How to hire a Painting Contractor

My father turned 73 this year and he still gets up on a ladder to paint his two-story home himself. What’s worse is that he does it with a six inch width brush, the entire home. No paint gun, no rollers – he uses a brush. My father is old school and actually enjoys projects like that, but when I see him balancing on the top step of a thirty foot ladder, leaning way over to get a corner he missed, I want to call the fire department. Maybe they can bring one of those catch net things like the firemen always have in the Bugs Bunny cartoons.

If you’re not like my father, that is, if you are normal like the rest of us, then you probably would prefer to invest in hiring a painting contractor. Jim Hawk of Hawk Painting Contractors in California has some advice. If you search for painting contractor San Mateo, San Mateo painting contractors or house painters San Mateo in the search engines, you’ll likely find Jim Hawk’s company.

Jim urges that you make sure you hire a licensed contractor. Hiring your brother-in-law to do the job is always a bad idea. You want someone who is insured, bonded and licensed. Remember, a license number for painting contractors is only six digits. More or less, and it is likely a fake. Also be sure to check the date of the license.

An appropriate insurance policy is an essential factor as well, especially for high-end properties. A policy of $1,000,000 basic liability insurance coverage, $500,000 industrial vehicle insurance coverage and a $12,500 bond are excellent tips to use as a guide when you are checking out your painter. A license check at www.cslb.ca.gov will provide the specific contractor’s bond coverage and give you all the information you need to hire a house painting company.

Worker’s compensation insurance covers the employees of a painting contractor if they are injured on your project. The lack of this insurance policy makes the homeowner liable for any injuries to personnel on the painting project. Make certain your contractor carries an employee compensation insurance policy. Again, you can check out any painting company at www.cslb.ca.gov.

The condition of a contractor’s tools, hardware and other equipment usually displays the pride they take in their performance and how invested they are in their trade. An aged truck and an old set of tools could be indicative of how they carry out the painting project on your home. you can check them out beforehand by stopping by one of their current projects to see how they perform.

Is your contractor in or near your community? If they are from too far out of the area, the likelihood of them returning to repair a problem or being committed to the long-term condition of your home is probably limited. More than likely, if they have not built regional popularity, chances are they may not be around long. Jim Hawk covers most of the Bay area Peninsula near San Francisco. This covers communities such as San Mateo, Foster City, Hillsborough, Belmont, Burlingame, San Carlos, Redwood City, Redwood Shores, Menlo Park and Palo Alto. An area such as that is fine because many painting contractors in the Bay area peninsula understand that a certain amount of travel comes with the territory of being a house painter.