3 Ways To Avoid A Bad House Painting Experience

14 May 3 Ways To Avoid A Bad House Painting Experience

One of the unfortunate conversations we have all to often is a recount of the last “horrible” experience a customer had with a cut-rate house painting company, or a national chain that didn’t live up to expectations. With that in mind, here’s x ways to avoid a bad house painting experience.

Hire an established local business

Similar to many service industries, there’s a blend of one-man shops, mega brands with a franchise in the area, and everything in-between. Having a local business address with a local phone number matters, as does having a background in and with the community. It also indicates they are established enough to have adequate administrative support and customer service, which is often not that common in our industry. There’s always value in supporting a local business versus a chain as well, as more than 70% of every dollar that’s spent with a small business stays in the community. Beyond that, mega chains turn their employees over quickly and frequently hire entry level workers, relying on large ad budgets to sell their brand as opposed to selling quality work. Local craftsmen understand what products work best with the severe humidity and precipitation that we always see.

Make sure a warranty backs up the craftsmanship

Speaking of the quality of work, a company that is in it for the long-term cares about the quality of their craftsmanship and will warranty it to prove it.  Most warranties for projects like exterior painting typically 2 years. At Neighborhood Painting, we supply a 5 year warranty on our work. That’s important considering the harsh weather we receive all across the KC metro. It’s also another testament that you’ll avoid a bad house painting experience. Businesses with a track record of success aren’t afraid to back it up in writing!

See what other people are saying

Requesting an extensive list of references is generally understood by most painting contractors as a basic requirement. But it’s important that it’s extensive and not just a handful of projects.  Secondly, look for third party references that allow customers to post their experience with the contractor and even rate them, such as Angie’s List.  We’re proud to be multi-year winners of the Best of Angie’s List award. This puts real customers’ experiences on display and is something that’s virtually impossible to fake. Good reviews from Google+ or Facebook can be manufactured. Good reviews on Angie’s List can only be earned.