When it comes to hiring an exterior house painter, asking the right questions is essential to ensure you find the right fit for the job. If you don’t know the people who work for the exterior painting service you hire, how can you be sure that these exterior painters are the right guys for the job? In this article, we’ll look at ten of the most important questions to ask local painters before they start working on your home.

By asking these vital questions, you can gather the necessary information to evaluate different exterior house painters and choose the one that best meets your requirements and expectations. Note that these questions to ask an exterior house painter are in no particular order, and they’re all considered equally important.

1. Do You Have References?

One of the most important questions to ask an exterior house painter is about references. Every contractor, from an exterior painting professional to an outdoor living contractor, is familiar with this kind of question, and the really good ones are always prepared. In fact, they should be happy to give you references and proof of their good work.

Painting contractors should be able to hook you up with at least a few customers who can vouch for their skills. Make sure these homes are scattered around different areas so you can get a good sense of their work. Feel free to reach out to one or all of these past clients to get all the info you can about your painter.

Now, let’s be real here. No painter is going to give you references from unhappy customers or folks who had a bad experience with their work. To get a more honest picture, you gotta hit up online review sites like Google My Business, Yelp, and the like. These places have both positive and negative reviews, so you’ll get a more balanced perspective on the painter’s skills.

2. Do You Have Insurance?

Workman’s Compensation Insurance and General Liability Insurance are like your guardian angels, protecting you and your property from any mishaps or injuries that might go down during a job. So, if you got a contractor working in your home, they had better be able to cough up the policy numbers for both of these policies. If they can’t, and something goes haywire while they’re on the job, guess who’s gonna be stuck with the hefty medical bills and repair expenses? Yep, that’d be you. So, don’t take any chances, and make sure your contractor’s got your back with proper insurance coverage.

3. How Will My House Be Prepped?

There are many important questions to ask an exterior house painter, and this one should be at the top of your list. After all, you need to be sure you know exactly how the paintwork is going to be done and what preparations need to be made before the team starts. If you want your paint job to stand the test of time, you need your place to be prepared properly. Now, here’s the deal: some companies will let you lend a hand with the prep work, while others won’t give you the chance.

But there is a silver lining: when it comes to cutting down the costs, homeowners are usually all up for pitching in. So, you can get your hands dirty by trimming those shrubs and bushes, fixing up little areas with damage, or doing any other prep work that needs doing. Just make sure you grab a solid checklist from the company, so you know exactly what prep stuff they’re taking care of and what you need to handle yourself. Teamwork makes the dream work, right?

4. Do You Use Premium Paint?

Paint used in paint jobs is an important element to remember, so there are a few important questions to ask an exterior house painter when it comes to the paint they use. Of course, you’ll need to ask if they have the specific colors you want and if the paint is durable, but that’s not all.

When it comes to painting crews, they usually have a preferred go-to paint manufacturer that they trust and rely on for their jobs. They’ve worked with these products before, and they come with some great warranties too. Usually, we’re talking about top-notch, high-quality paint. These painters choose these specific providers because their paint can easily cover up old colors, withstand all kinds of weather, and is a breeze to work with. Now, as the homeowner, you get a say about the paint being used on your walls. You can have a chat about it with the painter before the painting starts, but it’s a good idea to consider their recommendations. They know their stuff, you know? So, let’s paint the town (or at least your home) with the best stuff out there!

5. How Many Painters Will Be on the Job?

You should question any residential painter or potential exterior house painting companies about how many people will help with the job, and how long it will take. These are important questions to ask an exterior house painter because paint jobs can sometimes take longer than expected, and you need to know how many people will be moving around on your property while the project is being completed.

When it comes to your own painting project, it’s gonna take a few days and involve a bunch of painters. Now, there are some things that can slow down the process, and you have to be aware of them. This could be unexpected repairs popping up, crappy weather messing things up, or even delays in getting the right products. Your estimator should give you a heads-up on the timeline and the crew that’s going to be on the scene for your job. So, unless some crazy stuff goes down, stick to the plan and keep those painting companies on their toes!

6. How Much Will the Job Cost?

Most people consider this one of the most important questions to ask an exterior house painter, if not the most important one. You obviously have a budget that you want to stick to, so you want to know how much you can be expected to pay. But when it comes to picking your painting contractor, don’t make it all about the cheapest price tag. You have to be smart about it. Get a bunch of estimates and assume they’re going to be pretty similar in terms of cost.

Any crazy high or super low prices should raise a red flag and be crossed off the list right away. When the price is too high or too low, it’s a sign that the estimator doesn’t really get what the job entails. Plus, it could mean that the crew doesn’t have the right insurance coverage to offer those dirt-cheap rates. Now, here’s the deal with estimates. They’re just estimates. Painters give you their best guess at the cost of your planned job. But to get a solid, final price, they need more info and specifics. And here’s a heads-up: any changes you make to the paint or colors might also affect the overall cost. So, keep that in mind when you’re crunching the numbers.

7. Are You Properly Licensed?

You need to add this question to the higher top of your list of questions to ask an exterior house painter. Licensing is issued by local governments and painters need to be licensed.

These licenses are there to make sure these providers meet some basic qualifications in their line of work. And you know what? It’s actually a good thing for you as a homeowner.

Having a license means that if the job ain’t up to par, the provider’s got something to lose. That gives you some serious power to make sure the contractor shows up, treats your job with professionalism, and doesn’t just grab your deposit and vanish into thin air. So, licensing is like your safety net, giving you the upper hand in dealing with these painters.

8. Does the Work Come With a Warranty?

If you got some really good and professional painters using top-notch paint, you can expect those exterior walls to hold up for a solid 10 years or so, depending on where you’re at in the world. Now, don’t go expecting these painters to slap on a warranty that lasts a whole decade. That’s not the norm. But they should definitely give you some sort of guarantee on their work, and it had better be clearly spelled out. Now, keep in mind, this guarantee won’t cover every little ding and nick, but it should definitely come into play if there are any major paint disasters like bubbling, peeling, or chipping. So, hold them accountable and make sure your paint job is protected.

9. Will You Clean Up After the Job Is Finished?

You’d think it’s a no-brainer that the crew should handle the clean-up once the job is done, right? Well, here’s the thing: it might not always be included by default. To keep everyone on the same page and avoid any surprises, it’s smart to get it in writing. If you want to avoid problems, make sure you consider this one of the more important questions to ask an exterior house painter.

Those contractors are used to this stuff and they usually include clean-up expectations in their estimates or contracts. That way, there’s no confusion and everyone knows what’s up. But, just in case it’s not, you need to double-check and make sure you know where you stand. It’s important to cover your bases and get that clean-up commitment in black and white. You don’t want leftover paint cans, brushes, or random stuff lying around like a minefield. Also, you should have a dedicated storage container for waste that can’t just be discarded in a bag. That’s just asking for trouble and like an accident waiting to happen. So, cleaning up is key to kicking those tripping hazards to the curb and keeping everyone safe and sound. You should find out if the company you work with makes use of good electronic waste management software to help organize and keep cleanups well-organized.

Remember, cleaning up isn’t just about appearances. It’s about creating a safe, enjoyable space while preserving the quality of your exterior paint project. Emphasize the importance of clean-up to your painter or tackle it yourself to wrap up the project with a clean and tidy finish.

10. Will You Be Available to Answer My Questions?

When you’re dealing with an exterior painting project, whether it’s before you book or while the work is in progress, it’s crucial to have a go-to person who knows all about your specific project. You need a reliable point of contact, my friend. This person will be your go-to source for any questions or concerns that pop up along the way. So, before you go ahead and put your signature on any contracts or dotted lines, make sure you know exactly who that point of contact is gonna be. Having a designated person in the know will save you headaches and keep things running smoothly.

You want your vision for the paint job to come to life, and good communication ensures that the painting company you’re working with understands exactly what you want. You can discuss your preferences, color choices, and any specific details to make sure everyone’s on the same page. Sometimes unexpected stuff happens during a project, like weather delays or unforeseen repairs. When you’ve got good communication with the painting company, you can tackle these challenges together. You will also be able to make a list of the most important questions to ask an exterior house painter and direct them to the person serving as your point of contact with the company. They’ll keep you in the loop, discuss possible solutions, and make adjustments as needed. It’s all about teamwork.

Painting projects can take a while to finish, but planning them properly can take even longer. It’s best to spend as much time as necessary planning your project and asking all the right questions. This can help you avoid frustrations and difficulties. So now you know all the questions to ask an exterior house painter to ensure that you get the best possible service from painting companies. If you pose all these questions to your local painters, you’ll be able to find the perfect painting company for your projects. Good luck!