Warning signs to watch for before you hire a painter

Pressure to decide today

A good quote can survive a night's sleep. Pressure is the oldest warning sign there is, and the consumer agencies that publish tips on hiring contractors keep returning to it. Wisconsin's DATCP advises that you not give in to high-pressure tactics. The Iowa attorney general's tips list specific versions to watch for:

• Anything that rushes your time to consider the decision
• A price that's only good for today
• A big start delay if you don't sign now
• A discount supposedly based on leftover materials from another job
• A discount for putting the contractor's sign in your yard

What to do instead: say you'll call back tomorrow, and see whether the price and the painter are still there. A painter who's confident in the work doesn't need you to decide in the driveway.

A knock on the door and a bargain price

DATCP warns about transient crews that travel through Wisconsin and go door to door offering work such as blacktopping, painting and yard work, often at what looks like a bargain. It says their work and materials are often inferior, and it advises hiring established local contractors instead of unknown crews from out of state.

Not every person who knocks is a bad actor. But a painter you didn't call is a painter you haven't checked, and a crew that is gone by next month is hard to reach if something peels. If a crew does come to your door, DATCP's advice is to resist the pressure and not to let them into your home. Take a card and do your homework.

A price with no written scope

A number alone isn't a quote. If you can't tell from the page what's being painted, how it will be prepared, which paint will be used and when the work happens, there's nothing to hold anyone to. DATCP says not to rely on oral agreements and to request a written contract in all situations.

Wisconsin's home improvement rules, which count painting as home improvement, also require a written contract whenever any payment is due before the work is finished, and they require changes to be in writing too. Our guide to what a painting estimate should include lists every line to ask for.

A quote far below the rest

DATCP's tips include being leery of an extremely low estimate. The reason isn't that low prices are always a trick. It's that a price can only get so low without something coming out of the job, and the first things to go are usually the ones you don't see: prep, primer, an extra coat, protection for floors.

DATCP's warning about traveling crews also mentions a cost that rises considerably after the work is done. So if one quote is much lower than the others, ask what it leaves out and ask whether the price can change. Our guide to comparing painting quotes shows how to line them up and find the gap.

Trouble around payment

Payment is where small warning signs become expensive ones. Watch for a painter who wants everything paid before any work starts, who asks you to sign a completion document or make the final payment before you've seen the finished work, or who is vague about when and how payments are due.

DATCP's advice is to never sign a completion certificate or make final payment until you're satisfied and the work is done as specified. It also recommends keeping copies of receipts, contracts and correspondence. A painter who's glad to walk the finished job with you, and who documents what you paid, is following the same advice.

Dodged questions about insurance, prep or who's working

How a painter answers questions tells you as much as the quote. Be cautious when you hear any of these:

• Hesitation or deflection when you ask for proof of insurance, or a claim that it isn't needed on a small job. See why painter insurance matters.
• No clear answer on who will do the work: the person you met, a crew or subcontractors.
• A prep plan that amounts to simply painting over whatever is there, especially peeling paint, stains or glossy surfaces.
• No interest in the age or condition of your home, when plaster or old oil-based trim would need extra care.
• A refusal to give you the names of recent customers.

A painter who answers plainly and in specifics is showing you how they work. Our guide to questions to ask a painter has the full list, with what a good answer sounds like. If your home was built before 1978, mention it. The EPA says homes from that era are more likely to have lead-based paint, and a painter's reaction to the question is informative.

Things that look like red flags but aren't

A few good signs get mistaken for bad ones. A painter who asks a lot of questions about your walls, your schedule and your color is working out the job properly. A painter who tells you the walls need more prep than you'd hoped is giving you honest information. A painter whose quote costs more than the lowest, but is clearer on scope, prep and dates, may be the better value.

A quote that takes a day or two to arrive isn't a warning sign either, especially if the painter wanted to see the space first. Judge the quote by what's in it. The same goes for a small business: a painter who works with a small team, or alone, can be the most careful person you talk to.

What to do when you spot one

If you've already hired someone and a problem comes up, put your concern in writing, keep your paperwork, and ask the painter to fix it. DATCP's Bureau of Consumer Protection takes complaints about home improvement contractors if you can't resolve it directly.

Here's what we do, for comparison. It starts with a phone call, George visits if he needs to see the space, and you get a written quote with a start date. The written quote is the price, no extra charge if the job takes longer than expected. We're fully insured, and we walk the finished work with you before we call it done. See our interior painting page or ask for a free estimate. If you're in Cross Plains or nearby, we serve your area.