Your Price Is Too High | Painting Bids in Maryland

Comparing painting estimates can be a daunting task, especially in this economy. Painters are consistently at war to get work, so they try cutting their prices. However, in order to cut their prices, they have to find a way to cut overhead. Sometimes, this is a good thing: cutting "off the fat." But some contractors will cut overhead in a way that is not helpful to homeowners. They might cut back by paying their employees less, using cheaper paints, cutting out their contractor insurance, or by doing less preparation. The final option, less prep, is an easy one to overlook, because sometimes it might take 6 months or a year to realize the paint is failing.

If you are the type of person who wants a quality and long lasting job, we'd suggest the following before hiring a painting contracot:

1. Select 2-3 paint companies to receive bids from.
2. See if the company answers their phone or responds to an email quickly
3. When they schedule an estimate, make sure the estimator arrives on time or calls if he or she is running late. 
4. When the estimator arrives, ask yourself, "Do I like this person?" Do I trust this person and his/her company?" If so, proceed with
5. When you really feel comfortable with an estimator and have done your homework (checked references, insurance, licensing and credentials) invite that estimator back to discuss their proposal and bid. In some cases, you might find two companies you really like. That's ok. Talk to them both and select a company you know will do the job you will be happy with for years to come. This is the tough part, because price may be a factor with a better company. We at Hallco call this the "Price vs. the Cost" comparison! Do you want a better price or value (better cost). Do you feel a company will do a better job and respond to your needs in a timely fashion? Do you feel that company will be around in 5 or even 10 years if it is time to repaint? Sometimes the cost of a paint job is based on how long they will guarantee the work and how thorough the preparation is during the project. Answer the preparation and how long the job will take, and you'll get a pretty good idea which company has the "better price tag." 

If you happen to live in the Frederick, Gaithersburg, Howard County and/or D.C. Metro areas, we'd be happy to discuss your next painting job with you. If not, we hope the above information is helpful.