Marin – Painting - Contractor

Have a list of prepared questions to ask of every local painters in Marin County you interview over the phone. This will help ensure you get the answers you need to make an educated decision and give each contractor the opportunity to answer the same questions.

It’s also a good idea to take notes on what you hear from each contractor. You’ll be able to see which Marin County painting company best answered the questions and may make it easier to see which company is the best overall choice.

Questions to ask on the phone include these:

• Has your painting company earned and maintained a Diamond Certified rating?
  
• Do you have a valid contractor’s license? What is your license number?
  
• Do you have liability and workers’ compensation insurance? Will you give me proof of these policies before you start the work?
  
• Tell me about the experience you and your employees have.
  
• Have you done jobs like mine before?
  
• Do you charge for estimates?
  
• Who does the estimates and how long will it take you to prepare one for me?
  
• Do you have your own painting crew, or do you hire subcontractors or outside painters?
  
• Are you personally on-site during the work? Who is in charge during the work?
  
• Do you recommend a specific brand and type of paint (Sherwin Williams, ICI Dulux, Kelly-Moore, enamel paint, matte finish, flat paint, eggshell paint, semi-gloss, high-gloss)? Why do you recommend these?
  
• What are your guarantees and warrantees, if any? Will you put these guarantees in writing?
  
• How long have you been a painting contractor in Marin County?

It’s best to choose a Diamond Certified painting company because all certified companies have passed an in-depth ratings process that most other companies can’t pass. If you want quality from a painter in Marin County and the greater Bay Area, you can have confidence choosing a Diamond Certified company. Diamond Certified reports are available online at for all certified companies. And you’ll never be fooled by fake reviews. That’s because all research is performed in live telephone interviews of actual customers.

If you can’t find a Diamond Certified painter within your area of Marin County, you’ll have to do some independent research. Call some references provided by your contractor. But keep in mind that any references they give to you are not equal in value to the large random sample of customers surveyed during the Diamond Certified ratings process. That’s because references are rarely randomly selected from all of a company’s customers. Instead, painting contractors usually just give out contact information for a few customers that they know were satisfied with their services. Avoid this by asking for a list of the company’s 10 most recent customers.

Here are some questions to get you started when calling on painting contractor references:

• Were you satisfied with the painting services you received from _(painting company name)_?
  
• What type of painting work did they do for you (interior painting, exterior painting, kitchen painting, faux finishing, ceiling painting, etc.)
  
• Did the painters you hired finish the work on time?
  
• Did the contractor keep you informed of the status of the project? Or did you have to call for updates?
  
• If you live in a smaller town such Bel Marin Keys, Bolinas, Tamal, Sleepy Hollow, Point Reyes Station, Lagunitas, Forest Knolls or Inverness, did they charge extra to travel to your home?
  
• Did the painters show up on time every day?
  
• Did they clean up after completing the job? What about during the job?
  
• Will you consider hiring this painting contractor again for repainting?
  
• Would you recommend this painting company to others?

Now that you’ve found a good local painting company, it’s the perfect time to ask for a written contract. This contract should include written details on the price, quality and materials to be used, as well as the job start date and intended completion date.

Before signing the contract, carefully read and be sure you understand all the terms and conditions. The contract you sign is binding, and should protect your property and the interests of you and your contractor. You should never sign a blank or incomplete estimate, for your own protection.

When signing the contract, you are allowed to write in individual requests and verbal agreements you’ve made with your painters. This will protect you and help make certain you get the services you have settled on. Along with project end dates and special instructions, these additions may include issues that aren’t always covered by a standard contract.

For example, even if your contractor is careful, rutted lawns, damaged shrubs and crushed flowers are often unexpected results of exterior painting jobs. But you can help protect your property by being proactive. Go on a walk through with the painting company supervisor and conduct a pre-work inspection of your property. List or photograph the condition of your landscaping, home and property as it exists before the work, and talk with a company representative about reasonable expectations for protecting your home and property during the work.

When you’ve reached an agreement you both are happy with, you and the painting company representative should sign and date the document. When the work is done, do a final inspection together to verify that the contract was upheld.

Plan for Your New Interior and Exterior Painting
Professional painters in Marin County, including those in the major cities of San Rafael, San Anselmo, Novato, Mill Valley and Larkspur are able to handle all aspects of their work. But there are a few things you can do to prepare for their arrival and even while the work is in progress to speed up the work. You may even be able to cut down on billable hours or limit any damage to your home and belongings by preparing carefully.

• Remove furniture. Before the work begins, take out all furniture, decorations, curtains, rugs, paintings, art and other items from the rooms scheduled for painting. Anything you can’t remove from the room should be moved to the center of the room and carefully covered with drop cloths or plastic. Your painting contractor may be able to do this for you, but it might cost extra or be added onto their billable hours. Other painters offer this preparation service as part of their contract, so ask what you should do to prepare for their arrival.
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• Secure valuables. Temporarily store heirlooms, antiques, important or expensive items that are in high-traffic areas of your home to prevent them from being broken. Even items that are not in the rooms to be painted can be accidentally damaged or knocked over if they’re in areas where painting company employees will be frequently walking through.
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• Provide ample clearance and parking space for painting trucks. Some painting companies have large work trucks that necessitate additional clearance and larger parking spaces than average vehicles. Contact the Marin painting company you’ve hired before their scheduled start date and ask them how many work vehicles they’ll be bringing to your job and whether the vehicles are oversized or need special parking areas.
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• It may be helpful to walk through the site with your contractor ahead of time so they can point out potential clearance issues or hazards you can deal with before the painting begins.
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• Trim plants and bushes outside your home before exterior painting. If you’re hiring a Marin County painting company for exterior painting, you may want to trim trees, bushes and other plants that are close to your home’s exterior. Talk with your contractor about the amount of space they require around the perimeter of the job. Some painters will do the trimming for you, but if you’re particular about how the trimming is done or which plants are trimmed, you may want to arrange to have it done before they arrive on the job.
  
• Keep children and pets clear of freshly painted rooms. Your painters shouldn’t have to watch out for children and pets before, during or after the painting. Block off the rooms that are to be painted and keep pets and kids away until after the work is done and the paint is fully dry. This will prevent accidents, injury and the expense of touch-ups and repainting. Also be aware that doors, gates and garage doors may be left open by necessity or accident during the work and take extra caution to secure pets that may escape or young children who may wander through open doors.

When the painting is completed, you should get a written invoice that details the completed work. This invoice should include the following:

• The painting firm’s name, physical address and license number.
  
• A list of all services performed.
  
• An itemized list of all paint, materials and painting supplies purchased for your job.
  
• The total cost for painting services, including the amount due for labor.
  
• Any applicable warrantees or guarantees provided by the manufacturers and the painting company.

It’s smart to compare the finished work to what was promised on the initial contract and written invoice. Ask your company representative to show you the work that was done. During this walk-through, check what was done against the invoice. Ask if there are any special instructions for maintaining your new paint or keeping it looking new. If you have questions about the work that was done or the materials used, this is the time to ask.
You may also want to ask your painting contractor to write down for you the brand, paint color and any other details you may need in case you want to have more of the same color of paint mixed in the future.

The most common painting requests for residential painting companies in Marin County are listed below.

Interior Painting
Interior painting his any painting done on the interior surfaces of a home, office or commercial building. Interior paint for walls and ceilings comes in many colors and finishes for customizable results. Many modern interior paints are available in environmentally-friendly formulations and as low VOC paints that have lower toxicity than exterior paints.

Exterior Painting
Exterior paint is that which is applied to the outside of homes and other buildings. Exterior paints must be more flexible and fade-resistant than interior paints to stand up to changing weather conditions and the fading effects of the sun. Many exterior paints can be sprayed on for fast, even application and contain additives that help them last longer than interior paints.

House Painting
The term house painting can include interior and exterior painting, and often takes into account the entire process from color selection, prepping, taping, priming, painting and sealing. Many painters specialize in painting homes, while others paint commercial buildings, industrial buildings and government buildings.

Decorative Painting Techniques
Also known as faux finishing and faux painting, decorative techniques such as tromp l’oeil, sponge painting, ragging, venetian plastering, paint marbling, stripe technique (paint striping), color washing and color washes, paint pickling and liming, wood graining, verdigris (aged patina) and antiquing paint techniques are popular methods that add a custom touch to newly-painted surfaces.

Painting Services
Painting services is a term that encompasses all services offered by local painting companies. Common painting services include house painting, interior painting, exterior painting, residential and commercial painting, paint preparation, spray painting, paint rolling and high-volume painting services.

Faux Painting
Like decorative painting techniques, faux painting is a technique that adds a faux finish to the surface. Venitian plaster, suede painting, faux marble, marbleizing and wood graining are examples of popular faux painting in Marin County.

Low VOC Paint
Low VOC paints have lower quantities of volatile organic compounds, or chemicals that may be harmful to human health. Low-VOC paints are often suggested for use in homes and office buildings where people spend a great deal of time. The use of low-VOC and no-VOC paints may help improve indoor air quality.

Commercial Painting
Any painting in commercial buildings, including stores, schools, offices, museums, public buildings and hospitals is referred to as commercial painting. Some contractors only offer commercial painting, while others provide a combination of services that includes commercial, industrial and residential painting.

Industrial Painting
Industrial painting services in Marin County provide painting for industrial and commercial buildings. Industrial painting is most commonly done on metal building interior and exteriors, office buildings, ceilings, walls, floors, parking structures, factories, manufacturing plants and warehouses.

Paint Color Selection
Paint color selection is a service offered by many painting companies in Marin County. Paint selection considers possible colors, existing colors in the home and overall room scheme. Paint matching may also be available in cases where homeowners want to match new paint to an existing color.

Top 10 Brand Requests

1. Sherwin-Williams Paint
2. Benjamin Moore
3. Valspar
4. Dutch Boy Paint
5. Kelly-Moore
6. Olympic Coatings
7. Glidden Paint
8. Dulux Paint
9. ICI
10. Behr Paint
11.  

Q: Why choose a Diamond Certified Painting Contractor?
A: Diamond Certified helps you choose a painter with confidence by offering a list of top-rated local companies who have passed the country’s most in-depth rating process. Only painting companies rated Highest in Quality earn the prestigious Diamond Certified award. Most companies can’t pass the ratings. American Ratings Corporation also monitors every Diamond Certified company with ongoing research and ratings. And your purchase is backed by the Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee. So you’ll feel confident choosing a Diamond Certified painting company.

Q: Is lead paint a danger?
A: Lead paint is a leading source of lead poisoning in children and adults, and it can cause brain damage and slowed physical development. Lead-based paints are found on interior and exterior surfaces of older homes, primarily those built before 1978. This isn’t usually a problem if the old paint is covered with new, lead-free paint. However, when the paint chips, cracks, peels or is scraped off, the lead paint underneath can pose a threat to children and pets in the home.

If your home does contain lead paint, your painting contractors legally need to take precautions when removing it. These containment procedures may include sealing off the rest of the home, wearing respirators to avoid inhaling the lead, disposing of the clothes worn while removing the lead paint, and using special filtration systems and post-removal cleaning procedures to remove all lead particles.

Q: How do I know if my home has lead paint?
A: Most homes that were built before 1978 were painted using lead paint. A simple lab test can prove if your paint contains lead. Some painting contractors in Marin County will test for lead paint, and lead paint tests are available at most hardware stores.

Q: Can I paint my home myself?
A: As with may home improvement projects, it is possible to paint your home yourself. If the area you want to paint is small or you have experience painting, you may be up for tackling the job yourself. However, painting can be time-intensive, messy work. And depending on the size of your project, you may be wise to hire a professional to do the job. Professional painters already have the knowledge, skill and the tools to do the job right. Most will also guarantee their work, so you’ll be more assured of getting a quality paint job that lasts.

Q: Does the quality of paint used matter?
A: With paint, the old saying usually holds true: You get what you pay for. Top-quality paints are more expensive, but they often have better ingredients that allow them to go on smoother, be more durable and last longer than cheap paint. Over the long run, you’ll have to repaint less frequently and your home will look better between painting, meaning you may save more money by spending a little more at the outset.

Q: What is the difference between paint finishes?
A: Interior paints are broken down into different categories based on their appearance. The higher the sheen, the more light reflects off of the paint and the glossier, or shinier, it appears. Your choice of paint will depend on the area and surface you’re painting, the color of paint you’ve chosen and the need to clean the painted surface and hide imperfections.

• Matte and flat paints have very little to no sheen. They are generally used on walls and ceilings and are best for hiding imperfections in the surface.
• Eggshell finish has a slight sheen and has a lustrous appearance. It is often used on interior walls.
• Satin and silk finish paints have a finish that is in between that of eggshell and semigloss. They are easier to clean than flat paint.
• Semi-gloss finish is a shinier, glossier paint. It is easy to clean and resists staining. However, the glossier a finish is, the more likely it is that imperfections in the paint will be obvious.

Q: Why can painting estimates vary so widely?
A: Painting contractors base their prices on a number of factors—the cost of labor, the time needed for surface preparation and needed repairs, the quality of paint applied and the number of coats needed. Cheaper bids may reflect a lower quality of work or less experienced painters. However, it’s smart to question the contractors when one bid is much lower or much higher than the other bids you’ve received to make sure the painting company is bidding on the same

Q: My exterior paint is peeling. Why is this happening and what can I do about it?
A: Paint can peel when exposed to moisture and weathering. Your paint may be peeling because it is the wrong type of paint for the surface, it was applied in a poor manner, or the surface was not properly prepared before it was painted. If your paint is peeling, there isn’t much you can do about it. The peeling paint will need to be removed, the surface sanded and prepared, and a new coat of paint applied. Your best course for dealing with peeling paint is to remove the entire coat of paint, not just the peeling area. That’s because the rest of the paint will most likely also fail, since it was applied in the same way to the same surface. Contact a local Marin County painting company to assess the damage and advise you on your specific situation.

Q: What are low-VOC and no-VOC paints?
A: VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are chemicals that emit potentially harmful gasses when applied and over time. Paint, lacquer, varnish, paint thinners and paint strippers often contain these chemicals. In recent years, paints with lower concentrations of these toxic compounds have become available. Some paint brands offer products with no VOCs. These natural paints and finishes are durable, cost effective and less harmful than paints with toxic components. Talk with your painting contractor and ask if they are familiar with low-VOC paints and whether they would recommend them for your home.