​Four questions to ask an interior painter BEFORE you let them into your home.

1. Who will do the work?

The chap that comes out to measure up and give you a quote might be very nice. But who will be holding your front door key and wandering around your home for weeks?

My wife hired a painting company to paint the interior of a youth refuge. The boss sent two guys who did a crummy job, disrupted the whole place and came close to punching one of the youth workers. But hey, they were cheap.

Insist on meeting the 'key onsite painter'.
 
2. Who will recommend you?

You must get recommendations. Google reviews. Facebook reviews. Website reviews. Recommendations from Facebook groups. All fine. But best of all is a few phone numbers from past clients that you can call. Ask them lots of questions about how THEY found the process.
 
3. How will it be done?

Ask what you should expect from the WHOLE process - How long will it take? What sort of disruption? When do the painters start? When do they finish? How many painters will there be? How will your furniture and floors be protected? How will the surfaces be prepared? What brands will be used? 
 
4. What am I getting for my money?

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF ALL.

Don’t just ask how much? Ask how much and WHAT do I get for that price?

Is a $10,000 job from Dumb and Dumber (from question 1) a better deal than a $12,000 job executed by a highly recommended top painter? Of course not.

Is a $10,000 job rushed through in two weeks better than a $12,000 job done carefully and properly over four weeks? No.

Cheap paint that fails after a year better than more expensive paint that lasts decades?

No preparation better than outstanding preparation?

You get the idea.

 
So ... Ask lots of questions. Love your walls. Enjoy the process.

By Tony Richardson - The Tidy Painter - Mosman, Cremorne and the Lower North Shore's favourite painter.