What you need to know before hiring an interior house painter
One day you’re walking into your dream home and it’s as fresh and impressive as you ever wished. But suddenly you look up and it is a few years later and now you notice peeling paint, wear and tear, cracks in the paint job. Your nest is looking less than magnificent. Perhaps a fresh paint job would revitalise the place and restore it for years to come? At this point, you are faced with a number of questions. What do I need to look for in a painter or painting company? Who do I go to? How can I find a company I can trust? What type of paint is needed? And can I afford it without getting ripped off or sold a second rate job. You know your dream home deserves the best.
Read more about interior painting here.
Here are six handy tips to help you get the best house painting experience
1. Prepping the walls
Stage one of getting ready to paint any house is always preparation. Before painting can kick off, all the surfaces which are going to be painted need to be cleaned of grease, dirt and grime. Any wall damage needs to be repaired with great care and all surfaces must be made ready to receive the fresh new paint job that will breathe life back into your home. Good preparation is absolutely essential to a long lasting and durable paint job that will keep your nest looking good for many years to come. A true professional will plan for the use of all the right equipment to prep the interior of your house the right way. This should include such things as drop cloths, filling blades, scraper, bleach, sandpaper (probably 240 grade) sponge and soapy water, filler, sealant and masking tape. It’s also wise to consult a professional electrician before beginning the painting process, as they can ensure all electrical elements are safely managed and advise on any necessary precautions.
2. Hiring a painter
The painter you hire to tend to your nest must be a master of the craft. A true professional will inform you of all the details you need to know. The right painter for you will tell you what preparations will be made and what primer will be used. When it comes to coats of paint, remember that very rarely will a painter recommend just one coat of paint. If they do, then it’s possibly a tell-tale sign of a painter cutting corners. One way to check is to ask about the type of paint they’re using and do some quick Google research for yourself on the type of paint. Dulux paint makes a paint that is intended to work effectively with a single coat, but most brands of paint require multiple coats. Always question a painter who intends to use a single coat, to ensure you’re not getting a bad deal. Remember, the painter must be dedicated to revitalising your home with both skill and genuine care.
3. Finding the right contractor
When you hire contractors, you want to avoid making deals with shady companies. This may lead to shoddy projects and overall poor quality of work. Just because it’s cheap, doesn’t mean you should hire them immediately. You need to know if you can trust them.
Look for a team with licensed and insured professionals. Newline Painting, for example, has their members go through a thorough hiring process. It’s a sure guarantee that clients will only work with trusted specialists with years of experience.
4. Additional costs
You do not want to get caught out or left with a cost overrun on your budget, so you need to be sharply aware of any extra costs which could be involved in the job. A true professional painter will let you know about additional costs so you can allow for them. Things like time-consuming furniture moving or painting things which are more difficult to deal with than normal walls, such as crown moulding or skirting can add to the cost of the job. Remember your painter needs to be an expert and a true professional can inform you ahead of time about things which can cost more, even details like the number of windows or the height of the building, which all add up. Also, factor in the cleanup job. Will you be handling that yourself or hiring a professional cleaning company?
5. Colour choice
Choosing the right colour to paint your home can be a challenge. Some things to keep in mind are how colour affects the space and what you intend to do with your home in the future. If you want to sell your home at some time in the future, you may be well advised to choose quite neutral colours. If you want to make a place seem big and bright, full of light, it could be a good idea to choose white or lighter colours. Darker colours could be the right choice if you want to make the rooms feel smaller and cosier. Red is a passionate and warm colour, orange and yellow are quite warm, but greens and blues are cooler, more calming. A great paint expert will be able to help you understand the emotion or psychology behind colours and how these rooms can make us feel. It’s your choice and a good professional painter will help you make an informed decision to get the best look for your nest. An expert will help you use the paint choice colour wheel and give you tips on how to colour a room for ambience, atmosphere, your personal lifestyle or even to get a look that goes well with your rugs and furnishings.
To make choosing a colour much easier, you may Use A Paint Colour Chart.
6. The Right Finish
It is very important to give your pride and joy the right finish. A professional house painter can help you make the best choice for your nest. If your walls are rough or marked by imperfection, a flat paint can conceal a lot of evils. But if your walls are in good condition, a high sheen finish can work well and this is great for cleaning and maintenance. A high sheen, glossy finish will be easier to clean than a flat finish. The right finish is the key thought: the look must be right for your house, your needs. Once again, look for a professional who can advise you. If your surface seems rough and pitted by the scars of time, be wary of a painter who wants to go for a high gloss finish. Get your nest painted by the best.
READ: Why You Should Consider Waterproof Paint for Interior Painting
7. Get a quote you trust
This is the bottom line: when you get a quote, you need to get all the boxes ticked and leave nothing to chance. You want a great price and you want a top quality professional painter who is going to go the extra mile for you and treat your home like the thing of great value that it truly is. Some things to look out for include a professional attitude, a willingness to listen to your ideas, plenty of sound advice to help you make wise decisions when you may be unsure about something and a quote that includes all relevant costs and the precise details of the job. Nothing is worse than being let down, finding things were left out of the plan or getting unexpected cost overruns. When it comes to the quote, leave nothing to chance and go with a total professional. An expert house painter should be able to provide you with a quote and help you go over it and examine its points so you are fully aware of exactly what you’re getting and why you need each item. If a quote includes things such as insurance or GST, be sure to ask for the painter to explain these items as well. The bottom line is, the quote should be totally professional and accurate and the house painter should also be a total expert who really knows his job and will not let you down.
Hire Newline Painting For Your Home Painting Needs
Newline Painting is available for all your house painting in Melbourne needs. We cover various areas in and around Melbourne, including North Melbourne, Northcote, Port Melbourne, and Prahran, and offer various painting services such as garage painting, pre sale house painting, living room painting, and more! Please call us on 1300 044 206 for a free no obligation quote to get started. Our friendly staff at Newline Painting are waiting to hear from you.
