Getting a Bid for Interior Painting Services
Finding a stranger to come into your home and change it can be intimidating. Are they legit? What does “legit” even mean? Honest? Legal? Competent? And even if they are, how do you know if they’ll be good? Or pleasant to work with?
Some guidelines sure would help, wouldn’t they? Well here they are, served up on a gleaming screen just for you and your interior designing pleasure.
First of all, there are two yes/no questions to ask every interior painting services contractor that you consider, and then there are any number of questions specific to your situation. Below, we’ll introduce those two yes/no questions and then we’ll talk about what you might want to ask next. Enjoy!
Start with Research
#1 – What’s their CCB number?
Every home improvement or construction/renovation contractor in Oregon has to have a CCB number. In fact, the phrase “licensed and bonded” actually means “we have a CCB number.” It should be included on all business cards and almost all marketing materials. It’s the password that every candidate must provide you before you consider speaking with them. If a particular candidate doesn’t have one, you can just cross them right off your list.
After you have your contractor’s CCB, go ahead and check on it online with the Oregon Construction Contractors Board or by calling them at 503-378-4621. You don’t have to, but feel free to report unlicensed contractors if you happen across any.
Once you know you’ve got someone licensed and bonded on your hands, you can move on to step 2.
Schedule Your (Hopefully) Free Estimate
#2 – Do they provide free estimates?
It’s not a requirement in the business… but if a contractor doesn’t provide free estimates, why bother with them? There are so many interior painting services providers in our area that do provide free estimates that you should never have to get roped into paying a contractor that you’re not going to hire.
Other Questions to Ask
#3 – Ask your particular questions. These will be different for every job and homeowner, but here are a few suggestions:
- Do they offer a warranty on their work?
- Do they have any customer references you can contact?
- Do they provide any home improvement services besides painting?
- IMPORTANT: How do you feel about getting your interior painting services from this or that contractor? How pleasant were they when they gave you your estimate? Does their website look professional? Do you “have a good feeling about this company”? Don’t ignore your gut. It’s savvier than you think!
Professional Interior Painting Services from Fitzpatrick Painting
Fitzpatrick Painting was incorporated in 1994. Our CCB number is 169134. We’ve done hundreds of industrial, commercial and home improvement jobs all over the Willamette region since then and we offer a 12-year warranty. We’re a holistic company; we offer much more than just interior painting services. We do remodeling, new construction, even historical restorations. Heck, we even built our own office.
Give us a call and tell us about what you’re imagining. We’ve probably done it–many times–and are looking forward to doing it again. Or just cut to the chase and request your free estimate !
