Tips to consider Before hiring a painter

Important points to consider before engaging a Painting Contractor

1. “Are they insured?”

This simple question could save you from a financial disaster. What type of insurances are necessary to provide you with complete protection?

Public Liability insurance

Every painting contractor should be covered by Public Liability insurance. This type of insurance protects you, the home owner or property manager, from any damage done by an operative. Imagine the damage that can be caused by 10 litres of paint being spilled on your new carpet or a ladder accidentally falling and crashing into your brand new car! Your property is valuable. Ensure it is protected.

Employee General Liability Insurance

Will the painting operatives working on your property be a genuine employee of the painting contractor you engage or will the operative be an independent contractor hired temporarily? All painting operatives working on your property should be covered by accident insurance. The last thing you want is for an uninsured operative to suffer serious injury at your property. You may be at risk of financial ruin.

Genuine employees will be covered by their employers’ general liability insurance however, independent contractors should each be individually self-insured. It’s fairly common for painters to hire independent contractors; it is much less common for each individual contractor to be properly insured. A company’s general liability policy does not cover independent contractors. Murphy’s Law dictates that the only independent contractor whose insurance you haven’t verified will be the one that is not insured.

To ensure you are fully protected it is simply a matter of asking “May I have a copy of your current insurance certificates for my files?”

An honest, compliant Painting Contractor will happily provide them upon request.

2. Are all painters the same?

The simple answer is no. Have a look at the following case studies.

Case Study 1

Ben obtained a job with a roof painting company. He started off as a labourer assisting the tradespersons and eventually graduated to painting roofs himself. Of course the roof painting company is fully licensed by the Dept. of Commerce. Once Ben has been employed by the roof painting company for 5 years, Ben qualifies for Painter’s Registration based on his 5 years of hands-on experience painting roofs in the “painting industry”. Ben then simply enrols in a month of study at a Registered Training Organisation where the requirement is a pass mark of 51% and will then become a Registered Painting Practitioner. If Ben pays a further fee he can become a Registered Painting contractor. Do you want a 49% bad painter painting your property?

Case Study 2

Tony obtained a job with painting contractor that only worked on new housing. Tony also started off as a labourer assisting the tradespersons and moved up to eventually becoming proficient at painting new dwellings. Once Tony has been employed by the painting contractor for 5 years, he too qualifies for Painter’s Registration based on his 5 years of hands-on experience painting new dwellings. Tony then simply enrols in a month of study at a Registered Training Organisation where the requirement is a pass mark of 51% and will then become a Registered Painting Practitioner. If Tony pays a further fee he can become a Registered Painting contractor. Do you want a painter who cannot diagnose issues with previously painted surfaces and hardly any re-paint experience working at your home?

Case Study 3

Dave leaves school and becomes a painting Pre-Apprentice and undergoes a comprehensive introduction to painting and decorating. After 1 year Dave obtains a position with a painting company as an Apprentice. Dave undergoes lots of hand-on experience from his employer as well as attending regular TAFE Apprenticeship Training for the duration of his apprenticeship.

Dave is trained in:

surface preparation,
painting problem diagnostics,
correct painting products application and handling and
Occupational Health and Safety and use of access equipment

You can be confident that Dave would produce a surface that is uniform in appearance, colour, texture and sheen. It would also be free of foreign material, lumps, skins, runs, sags, misses, or insufficient coverage. It would also be a surface free of drips, spatters, spills or overspray.

Case Study Conclusions

Dave would be the best candidate to paint your property. He has been fully trained. Ben is only experienced in roofs and finally, Tony is not an expert at repaint work. Only new work.

3. Logistics

One of the most confronting things for a home owner is the prospect of having their home overturned by the painting process. After all, it is an intrusion into their personal space and a major clean-up of the areas to be painted. Questions arise:

Will I need to be home?
Will they be careful with my pets?
Will they be careful with security?
What about my breakables?
Will I need to shift my furniture?
Where will they start?
How will they work through my whole house?
Will the painters be careful with paint & dust?
What kind of paints will they use? What sheen level is right for my home?
Will they help me with paint choices as I’m confused with colours and sheen levels?
How will they prepare the surfaces?
How long will the painting process take?
Will workers to be careful with my plants or will I just hope they’re not careless?
Will I hear loud music, objectionable language or find cigarette butts in my garden?

Some painters will assume that your home is, in fact, their work area. And then they act that way. Better to be clear with your expectations up front.

Respectful attention to detail at the start saves problems for everyone later. A true professional painter will bring up these issues at the outset. In fact, it should happen when you meet for the first time. A professional will not just look at the work, leave and then send you a quote. No two jobs are the same.

For example, there may be an asthmatic in the house. That would change the whole approach to the works.

Another example is two storey homes. Will they start upstairs first and do it in stages or will they be working in all areas at the same time?

A true professional will endeavour to understand all your requirements and answer all your questions and will also raise questions for you that you may have not even thought about.

All issues not only should be discussed at your first meeting, but must be discussed.

It is wise to ensure that all agreements made should be included in your quotation.

4. Lead Paints

What about Lead paints? Asking this question will tell you if the painter is informed about the lead issue or if he will downplay it to get the job. Lead paint is a reality that is best viewed from an informed perspective – and both the painter and the homeowner should be informed. The EPA and the Perth City Council have good information on their websites about dealing with lead paint.

It’s best to assume that any paint applied to your house before 1978 contains lead. Any sanding should be collected in a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filtered vacuum. Sanding without HEPA filtration and appropriate breathing protection is a violation of EPA guidelines and OHS regulations. Painters that don’t equip their workers properly are doing wrong by the worker, the homeowner and the environment.

5. Warranties

You are entitled, by law, to a full labour and manufacturer’s Warranty. Insist on receiving one in writing!!

6. Unqualified painters

Again, by law, anyone is allowed to carry out painting work provided the amount does not exceed $1,000. Many take advantage of this loop-hole, especially home handymen who are usually Jack of all trades but masters of none. Beware of part-time painters.

I hope the above information has been helpful and please, if you require further information feel free to contact me on 0407 505 044 or email me directly This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.