How to Choose a Reputable Painting Contractor — 10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Painter

When selecting a painting contractor to perform work on your home, it is important to ask the following questions.

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Plus Get 2 Bonus House Painting Articles:

• Overview of Paint Finishes (Flat, Semi-Gloss…etc)
• Choosing Colors for your Home

Also, for more information about what you should look for in a painting contractor, please take a moment to watch our video outlining the Nolan Promise.

1. How long has the painting company been in business?

It is always better to go with a painting company that has been in business for at least 5 years. Or better yet, Nolan Painting has been servicing the Main Line, Montgomery, Chester, Delaware and Philadelphia Counties for over 30 Years!

2. Do they offer a warranty and are they insured?

Any respectable painting contractor will provide a warranty on their work. Nolan Painting warrants labor and material for a period of two years. If paint failure appears, we will supply labor and materials to correct the condition without cost. For your protection, we are fully insured and offer up to $2 million liability. We are a licensed PA Home Improvement Residential Contractor (our number: #020814).

3. Do they use sub-contractors?

It is important that painting companies do not use sub-contractors because they are unskilled and unprofessional painters. If you receive a rather low painting estimate from a company, most times the reason why is because they have inexperienced workers on the job. The success of Nolan Painting can be attributed to training our employees the Nolan Way. We have built an extensive training program that covers three main aspects we deal with on a daily basis: the Customer, the Job, and the Employees. We do not use sub-contractors and we invest heavily in our internal employee base.

4. Has the company received any rewards for superior service?

When looking for high quality work, it is best to go with a company that has been recognized by local organizations or online review sites. Nolan Painting has received recognition and awards from the Main Line Chamber of Commerce as well as received the Angie’s List Superior Service Award consecutively for the past six years.

5. Can the painting company provide references?

Before working with any painting contractor, it is a good idea to check some of their past references. Nolan Painting has numerous positive reviews posted by our past clients on Customer Lobby, AngiesList.com, Insiderpages.com and Google Review (search Nolan via Google Maps). You can even check out our Customer Testimonial Video and if you would like to speak to someone in person, Nolan Painting would be happy to provide you with some references.

6. Do they have a picture portfolio of past jobs?

It helps to see pictures to truly determine the quality of a painting contractors work. Don’t let low quality photos fool you. Find high quality pictures of the painters past work that include the staff working in the photos to make sure they aren’t using stock photography. Look for clean-cut lines in corners where there are different colors meeting and even finishes on walls.

7. Do they keep a clean work place?

Experienced painting contractors understand it is important to keep your home neat and clean. At the end of every day, the painters at Nolan Painting take the time to clean up all the areas in which they worked.

8. What brands of paint do they use?

Be sure to use a painter that uses professional quality paint from name brand stores like Benjamin Moore, MAB and Sherwin-Williams. Lower quality paints can dull over time.

9. How much wall prep is included in the estimate?

Always verify that the proper wall preparation is performed prior to painting. Some painting companies do not take the time to properly prep walls. This can cause premature peeling and cracking. Nolan Painting prepares the surfaces carefully, knowing that prep work is the most important part of any paint job.

10. Are they involved in the community?

It is an added bonus if you learn that any type of business gives back to the community. Not only does it show a confidence that the business provides the best in quality work but it also shows that it cares about the people they work for. Nolan Painting is a leader in the community: It annually supports over 70 events and donates tens of thousands of dollars a year to charities. Nolan Painting is committed to giving back to the community because it is the community that supports them.