Getting Estimates

 You will now call the top contractors on your list to get project estimates. During the estimate, you can give the contractor information that you gathered in previous steps, such as the project parameters and your design inspiration, so they understand your ideas and can give you an accurate estimate.
Remember that the estimate is a key point of contact before you choose a company and sign a formal contract. It is your responsibility to get all the information you need – and you’ll want to make your final decision based on more than just the final number in the estimate. Here are some questions you may want to ask:
• Is labor charged by a fixed price or by an hourly rate?
• How much of the estimate is for labor and how much is for materials?
• What kind of paint and materials do you use?
• Does this estimate contain X, Y, Z? (to make sure it includes all project parameters)
• Have you worked on projects like this before? How often?
• Do you offer any warranties or guarantees?
• Are you licensed and insured?
• What is the estimated timetable?
• What days or schedule will you keep for this project?
• How many people will be working on my project and what is their experience level?
In the “Researching Painting Contractors” step you were assessing the company in general; the estimating step is where you must assess their ability to successfully execute your specific project.
Hiring the Right Painting Contractor
By now you have plenty of information – both from the researching phase and the estimating phase. It’s important that you use all of this information to hire the right painting contractor for your project.
It can be tempting to just look at the final numbers and select the contractor who gives you the lowest estimate. However, when it comes to painting work, you definitely get what you pay for. While the final estimate is an important factor, you want to look at everything together to find the painting contractor that has the right ‘package’ and who will do the best work.
Hopefully, the resources in this article will help you plan and execute your next project. ALLBRIGHT 1-800-PAINTING provides painting services to homeowners in the Los Angeles area, including Santa Clarita, San Fernando, and Ventura County.  If you’re looking for a professional residential painting company you can trust, give ALLBRIGHT 1-800-PAINTING a call today at 661-294-1159.
To read the full Homeowner’s Guide to Painting Your Home please visit ALLBRIGHT 1-800-PAINTING’s website, www.allbrightpainting.com/ blog/painting_your_home_everything_you_need_to_know/