Briefing a painter before a job

Like any profession, when asking a painter for an estimate to paint your home, the more information you provide the better. Before you pic up the phone for quotes, consider having the following information handy.

Painting decisions: What needs painting?

This might seem like a more than basic place to start, but when you start thinking about a room, there are several questions you may not have answers to already. For instance, so you need all the trim, such as the window frames, painted too? How about the ceiling? Is it just a flat ceiling, or does it have an ornate plaster feature? If so, is this to be the same colour as the rest of the ceiling?

If your paint job is outdoors, this is particularly important. Make sure you note down everything you would like painted, including awnings, windows, metal lacework or any other feature. Different materials require different treatment and paint types. Also be sure to tell them if it is a single storey or two or more storey premises, as they might have to factor scaffolding into the quote.

Choosing a paint colour

You may have the brand of paint and colour number handy already, but if you don't there are a lot of things to consider. First of all, if you are painting over the old paint with a similar colour, there might not be much to the job, but if you are planning a drastic change in colour, this means a different approach from the painter and possibly more paint will have to be used.

Even if you don't know what colour you would like just yet, you may already have a preference for a particular type of paint, so make sure you let the painter know. They might be able to recommend a good quality and economical brand of paint and be able to assist in choosing colour schemes.

Possible repairs prior to painting

Some of your walls might have damp issues, or metal work on the exterior rust treated. Make sure you talk to the painter about any possible repair work that may need to be done before painting can commence. Some problems might require a second contractor, such as rising damp in walls, but it will save you a lot of money in the long run to have these problems sorted out first.

Some painters will be able to recommend other contractors or may even provide the services themselves, so let them know of any known issues, as this will affect your quote.

Painting deadlines: What to consider

Perhaps you don't need the job completed until next Christmas, but maybe you need it next week. Be sure to let the painter know what time frame you are considering right away, as they might be booked when you need them.

Make sure you shop around because prices can very greatly from one contractor to the next. Also, if you can, ask them if you can see some examples of their work, because the price doesn't always speak of the quality of workmanship.