Sometimes our living space needs a makeover just like our wardrobe does. A fresh coat of paint can do the trick without going to extremes. The do-it-yourself approach often involves more tools, time, and prep than most people realize and finding the right professional painting company in Nashville can be tricky. Unless a bit of investigation is done before signing the check, you may end up actually missing the dreary old paint you tried to replace. Here are five signs of a paint job gone wrong and what you can do to fix the problem.
1). Hey, man, can I borrow your ladder?
If your “professional” painting contractor says he needs to borrow your ladder, he’s probably not much of a pro. A ladder is a standard tool of the trade and carrying a ladder (or even an assortment of them) to the job is second nature for a reputable Nashville painting company. Same goes for all the other tools of the trade – paint brushes, rollers, tape, drop cloths, and all.
2). Those drips are the latest thing!
The surface of your walls is flat and so should be the layers of paint that covers them. If you’ve got long vertical streaks in your walls where the paint dripped before it could dry, you’ve got a problem. No matter how smooth the talk, drippy walls are not the latest thing in interior decorating trends.
3). Is that bubble-wrap on my banisters?
Different kinds of paint work best for different kinds of surfaces and a pro knows what works best where. Paint for sheet-rocked walls won’t stick to wooden trim like banisters and window trim. It’ll bubble loose before it dries and you’ll end up with a blistery looking finish that will soon crack and peel.
4). We don’t make messes.
Painting can be a messy job even when done by the best in the business. If your painter says he doesn’t need to tape the trim or cover the furniture and floor, you’ve got a problem in the making. Drips and spills happen and they’re a lot harder to remove than to prevent.
5). We thought you’d like this color better.
Did you ask for sky blue only to come home to something a lot more navy instead? That’s not good. Your painter is there to apply the paint you chose, not to decide what color to use himself. If you’ve asked for one color but got another, chances are your painter found a bargain and is looking to save himself some money. It’s also likely your bill will not reflect the cost savings generated by this color switch-a-roo even if you should happen to like the final result.
Got a Bad Paint Job?
Better still, want to prevent a bad paint job?
Hire a professional painting company that’s been in business in your area for long enough to establish a solid reputation for quality. Someone familiar with your area is a major concern because styles and trends vary across the country but, perhaps more importantly, climate influences the final result.
A painter in the arid Southwest will face different environmental influences than a painter in the lush green hills of Tennessee, for example. Don’t let your home be a newbie’s learning experience. Get testimonials from people in your area and hire the painter who delivers the highest value in your neck of the woods. They’re worth it and so are you.