When hiring a contractor it is always best to hire one who is personally referred to you by someone you trust. Hiring through ads or phone book is hit and miss. Check with your local paints stores, they know the good guys from the bottom feeders. Go to the stores that sell the high quality paints like Benjamin Moore(nonpareil), Pittsburg, Sherwin Williams or Glidden. Don't go the the big box stores for referrals, the people there don't know squat!
In 1894, a national association formed, recreating itself in 1918 as the National Federation of Master Painters and Decorators of England and Wales, then changing its name once again to the British Decorators Association before merging, in 2002, with the Painting & Decorating Federation to form the Painting & Decorating Association. The Construction Industry Joint Council, a body formed of both unions and business organizations, today has responsibility for the setting of pay levels.[2]
Nothing is more frustrating that not being on the same page as your professional. During your in-home meeting, clarify your expectations of the job and have the painter set appropriate expectations on his or her end as well. If you want the painter to show up at an exact time every day, or if you need them to leave at a certain time, see how your schedule might impact the completion time. Additionally, ask the painter about their expectations for the job like requiring a staging area for supplies, needing to use the driveway, or having access to running water. Don't forget to ask about the clean up and disposal expectations and find out if they need access to your garbage receptacle or if they plan on leaving extra paint with you.
We hired Jose Vega to paint our condo interior. From the beginning, his professionalism and people skills made me feel I made the right choice. He and his colleague, Johnny, repeatedly went out of their way to make sure that everything was exactly what we wanted. A small but telling point: Jose texted me to apologize for the most minor of typos in a previous text. They were always on time and did a thorough clean up every day. Price was very reasonable, work was top-notch, and my old cat - an excellent judge of character - loved them both!
I managed commercial construction projects for many years, have built and remodeled several properties, and never once have I encountered any of these scams. The tone of this article is deeply troubling. The author seems to be saying that ALL painting contractors are inherently dishonest, and that has not been my experience. The underlying advice here is sound: get it all in writing and cover as many contingencies as possible--so pointing out potential pitfalls like coat coverage is helpful. But do that in the spirit of clear communication of expectations, not with the expectation that the person you are hiring will try to cheat you at every turn. Not every contractor takes outrageous advantage of change orders; not every contractor will sneak past necessary preparation and/or repairs. Contractors of all sorts get a bad rap as it is; reinforcing a stereotype with articles written from this point of view just seems unproductive.
