Things to Ask a Painter Before You Hire Them

Things to Ask About the Company

Start with the business you are hiring and who will actually be in your home or on your property.

If crews or subcontractors are used, ask who supervises them.

1. What is the legal name of the business?
2. How long have you been painting professionally?
3. Do you carry liability insurance?
4. Do you carry workers' compensation where required?
5. Who will actually perform the work?
6. Do you use employees, subcontractors, or both?
7. Who supervises the crew?
8. Will the same crew stay on the project?
9. Can you provide recent references?

Things to Ask About Surface Preparation

Preparation often determines whether paint looks good for years or starts failing quickly.

Ask exactly what the crew will clean, sand, scrape, patch, caulk, prime, or repair.

1. How will surfaces be cleaned?
2. What peeling or loose paint will be removed?
3. Will glossy surfaces be sanded or deglossed?
4. What holes or cracks will be patched?
5. What caulking is included?
6. Will stains be sealed?
7. What surfaces need primer?
8. Will bare wood or drywall be primed?
9. How do you prepare previously painted cabinets or trim?
10. What preparation is specifically excluded?

Things to Ask About Repairs

Painters often discover rot, drywall damage, failed caulk, water staining, loose trim, or other defects during preparation.

Clarify what repair the painter can handle and what requires another trade.

1. What minor repairs are included?
2. How much drywall patching is included?
3. Do you repair rotten wood?
4. Do you replace damaged trim?
5. What happens if water damage is found?
6. How are larger repairs priced?
7. Will I approve repair costs before the work happens?
8. What repair would require a carpenter, roofer, plumber, or another specialist?

Things to Ask About Paint

Brand alone is not enough. Ask for the product line, sheen, and whether primer and finish products are appropriate for the surface.

Different rooms and surfaces may require different products.

1. What exact paint product are you using?
2. What sheen do you recommend?
3. Why is that sheen appropriate here?
4. What primer will you use?
5. Is the paint appropriate for bathrooms or high-moisture areas?
6. What product will be used on trim?
7. What product will be used on doors?
8. What product will be used outdoors?
9. Will all paint be supplied by you?
10. Can I keep leftover labeled paint?

Things to Ask About Colors and Samples

Lighting can change how a color looks dramatically. Small paint chips are often less useful than larger samples on the actual wall.

Ask when final color decisions must be made.

1. When do you need final color selections?
2. Can sample patches be applied?
3. How large should the sample be?
4. Should I look at it at different times of day?
5. What happens if I change a color after painting begins?
6. Is there a charge for extra colors?
7. How are accent walls priced?
8. How are paint colors documented for future touch-ups?

Things to Ask About the Number of Coats

A proposal that simply says paint walls may not tell you whether one finish coat, two coats, or coverage to uniform finish is included.

Color changes, dark colors, bright colors, porous surfaces, and repairs may affect coverage.

1. How many finish coats are included?
2. Is primer counted separately?
3. What happens if the color does not cover in the expected number of coats?
4. Does a dramatic color change affect price?
5. Will patched areas receive extra primer?
6. How do you judge when coverage is complete?
7. Are ceilings, walls, trim, and doors treated differently?

Things to Ask About Interior Protection

Interior painting can affect floors, furniture, fixtures, electronics, pets, and daily routines.

Ask what you must move and what the crew protects.

1. Who moves furniture?
2. How far from the walls should furniture be moved?
3. How are floors protected?
4. How are cabinets and counters protected?
5. Will switch plates and outlet covers be removed?
6. How are light fixtures handled?
7. What should I remove from walls?
8. How are dust and sanding debris controlled?
9. Can pets remain in the home?
10. What rooms can still be used during the work?

Things to Ask About Exterior Painting

Exterior painting adds weather, landscaping, ladders, pressure washing, scraping, rot, caulking, and drying conditions.

Ask how the contractor handles weather delays and surface moisture.

1. How will the exterior be cleaned?
2. Will pressure washing be used?
3. How long will surfaces dry before painting?
4. How is peeling paint removed?
5. How is bare wood primed?
6. What caulking is included?
7. How are shrubs and landscaping protected?
8. How are windows protected?
9. What weather conditions stop painting?
10. What happens if rain begins after paint is applied?

Things to Ask About Cabinets

Cabinet painting is a different process from ordinary wall painting. Adhesion, degreasing, sanding, primer, curing, spray technique, and hardware removal matter.

Ask how doors and drawers are labeled and where they are finished.

1. How are cabinets cleaned and degreased?
2. How are they sanded?
3. What primer is used?
4. What finish product is used?
5. Are doors and drawers sprayed?
6. Where are they sprayed?
7. How are doors labeled so they return to the same location?
8. Is hardware removed?
9. How long does the finish need to cure?
10. When can cabinets be used normally again?

Things to Ask About Scheduling

Painting can disrupt several rooms at once. Ask how long the project should take, how many workers will be present, and whether work continues every day until completion.

Drying time and weather can affect the schedule.

1. When can the project start?
2. How long should it take?
3. How many painters will be here?
4. What hours will the crew work?
5. Will the crew be here every day until completion?
6. What could delay the job?
7. How are weather delays handled?
8. How much notice will I receive if the schedule changes?

Things to Ask About Price

Compare scope as carefully as price. One painter may include two coats, repairs, premium paint, caulking, and trim work that another quote leaves out.

Ask whether the proposal is fixed-price or based on assumptions.

1. What exactly is included?
2. What is excluded?
3. Are materials included?
4. How much repair work is included?
5. How many coats are included?
6. Are ceilings included?
7. Are closets included?
8. Are doors and trim included?
9. What could increase the price?
10. How are change orders handled?
11. What deposit is required?
12. When is final payment due?

Things to Ask About Cleanup and Final Walkthrough

The job is not complete when the last wall is wet. Ask how cleanup, touch-ups, leftover paint, and final inspection are handled.

Do the walkthrough in good lighting where possible.

1. Who removes tape and coverings?
2. How is debris removed?
3. Will the crew reinstall switch plates and hardware?
4. How are missed spots or touch-ups handled?
5. Will we do a final walkthrough together?
6. How long do I have to report a missed area?
7. Will leftover paint be labeled?
8. What cleaning should I avoid while the paint cures?

Things to Ask About the Warranty

A workmanship warranty should explain what kinds of failures are covered and what conditions are excluded.

Paint failure caused by leaks, moisture, structural movement, or substrate failure may be treated differently from workmanship problems.

1. What workmanship warranty do you provide?
2. How long does it last?
3. What is covered?
4. What is excluded?
5. Does the warranty cover peeling or blistering?
6. How are warranty issues reported?
7. Who decides whether the failure is workmanship or another cause?

Things to Ask About Lead Paint and Older Homes

Older homes can require additional precautions when painted surfaces may contain lead or when local rules regulate disturbance of old coatings.

Ask the contractor what requirements apply to the property and what procedures they follow. Important safety or regulatory questions should be verified with appropriate local or federal resources.

1. Does the age of this home change your preparation process?
2. Could lead-safe work practices apply?
3. How will dust be contained?
4. How are paint chips collected?
5. What areas should occupants avoid during preparation?
6. What documentation or certification should I verify?

How to Use These Questions

Choose the questions that would genuinely change your understanding or decision rather than trying to complete every item in order.

When an answer matters, ask for an example, what changed, what the person means by a particular word, or what would make the answer different. A specific follow-up usually teaches more than another prepared prompt.

1. Can you give me an example?
2. What part matters most?
3. What changed?
4. What would make your answer different?
5. What important question have we not asked?

Things to Ask About Occupied Homes and Daily Disruption

If you will remain in the home during painting, ask how rooms move in and out of service and what odors, dust, noise, or drying time to expect. Families with children, pets, home offices, or respiratory sensitivities may need additional planning.

1. Can we stay in the house during the work?
2. Which rooms will be unavailable each day?
3. How strong will odors be?
4. How is ventilation handled?
5. When can children or pets safely return to a room?
6. Can one area remain usable while another is painted?
7. How should a home office be protected?
8. What should we plan to do on the most disruptive day?

Things to Ask About Final Color and Touch-Up Records

Future touch-ups are much easier when you know the exact manufacturer, product line, sheen, color name, and color code used in each room.

1. Will you leave a written color schedule?
2. Will each leftover can be labeled by room?
3. Will the product line and sheen be recorded?
4. How should leftover paint be stored?
5. How long is leftover paint typically useful?
6. What should I do if a future touch-up flashes or looks different?