You have finally decided to choose the best painters in the Bay Area to do your house painting work, after a long, hard time doing research work and a series of interviews. Now, it is time that you should have them draft a formal contract.
A well-drafted painting contract provides you with an idea about the upfront costs and other details of an entire painting project.
While you can include any other information that you feel is necessary in your painting contract, here are some of the most important things that you should include in it:
1. The painting contractors’ contact information
A painting contract should include the contractor’s company name, office address, telephone number, website and email address, among many other pertinent contact information.
2. The painting contractors’ business information
As a client, it is your responsibility to make sure that the contractor that you’re hiring has a license, a liability insurance and a worker’s compensation insurance. These are the things that will give you protection in case something goes wrong during a paint project, so do not forget to have these details included your contract. Custom Painting Inc. is a licensed painting service company who carries a liability insurance of $4,000,000.00.
3. The scope of the project
This part of a painting contract should list the following details: the areas to be painted, details of the prep work and the paint application itself (how many coats of paint should be applied, for example).
4. The cost of the project
The cost of the project is the nitty-gritty of every painting contract.
Labor – Labor makes up the biggest chunk of the cost. A professional house painter may charge between $48 and $71 per hour, which will generally make about 85% of the total estimate.
The recommended hourly rate should be your guide. If the painter charges you lower than that, beware – they may provide low-quality, sloppy work. If the painter overcharges you, you have the right to demand the reason behind the increase. Either way, these are red flags that indicate that the contractors are unscrupulous and are only after your money.
Paints and paint supplies – The cost of paints and paint supplies depend on the brand and the quality of paint. But you should expect the rates to play between 15% to 25% of the total cost of the job. Suppose you have chosen premium paints, expect to spend between $50 to $100 per gallon.
As a client, you have the right to know what type of paints and other related products will be used in the project, as they will have a direct impact on the price of the job. Make sure to have that included in the contract.
5. How long will it take to paint a house?
The time it takes to paint an entire house or room will be directly included in the total labor cost. If you paint an entire average two-story house, it would take about 5 working days to complete it (including cleaning and preparation before painting, and cleanup after painting).
It is important that the painting schedules should be clearly outlined, as well as the possible scenario if the painting job is finished earlier than anticipated. If the amount of time spent on painting is higher, then something might go wrong. That is why consulting different contractors is recommended.
6. Services other than painting
Will the painters be the one to do the prep work and cleanup, or you will be the one to take care of them while they will just handle the painting part? You should clearly delineate this in the contract, too. If the contractors are also tasked to do the prep and cleaning work, they must specify how the surface should be prepared, what tools should be used and how long should it take to finish it.
Before you sign the contract, it is essential that you clearly understand everything that has been written in the contract. Do not hesitate to raise any doubts regarding the contract. The best painters in the Bay Area are ready to provide you with the proper answers, so that future disputes and misunderstandings can be avoided.