6 tips for hiring a painter

1.  Ask for recommendations

Before you talk to any decorators, ask people you know and trust for recommendations. If you love the way a friend’s house has been painted, see if you can get the contact details for who they used.

However you find your painter, try and see some examples of their work before you hire them.

2.  Meet your decorator in person
 

Arrange a convenient time for them to visit your home and discuss exactly what you want, pointing out any specific details as you go. Here are some key questions you can ask:

• Who will do the work? If they have other colleagues or an apprentice that they work with, can you be confident with their level of skill and experience?
• Will you need to relocate, move or cover furniture? And do they expect you to do it?
• What hours do they work? It’s helpful to know this, so you can manage expectations and plan your time.
• Are they insured? Even though it’s unlikely that paint will spill onto an expensive sofa, you should not be the one to pay if it does happen.

Top tip:

Use the Visualizer App to create a virtual impression of what you’d like your room to look like. You’ll then easily be able to share your color and product ideas with your decorator.

3.   Calculate how much paint you need

It’s always a good idea to calculate how much paint you’ll need before you get any quotes from a decorator. It’s the best way to give you peace of mind that you’re paying the right price for the job. Use our easy online paint calculator to help you.

4. Get a detailed quotation

Ask the decorator for a detailed quote, not an estimate. This should include all aspects of the job: preparation, materials, the number of paint layers that will be applied, how long the job will take, which parts of the room will be painted, and whether the job is guaranteed.

5.  Make a list and be precise about your paints
 

You might not always be on-hand while your decorator is painting, so make sure you leave them a detailed list of all the work that needs doing so they can keep checking it as they work.

Give your decorator the exact color name of the paint and finish you want them to use, along with the product code to avoid any chance of confusion.

Sketching a small plan of the room you want decorating is a useful way to avoid mistakes creeping in. Include the most important features like the walls, the door and the windows with arrows showing which color and finish you want on each.

Top tip:

You may need to use a special type of paint in certain rooms, such as mould-resistant paint in the bathroom, stain-resistant paint in the kitchen or light-reflecting paint in a dark room.

6.  Check the work before they leave

Once the work is done, have a good look around while your decorator is still there. Are you completely happy with the finish? Are there any last little bits of paint you’d like touching up? If so, let your decorator know before they pack away their kit. Take a look at our guide to checking a paint job here.