These days, there are several companies who offer commercial paintings services near San Jose. You would think the variety of choices would make your decision-making a lot easier. Unfortunately, the opposite is true because you have many things to consider including cost and time. As a business manager and/or owner, you’re also concerned about the quality of work that your chosen painting contractor may bring to your establishment.
With the number of commercial painters around you may wonder which of them is the right one to choose for your job? These tips will help you pick the right contractor:
1. Ask around. Approach other business owners in your area and ask them about the painters they’ve hired in the past as well as they ones they’d recommend. You can also inspect the finished work by the painters on their clients’ establishments. Word of mouth is still the best way to find excellent contractors to hire.
Many people start looking for commercial painters on the Internet, as well. You can search their company websites that contain pertinent information such as their history, company mission and vision, list of services, portfolio, and customer feedback. You can also look at customer comments from review sites that will help you find out which painting contractors in and near San Jose are reputable and are at least worth considering.
2. Start doing your own research. Once you have a list of companies you’re interested in, interview them one by one and ask them if they provide references (providing references is an indication of a reputable contractor). Use these references to contact their past customers to know if they are still satisfied with the work that these contractors provided.
Ask the candidates whether they carry the required licenses as well as insurance. Having licenses and insurances will protect both you and the contractor in case of accidents.
Experience, commitment to their job, and good customer relations are what most customers are looking for in a painting company, so ask your shortlisted candidates how long they have been in the business. It’s a plus if the company also belongs to several official business organizations and associations, as it is also an indication about the company’s dedication and commitment to their trade. It’s also good to check the Better Business Bureau website (www.bbb.org) to find out if the company you’re considering has received any formal complaints from previous customers.
3. Get accurate estimates. After you’ve narrowed down your list to the last three candidates, walk them through your property to allow them to make inspections. After that, each of these candidates will give you estimates to let you know how much a painting job (and repairs, if any) will cost. Expect that the estimates from your top three contractors should be accurate to the job and nearly similar to each other in terms of pricing. If you find out that the pricing is too high or too low compared to the average, don’t hesitate to ask the contractors why.
Usually, when the price is too low, it may mean that the contractor provides low-quality work and/or materials. They may also be just starting out and underbid competitors to get your job. Alternately, when the price is too high, it may mean that you’re only paying for the “prestige” of the contractor and not its actual performance. Asking them why their estimate is so different will help you understand.
4. Ask the right questions. There are certain questions that are deemed quite important not to ask to the contractors.
Find out if a contractor’s workers are their own employees or if they are subcontractors. Many contractors use subcontractors instead of hiring their own workers in order to cut costs. Since subcontractors are typically paid a flat fee, there’s a possibility that they may cut corners to get the job done more quickly – and this could translate into shoddy or low-quality work, and you don’t want that.
Also, it’s important to not forget to ask the contractors about the paints and materials they use. The quality of materials will directly impact how your painting job will look and how long it will last. You will also want to discuss any warranty for the paint products and materials.
It’s also important to ask the contractor whether they provide their employees any safety training, and whether they have taken any safety work practices. Accidents can enormously disrupt the flow of the job, which will cause delays or even complete interruption of work.
5. Pay attention to the details. Once you have hired the winning contractor, ask them for a written contract to review and look for any details. Read and understand everything in it – scope of work, description of services, job time frame, and other terms and conditions. If there are some things in the contract that you do not understand, do not hesitate to approach the contractor for clarification.
The contract is important because it will protect you from possible frauds or arguments raised regarding the job itself.
Always, always ask for a written guarantee. Usually a reputable painting company will offer at least a two-years warranty. If normal paint problems (like fading and blistering caused by any performance failure of their workers) appear sooner than expected after the job has been done, the company will be ready to supply materials and labor to correct the failures at little or no cost.
It is wise to note the things that any reputable painting contractors does not cover and is not responsible for:
- Any defective work done by other contractors
- Water intrusion (and its effects such as peeling)
- Bubbling paint
- Graffiti
- Damage done by natural impact (such as earthquakes and fallen trees) or man-made impact (such as a bicycle crashing into the side of the building)
- Horizontal surfaces or any other surfaces that is the result of a structural design that allows the collection of dust and moisture
- Varnished wood and any other finished surfaces
- Appearance of mold and mildew
- Rotting wood
- Disintegrating or rusting metals
Choosing the right company that offers commercial painting services near San Jose may take a lot of time. But once you’ve hired the right service to do your job, it will be worth your effort. As a business owner, you are aware that the work of a painting company is essential in creating the first impression your customer will have of your business, so you want to get it right.
