October 2023
Keywords: licensed contractor, AZROC, 5-star reviews, high quality work, hard skills, and soft skills
How do I find the right painting contractor in Phoenix?
Whether you’ve only heard horror stories of projects that have gone terribly wrong or you yourself are a survivor of such a project, you can probably appreciate the importance of hiring the right contractor for the job.
The fact is that there are big differences among painting companies out there. Consider some variables that can account for this difference: focus on quality and service, level of experience and expertise, equipment and facilities, employee and management commitment to reputation building, professional communications, and company philosophy and culture. Proper emphasis on these variables will make for smoothly running projects and will result in paint jobs that will look great for many years to come.
What do the best painting services have in common?
Simply put, you want to hire a painting provider with the proper qualifications, experience, fair pricing, and a stellar reputation. At the bare minimum, your contractor should be both licensed and insured, as these documents ensure accountability before, during, and after the job.
Beyond this, your painting contractor should be known for its reliability, quality of work, and communication. Knowing what to expect at every step is crucial for getting the best outcome. To learn more about a provider’s track record, you might search online for reviews and testimonials and ask friends, family, and coworkers for recommendations regarding local painters.
Two men, a truck, and a cellphone
There is a middle ground between a large, well established painting company and a fly-by-night outfit. It is very common in the painting industry to find a one-man or two-man crew of skilled craftsmen painters. This type of crew may or may not have a contractor’s license, may or may not have liability insurance, and they may or may not have an office where you can track them down. Their office is their pickup truck, and their cellphone is the only contact point. Nevertheless, they could be capable and conscientious painters. The risk is that you take all the risk. If a job goes poorly, which happens from time to time, you may have no avenue to redress disputes.
More to consider about license and insurance
The value of proper insurance coverage can’t be fully appreciated until something goes terribly wrong on the job. The law requires that all contractors carry General Liability insurance and have Worker’s Compensation coverage for their employees. If an uninsured worker is injured on the job in your home, you may be held liable for medical bills, or in the worst case, a lifetime of disability.
This leads to another important point – trustworthiness. If the painter is required to be licensed and insured, but is not, can he then be trusted? Will he conform his work to industry standards? Would it be prudent to allow him to be alone in your home? Being licensed and insured, of course, is not a guarantee that your contractor will perform, but with this knowledge early in the process you can avoid wasting time with someone who is perhaps unqualified.
The value to you of longevity
Another good question to ask your contractor is about the length of time they have been in business. Don’t ask how long they have been painting. To them this can bring to mind their first finger-painting experience in preschool. The proper question is: “How long have you been in business as a licensed painting contractor?” Once again, length of time in business doesn’t guarantee good performance, but it can give you a clue as to the company’s stability and reliability. It is not easy to remain as a viable company if you do substandard work.
Hard skills and soft skills
When you read through online reviews, be on the lookout for comments concerning both hard skills and soft skills because you want to hire a painting company that excels in both. Obviously, you want to hire a painter who has mastered the hard skills of painting. As important are the soft skills. Here are some examples from real online reviews:
“I want to let you know that I am not one for doing reviews online, but I wanted to take the time to let you know that MTS was the most professional company that I have ever dealt with. . . They accommodated us with our busy schedule and worked around our schedule. I really appreciate the job that they did and highly recommend them to you.”
“I want to share that Matt C. took such great care and had tremendous patience with me through the inquiry/proposal process. He was wonderful to work with, always answering my questions, and his patience with my elongated decision process was tremendous. Additionally, he just simply made it so easy for me all throughout. Then, your team showed up Monday, and I have to share how completely wonderful Chase is! He and his colleague have been so courteous, kind, and patient as well! They show up with a smile, do fantastic work, and allow us to move around the house as we need to. Their kindness and compassion is felt, and I very much appreciate it. They have a few hours left to finish tomorrow, and I am just so thrilled with the workmanship, their professionalism and kindness, and this entire process. I highly recommend them!!!!!”
“They were very courteous and professional.”
“The painters were friendly, professional, and kept us informed on what steps they completed and what steps were left.”
“Beautiful work. One little hiccup. Josh took care of it, ASAP.”
“Wonderful job; prompt. Loved working with them.”
Of course, you want the house painted properly. You also want to work with people you enjoy interacting with, and who are courteous and respectful.
One more thing
At this point, you may feel that you have a clear winner, and you are ready to award the contract. There is one more step you may want to take. It is easy to go online to check with the Registrar of Contractors. You can be certain that the contractors on your short list are registered and learn if they have any complaints filed against them.
For more information, call us or request a free estimate.
