How to Select a Painter

How to Select the Best Painters  

 Licensed painting contractors  are those with a C33 license from the state of California to do painting, including interior painting, exterior painting, residential painters, and commercial painters.   The C-33 license for painting companies is usually a legal requirement for all projects over $500 including labor and materials. The painting contractors must be licensed to be able to submit bids.

If the painting contractors have employees, they're required to carry workers' compensation insurance. If a worker is injured on your property and the contractor doesn't have this insurance, you could be liable to pay for their injuries and your homeowner's insurance may not cover those costs. 

Painters  are not legally required to have liability insurance; however it is best to look for those with general liability insurance coverage which reimburses their customers in the event of any damages.


Things To Look For with Painters

Preparation Work Should Be Done By The Painter

Preparing the surface that's to be painted (prep work) is critical because a poorly prepared surface won't hold paint properly no matter how good the paint is or how well it's applied.  The best painting companies  will do thorough prep work.  Preparing the surface can include pressure washing, possibly with a product that kills fungus and mildew, hand scraping surfaces, sanding, filling holes with caulk or epoxy filler, treating rusty nails, and removing wood rot. And prep work is labor time so the cheap painters  often promote cut-rate pricing because unknown to you, they're not preparing the surface like they should, and this can mean the paint begins to flake and chip within months, or comes off the next time your home or building is power washed. 


Paint Quality

Price quotes from painting companies  can differ and one reason might be the paint they're planning to use because paint costs can vary widely from $12 to $45 per gallon.  And it's not just about the brand. Every brand, even the best ones, have starter grades that aren't meant to last as long. In fact, the starter grade of a high quality brand will not perform as well as a higher grade paint within a less expensive brand.  These cheap paints can fade noticably in as little as a few months.

The best painting companies  will specify in writing the
1) Brand
2) Grade
3) Product number 

Getting that information allows you to see why price quotes might differ. Also, some painting contractors water down the paint in order to use less of it. It's another way that cheap painters  can appear like a bargain when they really aren't. So make sure the written bid includes the number of gallons to be used, and if it seems low compared to someone else, be sure to ask why.

The type of paint to be used also influences price quotes. Flat finish paints may be water based, where semi-gloss can be oil-based or latex-based paints. Oil-based is considered more durable so the job will last longer but latex will hold its sheen better. If you have a preference, make sure the painting company has experience with it, since some new painters have never worked with oil-based paints.    Many painting companies in Anaheim, Orange, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach and Garden Grove CA have experience working with organic paints, no-VOC and low-VOC paints (Volatile Organic Compounds). These options can cost a little more but some consumers prefer these paints as more environmentally friendly, or better for interior painting since they can have less of a smell with less off-gassing of chemical components.  Other options include elastomeric paint, which boasts increased durability and flexibility, and water repellent finishes, which last longer in outdoor environments.


Paint Application

Many painting companies  use only brushes and rollers, insisting that this traditional method means a longer lasting paint job because the paint adheres to the surface more completely, and allows for better detail work.  Other painting companies use airless sprayers, a modern method that can cut the time it takes to paint.  Some painting contractors might use a combination, starting with airless sprayers and then going over it with brushes and rollers. 


Color consultation

Experienced painters  will have seen different designs and color combinations over hundreds of previous painting jobs that they can share with you. They may also know what color combinations are among the latest trends in painting.   Some painting companies  provide virtual computer color consultation so you can really see the potential result of your choices. These devices have virtually eliminated the guesswork involved in optimizing your new color scheme.

If you have custom colors done, ask the painting contractors to provide you with a custom color card with actual samples of the paint that was used as a record for the future, including what brand and the exact mix formula. Then if you need touch ups in the future, you'll know the exact match for your existing paint. 

Labor

The owner of the painting company is a state-licensed painting contractor and may have years of industry experience, but what about the crew who will actually be doing the painting? The best painting companies use experienced, long-term employees and journeyman painters who know how to apply paint in a way that lasts for many years. Cheap painting companies often hire day laborers off the street with dubious levels of experience and whom the painting contractor doesn't even really know.

Faux Painting   (Including Faux Finishing / Decorative Painting in Orange County)
Faux painting or faux finishing are terms used for a wide variety of decorative painting techniques. Sometimes the intent is for the painted surface to look like some other material such as marble (faux marble) or wood grain (faux wood). Decorative painters  are also who to call if you're looking for muralists (mural painters). These faux painters  can paint scenic murals, or ones that create an optical illusion (trompe l'oeil) such as painting the illusion of three-dimensional depth on that flat wall or ceiling.

Some painting contractors do offer faux painting services or decorative painting services in addition to their house painting. A company that is decorative painting or faux finish painting only, need not be a licensed painting contractor


Faux painting is more than just faux finishes and decorative finishes. Decorative painters  can create texturing effects too. Sponge painting (or ‘sponging') is one commonly used method of adding texture to fresh paint.

The cost of faux finishing & decorative painters  varies greatly depending on the skill and experience of the faux painters, the type of faux finish desired and on the complexity of decorative painting effects. Many good decorative painters  will want to see the space to get decorative painting treatment, in order to give you a detailed estimate for the faux finishing or decorative painting you desire.

Some Painters  Are A Much Better Value Than Others

So do compare bids on a level basis; that is apples to apples.

by Rob Long
Editor