Hiring a painting contractor is an important decision; due to the cost of house painting there is a lot of money at stake, and of course you want a beautiful paint job. Which contractor do you pick? How do you weigh your options? This is a daunting task. Here are a few ideas to help you.

• Check references. This should go without saying; it’s a must that you check all references that your painter provides you so you can make the best decision. Some good questions to ask their references include: Did they show up on time? Did they complete the work on time? Did the total come to within the estimated price range? Were the employees courteous, friendly and professional? Were there any problems or issues they experienced with the contractor?

• Consider referrals from friends. Referrals are a great way to find a quality painting company. Many painters rely on word of mouth as a way of gaining clients and this is for a reason, when someone refers a service or contractor they’re basically putting themselves on the line at the same time. It’s for this reason that your chances of finding a quality painting contractor via word of mouth are pretty high.

• Ask your local paint store. Talking to the employees are your local paint store is always a good idea if you’re thinking about doing some painting work and hiring a painting contractors as they can recommend products and also usually recommend a professional painter that can take care of your paint job. This is also a good way to find a worth painter because it’s basically another word of mouth recommendation and they’re putting their reputation on the line somewhat.

• Check with the Better Business Bureau. Think you’ve found them? Before hiring that perfect painting contractor stop by the BBB website and do a check first. The Better Business Bureau can reveal some useful information such as their track record and if there are any outstanding complaints and whether or not they are accredited by the BBB. If nothing shows up for the company in question don’t take this as a bad sign but if you see negative information remember buyer beware.

• Get a detailed written proposal stating materials and all painting work to be completed. Before hiring a painting contractor it’s important that you both have a full understanding of what work to be completed, including what materials will be used. This affects the cost of house painting, duration, and quality of your finished painted home. One mistake I’ve seen a few times is with closets in the bedroom; let’s say you thought the painting contractor was going to paint the closets but the estimate didn’t specifically state it but they didn’t quote it and it didn’t get painted. Well now it’s going to cost more! If it’s not listed on the painting estimate double-check with the painter before moving ahead on the job as it may drastically affect the price or time to complete the job. Also, make sure you and the painter clearly understand the quality and brand of paint that is going to be used as this is another area where cost can sky rocket if terms are not clear. After discussing these items the best way to make sure you both know exactly what work is going to be performed is to have all of these items written down!