hiring a painter

wolfehouse

i am in the process of getting quotes to paint the exterior of my 3 bed detached chalet villa.

We have made an itemised list of the work required but even with this the workmen's ideas of what to do and how to do it differs. ask 3 painters- get 6 opinions. prices so far range from £900-£1700.

I cannot do this job myself and since i am not a good judge of character either (I prefer to like everyone even if they are sharks) I find the whole process worrying.

Any hints on what to watch out for or how to choose a painter?

Yogibear

try and get some friends to recommend some one,you may get a painter to to it"on the side" which means in Edinburgh somebody who works for a company but does homers.

if you feel safer getting a company look in the yellow pages a lot of painters who advertise in small ads in papers,shop windows are not painters ask them if they hang wallpaper if they say no steer clear. if they turn up to give you a quote manky and covered in paint be wary.

why not post in the forum for the country you stay in you may find some one who lives near you and get a recommendation.
good luck

john0612

if they turn up to give you a quote manky and covered in paint be wary.



And why would that be ? Define "manky" ?

I normally try and arrange quoting in the evening so i can go dressed a wee bit smarter but in all truth sometimes you can't view jobs at night so it might be that you pop in via a job or on the way home.

No two jobs will be the same and i've come home completely clean sometimes and other times i've been dirty, it's only "hard work"

We all have paint splaterred overalls.

You have to think, is the man who turns up in a van with overalls a worse painter than one who turns up well dressed in his company car to price it.

More likely than not the latter will have higher running costs and therfore be more expensive, not always but that's just my thought.



Back to the original post:

Ask what kind of paint they use.
When they can do it ( i'm now booking people in for next year.. too busy)
If the prices vary too much, get a few more and work out your average and go with the one that you feel good about.

misgrace

I agree John, as sometimes I go straight after work,as its easier for me specially if they are only 20 mins or so from the job I am on, I do tell them that I am coming straight from work so they know to expect me to look a state.:D

But if I do go at the weekends, I am always dressed smart, and they get the shock of thier life then, as I do scrub up quite well.;)

misgrace

wolfehouse wrote: »

i am in the process of getting quotes to paint the exterior of my 3 bed detached chalet villa.

We have made an itemised list of the work required but even with this the workmen's ideas of what to do and how to do it differs. ask 3 painters- get 6 opinions. prices so far range from £900-£1700.

I cannot do this job myself and since i am not a good judge of character either (I prefer to like everyone even if they are sharks) I find the whole process worrying.

Any hints on what to watch out for or how to choose a painter?

Firstly, I would ask these painters for phone numbers of thier previous jobs, I always carry my book with me, and I offer any new client at least 3 numbers from my book for them to check me out.

Also, make sure what you want very clear, and get it written down, please insist that they cover the windows with polythene, and if if have a porch or single extention, make sure they cover the roog, and of course your drive way.

If you have a wooden back or front door that needs varnishing or painting, get them to paint it first thing in the morning, so at least it will be dry nad sort of hardened before you close for the night.

inmypocketnottheirs

Another way to reduce the chance of a cowboy turning up is to use the website of The Guild of Master Craftsmen. All their members are vetted, have a look at https://www.findacraftsman.com.

HTH