What You Should Know About Hiring a Residential Painting Contractor from Start to Flawless Finish

Let’s face it if you’ve never hired a residential painting contractor, or if it’s been a while, you may be approaching the process with a bit of trepidation. Painting your home is a big investment (and a smart one!) Depending on the scope of the project you might have a team of painters occupying your home for several days which can feel a bit disruptive. 

Or maybe you have hired professional painters in the past and had a bad experience. The crew didn’t show up on time, the communication was poor, and the finished product didn’t have the professional look you paid for.

Hiring contractors to spend time in your home, move and protect your furniture and prized possessions, and apply paint (all for a fair price) requires a certain level of trust. That said, the benefits of hiring a professional painter over doing it yourself are priceless. If you’re planning on hiring a house painter in Memphis make sure you know what to expect.

Finding Residential Painters in Memphis

First things first, before you start searching for a residential painting contractor or calling around we’ve compiled some guidelines on how to find the best painters in Memphis to save you some time and stress. This will allow you to narrow down your list and eliminate some options before you even get started. Once you have read some great reviews and solicited some recommendations we suggest getting a few bids before you hire someone. Let’s look at the process any reputable contractor should follow.

Schedule an Estimate

A painting project is not the time to play guessing games or “eyeball it.” Describing your space on the phone or relaying measurements simply doesn’t cut it when it comes to getting an accurate, guaranteed estimate for a residential painting project. Meeting your contractors in person also allows you to establish comfort with the company you’re inviting into your home. This conversation will also allow you to gauge a contractor’s current workload to give you a general idea of whether they can accommodate your timeline, especially if you’re working around a move.

Measure All Areas for Precise Pricing

This step is critical because it gives you objective criteria by which to compare estimates. 

The Painting Contractors Association has developed industry standards for taking consistent and fair measurements that help contractors determine the time a project will take to complete. (These are standards which use in our estimates at Riggins Painting.)

Having exact measurements will also help your contractor know how many gallons of paint to purchase. Because the cost of materials impacts your cost (and painting prices have increased) you want to avoid overbuying paint, other than the extra you’ll want to have on hand for touch-ups.

Trim work including the number of doors and windows in a room, the height of your ceilings, and whether or not you have textured walls can all affect pricing. In addition to pricing by the square foot (walls and ceilings etc.) our pricing structure also includes pricing by linear foot (trim, exterior cornice, etc.), as well as unit pricing for windows, doors, and cabinetry.

Read: For more information on how estimates are determined and what factors affect pricing check out: “How Much Does Interior Painting Cost?”

Design Consultation

One of the other perks of hiring a professional is their expertise in picking the right paint color. Professional painters have knowledge about lighting and paint finishes that can help you choose a color that creates the mood you’re looking for and complements the rest of your space, especially in homes with open concepts.

Create a Proposal

After you’ve met with someone from the painting company, you should receive a proposal in writing for the work you’ve discussed. This should include detailed information on what spaces are to be painted, as well as the cost of labor and materials. At this point, confirm with the residential painting contractor that this is a final, guaranteed estimate with no surprise charges. The bid may also include an expiration date so it’s important to note that to avoid having to get another one if your project isn’t immediate.

(Before you accept a proposal don’t miss 9 Must-Ask Questions Before Hiring Residential Painters.)

Scheduling the Project and Assigning a Project Manager

Once a proposal has been accepted, the painters should add your project to their work schedule in the next available opening.

You should be given the name of a dedicated project manager who will serve as your point of contact throughout your painting project. They should ensure clear communication, answer questions, and provide accountability so that your project is progressing on time and to your satisfaction. 

Prep and Painting

If you’ve ever painted your own home you know that the prep work can feel like the most cumbersome part of the process. But it’s also just as critical as paint application for a beautiful finish. 

Your painters will now move or drape your furniture, cover your floors, and remove artwork, switch plates, cabinet doors, and outlet covers before the first brush stroke. You can’t afford a painter that shortcuts these steps.

Now comes the transformation! Your painting team will work through the rooms of your home to prime and paint as you’ve requested.

Final Approval

Before the crew packs up and you pay your final bill your painter should do a walk-through with you. This is the time to make sure that the job is to your satisfaction and that any missed drips, drops, or streaks are addressed. Make sure you don’t just look eye-level but look up at the trim and ceilings and down at the floors. Most painters will give you a day or two to inspect the finished project in natural light before you need to pay your invoice.

The crew should have also left the job site clean, moved furniture back to its proper place, replaced light switches, outlet covers, and artwork, and removed tape and drapes.

Looking for a Residential Painting Contractor in Memphis?

Our website makes scheduling an estimate easy. We book 90-minute appointments at your convenience online or on the phone. We serve residential and commercial clients in Cordova, Germantown, Bartlett, Collierville, and the greater Memphis area.

We pride ourselves in giving home and business owners a high-quality experience from start to finish and leaving you 100% satisfied. In addition to painting, we also powerwash homes, refinish cabinets, repair wood, and install floor coverings.

Let’s talk about how we can work with you to transform your space. Schedule your free estimate today.