Help required.....engaging a Painter & Decorator

Suggs

I am going to use the services of a Painter & Decorator as I have very little free time and a four bedroom house to decorate.

Some of the walls will need lots of perp work and for the Living/Dining room I will do in the cream/coffee colours, Hall and stairs cream, you get the idea.

So are there any things should remember to ask? Because to be honest I do not have a cule?

Will it be cheaper if I supply the paint?
What sort of day rate/ piece rate?

Hope someone can point me in the right direction.

Many Thanks for your time.

Juicy_Tube

Which area are you in?

JT x

Suggs

Juicy_Tube wrote:

Which area are you in?

JT x

Milton Keynes area

Tom_Jones

Most decorators would prefer to do the prep work themselves, and it would probably be cheaper to buy the paint yourself. Ask the decorator you employ what paint/filler they would require, and go to a local paint suppliers (not B+Q etc) and ask them for a discount on the paint if it's a large amount i.e over 4 gallons/20 liters.

Get a recommendation for a decorator from friends etc and tell him what you require him to paint and ask for a price for the whole job, if it is not a cash job then ask him for the price in writing detailing what he is going to paint for you.

Do NOT pay any money until you are satisfied with the job or if it's going to take them a number of weeks to complete then pay him a reasonable percentage per week.

Paul_the_Painter

First of all TOP TIP, are you replacing the carpet now, or in the near future? If so have the carpet taken up first then have the skirting boards painted, then a day or so later have the new carpet fitted. Its not fun doing skirting boards with carpet in situ, and the finish is never as good.

Questions to ask

Will you remove light fittings, switches, and plugs? (this is all fine under Part P) for an hours work per room you get a much better finish.

How many coats? I don't care what any paint manufacter says "once" or "solo" paint does not exist.

What paint will you use? Dulux is still the dogs danglies, two coats of that will cover any colour. Cheap paint does not exist, some expensive paint is rubbish, I did a job last month with (customer specified) Sanderson paint and one tin was like water, took four coats to cover a medium blue with a butter yellow.

Do you paint behind the radiators?

Then ask yourself:-

Do you want the glosswork done? Doing the woodwork (including windows, sills, doors, skirting) will more than double price of the job.

Would it be sensible to replaster the house? just how much prep work is required, if its going to take days to prepare a room because of say wallpaper that has been removed taking some paint with it, and patches of dodgy plaster, it might be worthwhile to spend £2-300 per room and have replastered.

Related to the question above - how long are you going to be there? A prospective buyer of your house in the future will not notice the replastering compared to the house next door, they'll just see the colours, and the general condition of the house.

A general point when decorating is work from the top down, this applies to the house and the room, dust drops, paint drops. If you are going on holiday in the future it could be worthwhile to have the house done while you are away, put valuables in a friends house, leave the decorator to get on with it, have a room done first though to check on standard of work etc.

Any other advice you need please ask or email me

john0612

i agree with paul, i own my own p&d business and if the customer wants to prep it then you never know what kind of finish your coming into.

As for paint it's cheaper for the customer to buy it because i get discount from the trade centers plus i put a mark up on the price, but as said before don't buy the B&Q value stuff stick to dulux and the finish is always better.

Some p&d's will charge a flat day rate but i estimate my hours doing the work and charge an hourly rate.

ksh123

Paul the Painter and john0612
: don't suppose either of you work in the Stoke on Trent area do you? I need a decorator I can trust to turn up and not rip me off!
thanks

Suggs

He didnt turn up on Friday evening, but my mate, an electrician, who recomended him and uses him for work, reckons that was an oversight. So I will ring him today and chase him up.

Thanks for the information, very helpful, I did intend to let him do the prep, im never home long enough to do it.

john0612

ksh123 wrote:

Paul the Painter and john0612
: don't suppose either of you work in the Stoke on Trent area do you? I need a decorator I can trust to turn up and not rip me off!
thanks

Sorry ksh123 but i'm booked up till mid august........................... oh and a small oversee i'm in the west of scotland lol.

Try asking friends or people at work for any companys they've used and can reccomend.

Paul_the_Painter

sorry ksh123. I'm in Milton Keynes. Stoke-on-Trent is a bit out of my patch!

ksh123

ah well, it was worth a try! thanks for your replies guys.