When deciding to paint your home, the first decision you need to make is whether you should paint it yourself or if you should hire a professional to do it. Initially, it may seem that painting yourself is going to be the most cost effective and cost efficient course to take; however, saving money may not be worth the lack of quality.

Often, homeowners don’t realize all the aspects that go into painting your home, which is why it is always advised to hire a professional contractor. Here are a few tips that could be helpful when deciding to hire a contractor.

Timing

Timing is a huge issue for most homeowners especially those with kids and full-time jobs. Finding the time to paint your home can be a very stressful process with a busy schedule and it can take weeks or even months to get the job done right if you do not hire a professional.

Hiring someone to do the project also means that the homeowner does not have to take any time off of work, which for many is a huge benefit. A good professional contractor will have the team and material to get the project done in 1-3 days.

Materials

Materials are another issue most homeowners run into. To get the best finish, homeowners will either have to buy, or rent the equipment needed, which can be costly. The nice thing about professionals is that they know the best kind of equipment and what is needed to effectively get the job done and usually already own this equipment. Professionals will also have relationships with vendors in the area which is beneficial when selecting colors and brand of paint that will be needed.

Most homeowners also do not realize that the average house has four different types of surfaces that needed painted and not all paint and equipment can be used on the different surfaces.

Professionals run into this every day in their work which is also another why knowing vendors in the area is beneficial; they offer their expertise when choosing types of paint verses surfaces of the home to get the best possible finish.

Color

The hardest decision that homeowners make is choosing the color they want. Having a professional there could make your decision easier. There are four different ways we help customers choose a color — free color try-ons, digital painting, in-color consultation and color swatches. Once you narrow down some color choices, our customers email us the color names and we send them large swatches that can be taped to the wall.

If you are wondering what the whole project will look like, email us the colors you are considering and we’ll email you a digital picture of what your house will look like with those new colors.

If you want to see what the color would look like on your wall in person, try the free color try-ons. Go to your local paint store and they will give you two free color try-on cans of paint, along with a couple foam brushes to try the new color on your walls.

If you still need advice, we can schedule a free in-home consultation with our talented Color Consultant.

Insurance

Now that you have chosen the colors and obtained the equipment, the only thing left is to actually do the work. Painting by yourself is a very tiring process and could lead to unforeseen injuries, which is why hiring a contractor will be the best move for you.

Anything could happen when you are on a ladder or chair painting up high, which is why it is best to leave it to someone who is experienced at it.

Contractors have a different kind of insurance that covers aspects of the job that the homeowners insurance does not. Of course the contractors insurance covers any injuries that may occur on the job, but it also covers any paint spill or damage that may happen during the job.

By nature, paint materials are highly flammable and accidents do happen. It is always better to hire someone that way you don’t have to pay out of pocket for any accidents that may occur.

After the Project is Complete

Finally, the project is over and you are happy with the finished product and we want to make sure that you stay that way. Contractors offer warranties in case the paint starts to peel or wear away due to weather and atmosphere and they fix it for free. Also, if at any point you decide to sell your home and had hired a contractor to paint, you can recoup 93% of the paint job.

Sharper Impressions Painting performs exterior and interior painting jobs for residential and commercial buildings in five different markets around the United States including Columbus, Atlanta, Kansas City, Indianapolis and Nashville.