Minnesota Mortgage Blog

• Start asking your neighbors. Chances are there are some homeowners in your neighborhood who have recently received a new lick of paint. Ask the owners who did the job, and if they are satisfied with the work and if they would recommend their painter. (If not, your list of possible contractors just got shorter.)
  
• Inspect the work. If they can recommend the painter, ask your neighbors how long ago they had the work done, and look at areas like the trim, windows and doors and other places where the painters would have had to pay attention to detail. How’d they do? Also ask how old the job is. If it’s just a few months ago, it might be too early to tell if the job was truly a quality paint job, but if it is a couple years old and looking new, that might be a good painter to consider.
  
• Ensuring proper licensing and bonding. Many states ensure that painters be licensed as a contractor and some require that they be bonded. These are good protections for you as a consumer. Make sure the painter is insured to cover any workers that will be on the job, and protect you, the homeowner, from any liability. If the painter is not bonded, avoid paying any large up-front sums. (If the painter argues that up-front money is required to purchase supplies, consider accompanying them to the paint or home store to make the purchase.)
  
• Ask for references. When you finally start talking to painters, ask them for at least three references. A true professional will have good customer success stories he or she is happy to share, and customers who are willing to speak on his or her behalf. Make sure to contact those homeowners and see how they liked the work and the painter. Is the job holding up well? Can you come over and take a look at the job? How was the painter in terms of professionalism, communication, timeliness and courtesy?
  
• Learn about the process. Ask the painter to describe the painting process that would be used on your home. Have them walk you through it step by step. This will help you ensure you are getting quality work. Signs they will do a good job include prepping external electrical fixtures; caulking any hole or gaps; power washing; providing sufficient drying time for the wash; masking off key areas of the home exterior and surrounding areas; identifying which areas should receive trim paint as opposed to the main exterior color.
  
• Get a warranty. A true professional is one who will stand behind his or her work. Seek painters that offer at least a three-year warranty, so that you have some reasonable assurance that the work will hold up over time. Make sure to carefully read any limitations on the warranty (which should be clearly stated).