How to Find the Best Exterior Home Painting Company

When you pull up outside your house after a long day of work, do you ever think the color just looks drab? Did a previous owner make some decisions about the exterior color of your home that you really wish they hadn’t? Is your house looking worn-down and in need of a refresh?

If any of this sounds familiar, you may want to consider getting your house painted. Read on to learn how to find a great exterior home painting company that will make your house look better than the day it was built.

Ask for Referrals 

Any time you’re looking to have work done on your home, one of the first things you should do is ask for referrals. Getting a referral from a friend or neighbor can give you some guarantee of a good experience. It can also tell you what to expect from this company in terms of timeline, price, warranty, and more.

Talk to your family and friends who own homes and ask if they or anyone they know have had the outside of their house painted recently. Once you find some people who have, ask them what company they used and what their experience was like. If you find you keep hearing the same company names over and over, that’s a good sign that they provide a positive experience.

Do Your Homework 

While word-of-mouth recommendations can be a great place to start, your research shouldn’t end there. The internet has all sorts of information about painting companies in your area and what sort of experience they provide. It’s important to do your own homework and find several good options on your own.

If you have a company already in mind, take a look at their online reviews and see what other customers have to say. Keep in mind that disgruntled customers are more likely to take the time to leave a bad review. However, if the same complaints keep showing up over and over, you may want to heed those warnings.

Pay Attention to Reputation

In addition to online reviews, there are several other ways to investigate a company’s reputation. Naturally, you want to work with a company that has a strong standing in their industry and in your community. Not only will this provide some guarantee of their quality, but it will motivate them to do a good job on your project in order to maintain that reputation.

One great way to get a sense of the sort of reputation a company has is by looking at the Better Business Bureau listings. The BBB looks at a variety of factors to determine what quality of services companies provide. A company that has an A+ rating on the BBB website is almost guaranteed to provide a positive experience.

Talk to Previous Customers

Once you’ve narrowed down a shortlist of potential contractors, it will be time to start making calls. Reach out to these companies and start introducing them to your project and setting up consultations. In this initial call, you should also ask for contact information for previous customers who can discuss their experience with this company.

Any company worth its salt will have a few customers who serve as references for them. Contact these previous clients and ask detailed questions about their experience. Ask if the job lived up to their expectations, if they felt it was worth the money they spent, if the company has backed up their work in the time since, and if they would work with them again.

Ask Questions 

Of course, former customers aren’t the only people you should be asking questions of during this process. After your initial consultation, you need to sit down with your home painting services and ask them some detailed questions. It may be a good idea to jot down a list and take it with you to your meeting.

Ask what sort of time frame you can expect your job to get done in and whether they offer a guarantee of service. Check on whether they and/or all their employees are licensed and insured and whether they’ve completed similar projects in the past. Also ask what brand of paint they use, why they use that brand, and whether they will help you with color testing. 

Get an Estimate Breakdown

After your initial consultation, you should get an estimate from the companies you talked to. However, this estimate is oftentimes one large number that doesn’t come with any specifics. Before you get out your checkbook, it’s a good idea to ask a few follow-up questions.

Ask the company you’re working with to provide a breakdown of how they arrived at the number on your estimate. Check whether prep work, supplies, and cleanup are included in that cost or if that will be an additional fee. And make sure to ask what their payment plan looks like, and run away from any company that demands all the money upfront.

Find a Great Exterior Home Painting Company

Getting the outside of your home painted can be a great way to breathe new life into it. When you’re searching for an exterior home painting company, be sure to do your homework and ask lots of questions. Talk to family and friends, call former clients, and take a list of questions to ask your painters before you sign any contracts.

If you’d like to get the best exterior home painting company for your job, check out the rest of our site at Harman Custom Painting. We provide interior and exterior commercial and residential painting services for all of Sarasota County. Schedule your free estimate today and discover the benefits of working with Florida’s premier residential and commercial painting service.