A fresh coat of paint immediately improves the appearance of your home or business. It can even increase the value of your property. Whether you want to repaint the exterior or interior of your property, it would be wise to hire a professional licensed and insured painter to handle the job.
Reliable and quality service is what a professional should offer. For that reason, a painting contractor should have a license to guarantee that your property is painted professionally. It is always tempting to go with the lowest bid for any remodeling project. However, it can be more costly in the long run to go with the lowest bid of a painting company that is not licensed and insured.
Most states require by law that painting contractors be licensed. Even without that requirement, it’s still advisable to stick with those that are licensed and insured. Why is this important? Hiring a painter is in investment for every homeowner or business owner. It’s important to understand how a licensed and insured painting contractor can help you.
Licensed and Insured: What Does It Mean for Painters?
A license is required in the state of California to do any type of skilled labor on another person's property. A plumber, an electrician, and painters are required to have a license. If someone is performing a variety of tasks, then they will need a general contractor's license. States can determine the specific requirements such as minimum education or work experience to obtain a license.
Licensed
To become a licensed painter, contractors must pass rigorous state, city, or municipal requirements for providing painting jobs. A licensed painter should know the proper use of materials, tools and equipment, surface preparation, and safety when performing the job. You can confirm if a painter is licensed in your state by confirming with your state's licensing board. Laws and requirements are different for each state.
Bonded
In many states, being bonded is also a prerequisite to obtaining a license. The bond is an agreement that binds the painter to cover any losses incurred by a property owner if the painter does not complete the job according to the contract specifications. It protects the property owner from a failed paint job by the painter.
Insured
States also require that professional painters have active liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage for a license to be issued.
- Liability insurance relieves the customer of the responsibility for any damages incurred by the contractor. It ensures that if you file a claim for property damage done by the painter, there will be a monetary payment for that issue.
- Workers' compensation coverage ensures that the home or business owner does not have to pay for any medical bills or other payments if the painter is injured during the project.
Benefits of Hiring a Pro Who Is Covered
When you hire an unlicensed contractor, you are taking significant risks, including that you will be subject to a lawsuit, as well as the potential that any implied warranties afforded by state law will be void. Here are some important reasons to hire a licensed and insured painter.
Protect Yourself from Financial Losses
Painting can be a hazardous job due to the climbing of ladders and dealing with paint solvents. If you hire a painting contractor that is not insured, you may end up paying for their medical expenses if one becomes injured during the painting project. An insured painting company is the best choice to paint your property; otherwise you could end up dealing with costly issues, some of which could include:
- Medical bills for anyone injured on your property
- A lawsuit by the contractor for a variety of claims
- Increases in your insurance costs
- Cancellation of your insurance policy
- Out of pocket expenses
A Quality Paint Job
There is no way to know whether an unlicensed painter or company is properly trained in the best practices of their industry. They have not taken any examinations or presented proof that they are knowledgeable in their trade. Licensing requires that a painter meets certain guidelines for their trade.
Do they know the proper procedures for prep work on interior and exterior surfaces? Will the painting tools and techniques they use ensure a durable and long-lasting coat of paint? Hiring an unlicensed painter for your project could leave you with inferior or incomplete results.
Avoid Scams
We’ve all heard of scams in the construction and remodeling industries. The painting industry has them too. If you get very cheap quotes for painting services, it is likely that the company is not licensed or insured. Some painting contractors have disappeared after receiving the deposit, doing a partial job, or leaving you with a shoddy or incomplete job.
Hiring professional painters with licensing and insurance eliminates the risk of getting taken advantage of by crooked painters. To protect yourself from scams and fraud follow these guidelines.
- Avoid frequent calls from any unsolicited phone numbers regarding cheap painting services.
- Verify insurance or licensing information before hiring.
- Verify phone numbers and addresses. Make sure the address is in the local market area.
- Check the BBB for complaint history.
- Don’t fall for high-pressure sales pitches or “must sign now” deals.
- Beware of those who ask for down payments above what the material costs.
- Check for company presence and reviews on Internet searches and review sites.
- Avoid hiring a painter who is unwilling to give you a set price for the job.
- Make sure the contract is detailed and includes warranty information.
Regulated by Government
A licensed and insured painting company is regulated by a government agency. They are obligated to honor warranties and fix any issues on the project. If there is a dispute, poor workmanship has been displayed, or if the customer is just not satisfied with the paint job, they can get help by calling the licensing agency.
The licensing agency, after reviewing and verifying the complaint, may suspend or revoke a painter’s license. Unlicensed painters may have contracts that can’t be enforced legally leaving you with a bad paint job and a headache. Because a licensed painting company is regulated by a government agency, they may be legally obligated to fix the problems if needed.
You may not be able to make warranty claims if you hire a painter with no license or insurance. Warranty laws often require that the painting contractor be licensed for the warranty to apply. The state contractor board will not typically help you to make a warranty claim against an unlicensed contractor.
If you are trying to recover any losses with an unlicensed, unbonded, uninsured painter, you will need to sue them in civil court. Even if you win the case, without a bond, there's a good chance the unlicensed contractor will not have the resources to pay your damages. They’ll just move on to the next target.
Good Communication
A fully licensed and insured painter has a reputation to uphold. They have spent time and money on the proper licensing and passing examinations. Reputable painting companies should always have someone you can contact who is local. A painter without the proper documentation may never call you back or avoid you when something goes wrong.
Licensed and insured painting companies have clear writing in contracts and communicate the steps of the painting process. The same communication may not occur with a painter who is not licensed or insured.
Save Time
By hiring a licensed and insured painter, you save yourself and your family time. Of course, you can try to turn this project into a DIY paint party, or you can enjoy your leisure time by contracting someone else to do it. You’ll have the assurance that the proper prep work and cleanup will be applied, and a quality paint job will result.
Of course, it may be more expensive to hire a licensed professional but isn’t it worth it to know you’ll be getting the best results? Knowing your contractor is trustworthy, accountable, and reliable can give you peace of mind.
What A Professional Painter Looks Like
Licensed and insured painting contractors have established that they have the knowledge and abilities to provide quality work. They can guarantee their work because of the reputation they maintain in the respective communities and industry. Being a public professional can be taxing if online reviews are negative. A licensed and insured painter will have proof of quality jobs and references.
Your best bet is to go with a Diamond Certified painter. These are professionals who are rated highest in quality and helpful expertise. They are given this certification based on numerous factors such as accurate ratings and surveys from actual customers.
Home and business owners should look to hire fully insured and licensed professional painters who:
- Exhibit good business practices
- Have established risk management protocols
- Are willing to provide detailed information about their insurance certification
- Are open about their credentials and background
- Have an established local business address
- Are easily located on the Internet
- Provide warranties that are current and adequate in coverage.
Give Yourself Peace of Mind
The extra money that you spend on a licensed and insured professional painter will be worth it in the end. Reputable painters at The Painting Pros can guarantee that your house painting job will be completed without any problem when you hire us. We are a Diamond Certified and top-rated painting company with over 40 years of experience. Contact us today for your next painting project.