So you have completed your building works and are now ready for the finishing touches? Or you just fancy a new fresh clean look for your house? You need to find a professional painter decorator.
What does a painter decorator do?
By definition a painter is a person whose job is to paint buildings and a decorator is a person whose job is to paint interior walls or hang wallpaper. No great science there! But on top of that, painters and decorators can provide guidance and ideas, giving you the opportunity to turn your house into the home you've always dreamed of.
Thinking about becoming a painter / decorator get some advice here!
Why hire a painter decorator?
Painting is a favourite past time of many a DIY expert but if pulling on the overalls and getting covered in paint is not your idea of fun, or you want a truly professional finish to your home, get a professional in (cost allowing of course!).
Becoming a painter is a skilled trade that requires training and appropriate tools. While anybody can slap paint onto your walls, it takes considerable expertise and experience to get a truly high quality finish. Professional painters know how to properly prepare the surface, which paints to use in each situation and how to get the job done quickly with minimal disruption. Professional painters also have all the tools required to achieve a quality finish.
Finding a painter
You should always take care when finding a painter. You can find tradespeople on JuggleFrogs, through adverts or through recommendations from friends and neighbours. Ask as many questions as you need - a good workman will be happy to spend time with you and answer all of your questions. They should also be able to give you useful ideas.
The best way to find a good painter is through recommendations. Ask friends, family and neighbours who have had some similar work done recently for personal recommendations - find out why they would and wouldn't recommend different painters. This will give you guidelines on important questions to ask your shortlist of painters.
Steps to consider when hiring a painter decorator:
- Get multiple quotations in writing from at least 3 painters and decorators - breaking down labour and material costs
- Ensure the company is reputable - ask for references from customers
- Remember price is not necessarily the most important factor
- Be clear about the work needed - take care to include enough detail in your written job requirement so that each tradesperson starts with a good understanding of your needs. This is essential if you are to get comparable quotations
- If your painter is a member of a trade association then phone the scheme to check this out
Some questions to ask the painter decorator:
- When can they do the work?
- How much is it inc. VAT?
- What qualifications have they got?
- How long have they been in business?
- Is the work guaranteed?
- If additional costs accrue during works, how will they be calculated?
- Do they have public liability and employers liability insurance?
Once you have a shortlist of 3-4 companies, ask them to visit your home and provide a quote. Never select a painter on price alone. If there is a wide variation in the quotes you receive, ask each painter to itemise the main expenses so that you can compare how the money is being spent. This will also give you an idea of the extra work that some painters are preparing to do that you may not have thought about.
Be sure to weigh up the benefits of working with one painter decorator over another. If they offer more experience or proof that they can do the job you want with the quality of workmanship you require, it might be worth paying those extra few pounds.
Top tips when employing a painter decorator:
- If you are planning to have exterior painting done, the initial meeting should be scheduled during daylight so you can show the painter what work is required and they can assess the state of the existing paint finish. The condition of the existing paintwork will have a bearing on the scope of work they are required to do.
- For a large job prepare a written specification of your requirements.
- Choosing colour is a critical part of the finish. Many painters will help you select colours if you wish, however, remember they are experts at painting not colour consultants. If you are looking for a complicated colour scheme it may be better to hire a colour consultant. Always test your colour choices using test pots.
- If you are planning to have paint effects or textured coatings applied, ask your painter to prepare a sample panel.
If you decide to do the work yourself, allow plenty of time to complete the job. Surface preparation will almost always take longer than expected and check out our Eco Paints guide!