By D&R Painting General Information • Painting • Tips and Tricks • • 0 Comments

What Does A Good Painting Job Look Like?

good house paintingWhat’s Your Definition of a Good Paint Job?

When it comes to interior or exterior house painting the term “good” is going to be defined by the homeowner’s objective.  If the house is an upscale home in Smyrna or Vinings that the owner intends to live in long term, then most likely the owner will want a quality job performed that will last 8 to 10 years. Another homeowner may have a house that needs to be painted but doesn’t have the budget to afford top notch job and would settle for getting 4 to 5 years of service out of a house painting.

Then there is the person looking to sell their home. Often times this homeowner just wants a fresh coat of paint as a marketing ploy. So long as it looks good this homeowner could care less how long it will last.

Not surprisingly the cost difference between these three types of “good” can be dramatic. Ironically, in many cases the most expensive price can be the best value when the project is amortized over the life of the paint’s life.

Start at the Top and Work Your Way Down

So why is there such a big difference in cost? It’s not the materials. Granted there can be a $30+ difference per gallon between the lowest quality and best exterior paint but the real cost comes from how the paint is put on the house. Just like paint, painters come in different levels of quality except they aren’t as easy to identify.

Let’s take a look at the top-of-the-line painter who uses best practices regardless of the quality of paint involved. How does he go about performing the task?

Preparation

Preparing the surface to be painted is the biggest part of the project and there is only good preparation or bad. Either the paint sticks to the surface or it blisters, peels or flakes off well before its time. The preparation process is also one of the favorite labor saving shortcuts of less than professional painters.

Here’s what should happen.

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By D&R Painting Painting • Tips and Tricks • • 0 Comments

How to Choose an Atlanta Area Painting Contractor

painterFor our first blog post for 2015, we’ve decided to touch on a topic that most people struggle with: how to choose a painting contractor. Since you only paint your home once every few years, most people don’t have a go-to painting contractor that they know they can trust, and it is difficult to sift out the reputable companies that will offer you the best quality for your money from the countless fly-by-night painters that will leave you with paint that is peeling and cracking within a matter of months. So, here are some helpful tips for when you go about your search for your next painting contractor.

In the greater Atlanta area homeowners and businesses can pick and choose from hundreds of painting contractors for their interior or exterior painting projects. While having a large selection of contractors sounds like a good idea, actually choosing one can become an involved process but one that is well worth the time and effort.

The first thing you need to do is whittle the choices down to four or five and the fastest way to do that is to ask your neighbors and network of friends if they have any recommendations. Satisfied customers are eager to pass on a name of a quality painting company. Conversely, they are quick to warn you of a painter they had a bad experience with.

If your list is still short you can visit online directories to flesh it out. Review their services but don’t discount a painter strictly on location. At Douglasville based D&R we have customers from ranging from Villa Rica to Marietta and Smyrna.

With list in hand call each contractor and ask:

  1. How long have you been in business?
  2. Do you have a Georgia business license?
  3. Are you insured?
  4. Can you provide references?
  5. Do you offer a warranty on your work?
  6. When can you see the house and provide a quote?

You can tell a lot just from the phone call. Was the contractor courteous and professional? Did it sound like they were busy (that can be a good thing)? If you left them a message how fast did Read more