Choosing the right contractor for any project around your home or business can be an overwhelming task. One reason is because of all the options that are available to today’s consumers. Whether you are getting a new roof or remodeling the kitchen, you definitely want to filter through the options and choose a reputable contractor that you can trust and that you will feel comfortable with having in or around your home or business. A second reason is that you know that if you choose the “wrong” contractor you will regret the experience of having work done on your home. It will lead to headaches. It will for sure be an experience that you will soon want to forget.

Here are six tips that will aid you in hiring that next contractor for any project:

1. Hire an Insured Contractor – This is no different than driving your vehicle without having insurance. Bottom line, it’s dangerous for both you and the contractor. Who will be liable if damage occurs? Accidents do happen and the risk is by no means worth it.

2. Get Some References – An honest, trustworthy contractor should have some past clients that he has worked for. Ask to see a list of testimonials or references. This will ensure you are hiring someone with a proven reputation.

3. Get a Detailed, Written Estimate – A detailed written or typed estimate will save headaches and misunderstandings. Make sure you understand every detail of the estimate and contract. Simply getting a price over the phone or handed to you on the back of a business card is ludicrous.

4. Ask About Experience – Don’t be afraid to ask the contractor some questions about their experience in their particular trade and more specifically the type of work you are having done. You don’t want your project to be the experimental project.

5. Product Options – Ask the contractor about the products he is going to use on your project. Which ones does he have experience using? Which ones are best for your project? These are simple questions that an experienced, knowledgeable contractor won’t hesitate to answer.

6. Compare Apples to Apples – This is the last and most important tip. When getting multiple quotes, which is always a good idea, compare the companies equally. Compare the details of the estimate. Not all estimates are equal and just like many other things in life, you get what you pay for!

Hiring someone to work on your home or business is an investment. Making a mistake and hiring the wrong contractor can cause headaches and unneeded stress. Hiring the right contractor can make the project an enjoyable experience that you will never forget.

In today’s world there are many people who paint. Homeowners, DIY’s, Painting Contractors, Remodelers, and Handymen are just a few that come to mind. To some of them painting seems to be viewed as a trade that is easy. “Anyone can paint”, and “It’s just painting” are a few remarks I have heard over the years. However there is one key ingredient that sets apart an average paint job, from an outstanding painting job.

That key ingredient is preparation. Now when I speak of preparation, I mean preparing the surfaces to be painted. This can be anything from cleaning to caulking. Prep work not only enhances the beauty of the finished project, but also the longevity of the coating.

It’s a very simple concept. Let’s use an exterior substrate as a common sense example. Some siding has an abundance of dirt and mildew all over. Obviously, cleaning the surface with a solution which will  kill the mildew and clean the dirt off is important. It not only enhances the look of the coating by giving it a clean, even surface but also, creates a better bond between the substrate and coating used. It’s important in this situation to thoroughly clean the surface. That is just one aspect of a thorough prep job on an exterior surface. We haven’t even mentioned any necessary scraping, sanding, priming, caulking, puttying, or patching.

Now let’s look at some interior walls. Sanding the walls thoroughly with a pole sander is normally an extremely important, but often overlooked step in the painting process. It not only enhances the look of the surface by ridding it of contaminants (i.e. fibers off a roller cover from the last time it was painted), but also allows for a better bond between the new coating and the existing coating. Just as was stated above about the exterior prep, we have only mentioned one minor detail of a thorough prep job on walls. There is still the cleaning, patching, priming, and caulking to trim.

Now in both instances mentioned not every aspect of a perfect prepartion job was mentioned. There are steps that are unique for every situation of every project. Some might be needed for one project, all or more for another project, or none for yet another project.

It may seem like “the secret” is really common sense, but it is way too often overlooked. To many, painting is just painting, but to get the most of out your painting, the key is simple - preparation!