Not all commercial painting services in San Jose are supposed to be the same. Apart from the name, there are many other differences among commercial painters that include the kind of paints and materials, rates, estimates, contracts, warranties, schedules, the number of workers and lots of other things.
It is only you who can tell who among them is the best contractor to hire. To avoid the mistake of hiring fake or illegal contractors, here are some suggestions you should follow:
- Go to the Web. The Internet is a vast source of information, so nowadays it is normally the first place where people are looking for something they need, such as painting service companies. Their websites are important to the contractors as well as their clients, so take your time to check and navigate their pages that contain their history, the kind of services they offer, articles and blogs, portfolio, and customer testimonials. You may also have to check out their social media platforms as well.
- Ask around – you should also approach your friends, neighbors, co-workers or relatives who also happen to own or manage a business and ask them about the painters they’ve worked with in the past. They will give you a genuine and honest feedback, and may even invite you to their offices and commercial spaces where you will be allowed to check out and inspect their work. If they talk about this certain contractor enthusiastically and even recommend him to you, then it’s a good sign that this contractor is at least worth considering.
- Invite at least three contractors over to your commercial property so that they will also have the time to inspect around. Normally, after inspection, the contractors will give you their rough estimates. Pick up this hint: a contractor who takes a longer time to inspect is more likely to give you an honest estimate. Next, get to know more about the contractors – their skill level and experience, their competency and commitment to their work, and their professional behavior.
- Ask questions, like “How long have you been in this industry?” “Does your company use subcontractors or do you employ your own workers?” (Having their own workers is an indication of a good company.) “Is your company licensed and insured?” If the company answers all the questions affirmatively or reasonably, then that contractor may be almost a shoo-in.
- You will be given a written contract, which details everything that ranges from the paints and materials to the project timeframe and payment procedures. Read the contract carefully (and ask questions to the contractor if you find something uncertain) before signing it. Having such document will protect you from possible fraud and/or disputes.
- Ask for a written guarantee, always. It includes the surface problems and issues that can be the result of a defective paintwork from the contractor (like fading or peeling paint). However, surface damage from causes like graffiti, weather, a defective work done by the other contractor, or a natural disaster will not be usually covered by your chosen contractor. Normally, a written warranty has a period of up to three years.
Interviewing contractors, studying their professional behavior and checking their backgrounds are helpful because they prevent you from hiring a sham contractor. Doing these procedures furthermore allow you to hire the ideal contractor who will provide the right commercial painting services in San Jose for your commercial and office space.