“Is finding commercial painters near me supposed to be difficult?” The answer is, it depends. There is a lot of painting service companies that sometimes it can be quite difficult to tell them apart. Judging from appearances alone, it’s not easy to tell which of them are genuine companies and which of them are posers.
Nothing comes easy, as the saying goes. So you cannot just pick a commercial painting contractor because they work near your business or they are the only ones available. You may make a mistake of hiring a painter who actually turns out to be a scammer. It’s a dangerous sign that could eventually lead to losses in your business.
Image and reputation are also important for your business. As an owner and/or manager, you want your business space to look good, presentable, professional and welcoming to your long-time and potential new customers. If you hire a painter who does a sloppy work, he may make your property ugly rather than beautify it. This will definitely turn off customers, and you don’t want that.
Legitimate and professional contractors work on any types of commercial and public spaces such as small shops/restaurants/cafes, shopping malls, schools, government facilities, factories, and even skyscrapers. It takes a lot of experience (and guts) to be able to perform these painting tasks, some of which can be quite intimidating considering that it also requires climbing high-rise structures.
Looking for genuine commercial painters can be hard, but you don’t want to waste your money on inferior or fake contractors, or experience losses because of them. Rather, see it as an investment – not only with your money but also with your time and effort.
The Internet is a good place to start looking for painting contractors. Their websites are only as important to the contractors as they are to their clients, so check out their information, portfolio, services, customer testimonials and maybe even a list of some of their big-time clientele. Web sites such as Yelp and Angie’s List are also good sources to find contractors because they post genuine customer feedback about their own experiences with their service.
But don’t forget to go out of the online world and use more traditional methods like checking in local directories. Also, it’s also good to approach neighbors, friends, co-workers, or even an owner of a shop next to you. Ask them about the painting companies they’ve hired in the past. These people will also make good reference sources as they will give you an honest and genuine account about a certain contractor’s working style, professional behavior and the quality of work that they have done to their property. If they are enthusiastic talking about the contractor they’ve worked with and even recommend them to you, then it’s a good indication that this contractor should be worth hiring.
Verify that the contractor is licensed, insured and bonded. Being licensed also means that the contractor is also bonded and insured, which protects both of you in case the workers get injured while working on your property, or fail to complete the job on time, refuse to pay for the supplies and do sloppy work with lack of attention to detail.
Check if the contractor has other credentials. While memberships and affiliations to several local business clubs or trade associations aren’t a guarantee and usually aren’t a requirement, they otherwise speak of the contractor’s commitment to his trade.
Obtain a complete written contract from the contractor. Thoroughly read and understand what’s and what’s not in the contract – materials, procedures, timeframe, and payment – before signing it. A written contract will also protect you from possible fraud or disagreements with the contractor while the work is in progress.
It’s also important to ask for a written warranty, as it expressly states what should and what should not be covered by the contractor. If there’s a fading, peeling or cracking paint that happens too soon, it’s probably a defective work from your contractor and he will fix it at little or no cost – as long as it’s within the warranty period. When your paint suffers from other causes such as weather, an accident, or a defective work by other contractors in the past, these things won’t be covered by your contractor.
Usually, a guarantee lasts up to three years. Beware of contractors who offer lifetime warranties because it could be their marketing ploy to get your job.
The deal is almost sealed with your chosen contractor. But there’s one final reminder before you actually get down to business: refrain from making the full payment to the contractor. Usually, contractors are paid about 10% to 15% of the full payment at the start of the project; they will be able to receive the final payment when the work is done their client is satisfied by their work.
“Is finding commercial painters near me supposed to be difficult?” Usually, it could be difficult. It could be even frustrating because if you do not get a contractor who fails to make the grade, you have to start searching all over again. But once you are successful in getting the most qualified contractor to work on your business property, it will be certainly worth all the trouble.