yourself from any potential loss.
How Much Do Painters Charge?
There is no fixed rate that either interior or exterior painters will charge in San Francisco, primarily because there are so many different types of painters and needs that homeowners may have. If you are eager to have the job done quickly, then you may end up paying more for it, and actually get an entire team of people coming into paint rather than just one or two individuals.
You will not necessarily get a better job done by paying more, though most people will tell you that you should never take the absolute lowest quote, because you may end up paying for it in the end.
What Should You Look For In A Quote?
When you are doing your shopping for a painting contractor, make sure that you get a full written quote in writing and that it is as detailed as possible. As a way to protect yourself, you may want to get several different quotes and compare them, not only in terms of dollars and cents, but in terms of what services the contractor will provide.
Finally, no legitimate contractor will require you to pay everything upfront, and it is usually advisable to pay with a credit card if you can so as to get further protection in case the job does not go as well as you would hope.
