One of the easiest things to do is make a haste decision when hiring a Florida painter for your home. In an effort to save time, money, or both, you could be hiring a painter that is the least qualified to do the job. What’s worse is that it could end up costing you more time and money in the long run because you’ll need to have the job redone to meet your level of satisfaction.

There are 6 things that you need to look for when hiring a Punta Gorda painter for the exterior painting of your Florida home. When you cover all 6 of these things, you can ensure that you’re getting a better painter and will be happier with the results.

1.            Understand that not all painters in Punta Gorda, Florida are equal. Some are licensed and insured and some aren’t. The ones who aren’t may not be doing this as a full-time job which means they may not know all the tips and tricks of well seasoned painting professional. Also, when you hire an uninsured, painter without a license, you take on a big risk should anything go wrong. When you hire a licensed and insured painter, you also have the benefit that they will be there when you need them again, should you need touch ups here or there or want to know the name of the color you had placed on your walls previously. A professional painter with a license and insurance will be around for many years to come and will be happy to help you out in any way in the future.

2.            Make sure that the Punta Gorda painter has experience with exterior painting. Punta Gorda, Florida homes typically have stucco exteriors, which is part of their charm! Hiring a professional will ensure that when he comes for the estimate, he’ll be able to assess and inspect the stucco. Some stucco requires more sealer or less sealer than others due to the different porous levels of the stucco. Some are said to “drink up” the sealer and/or paint, while some paint goes on forever on a home. A professional painter will always take a look to see what he’s dealing with so he can give you an accurate price and not skimp on the sealer later due to a bad estimate. Sealer is very important since it protects your home from the previous chalking that may have occurred if you haven’t painted the home in due time. If the painter doesn’t have experience with exterior projects and doesn’t check for chalking on the stucco during the estimate, pass and find someone who does.

3.            Look for testimonials. Quality Florida painters will have many clients that are willing to tell the world about what a great job they’ve done. We call these “Raving Fans” taken from the awesome book by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowels. If you don’t see any testimonials and your painter is unwilling to share the names of clients, it may mean that they are new to the profession or just don’t have any satisfied clients; neither of these options should be acceptable.

June from JFCS gives Burnett Painting Testimonial

4.            Have your Florida painter come out to your home. Exterior painting in Punta Gorda, Florida can be different for every home. Landscaping, AC units, multiple stories, and other features can make it difficult to paint a home. If the Punta Gorda painter doesn’t see what they have to work with, it could mean that they won’t paint as effectively as they could, or their price could increase due to time they didn’t factor in to work in the detail of the landscaping near the home.

5.            Look for a warranty. If the painter in Punta Gorda, Florida isn’t willing to back up their work with a warranty, you may want to think twice about hiring that painter. This warranty should cover the workmanship of the painting as well as the quality of paint. This way you’re not hiring another painter to re-do the work or having to repaint in a few years because of peeling or fading. A professional painter will be happy and proud to offer you a long warranty!

6.            When you look for a painter, Punta Gorda, Florida ask around. Do the locals know him/her? A good Punta Gorda painter will be involved in the community because it shows they are rooted, know the values of the community that they are in, and they also enjoy doing business locally, which helps every small business out. It also means that will fix anything that you’re unhappy with because they are a big part of the community and care more about you than just their bottom line.

Following these six keys when hiring a painter will save you money, time, and frustration in the end!