Employing a Painter

I was cleaning up my files last week and found a sheet I had collected about painters and painting. I have no idea where it originated but thought it was very pertinent as my husband continues to paint our house following renovations in 2012!

It takes two coats to change most paint colours. In many cases it’s better to buy less expensive paint and to two coats rather than buy the expensive paint to try and get away with one.
Despite what your painter tells you, especially for exterior, even if it appears to cover in one coat, everything needs two coats, that is very important for durability. Painting is done by hand therefore is subject to human error so two coats are important to get a solid, protective coating on the surface.

You should always use kitchen and bath paint in a kitchen or a bathroom. They have mold and mildew inhibitors and have faster cure time.
Regular paint cures in 34 days , so use the right paint if you’d like to shower before then!

There is no substitute for good quality products and paint.
Painters will try to tell you that it doesn’t make a difference but take it from me; you get what you pay for. If it costs more, it usually means it’s better.

But most importantly,

If you get 2-3 quotes for a paint job and there is a dramatic price difference between them, consider that each painter is viewing the job differently. One painter might be pricing the job based on how fast he thinks he can do it while the other painter is most likely pricing the job on how well  (or thoroughly) he thinks he can do it.

Paint can hide a multitude of sins which must be dealt with at a base coat level. Simply covering up flaws with a top coat can lead to big problems down the road. There is no substitute for a thorough job and cutting corners on prep work is the worst thing you can do.