Well, the time has arrived. You have a lot of painting that needs to get done, and you want to hire some expert residential painting contractors to get it done for you. You just need to get some paint estimates and pick the best one. This seems like a simple enough concept, right?

It is easy. People still manage to get it all wrong, though. This is especially true when they focus only on the price difference.

Sure, we all want the lowest bidder. It keeps our already thin wallets from going completely anorexic on us. But, will the low-ball figure come with the best quality? It’s possible. The end product will be affected by several factors, two of which are highlighted now:

Experience – length of service says a lot in many professions, and it’s no different for painting contractors. Are they grizzled veterans of the paint wars? Or are they new to the trade? Of course the painting estimate will be affected by the experience level of the painters. It is often worth the extra money if in return you’re getting a lot of experience. If the new guys screw up the job you’ll end up paying twice: once for their shoddy work, again for someone experienced to come along and fix it.

Level of Service Rendered – what level of service are your residential painting contractors going to provide you? Obviously the basic service is going to be painting your home or business. What else will they do for you, though? Will the old paint be stripped off before new paint is applied? Will they be using namebrand paint? Will they apply several coats of paint, or just one? Will your furniture be properly covered and your floor protected from paint drops and spills? Do they intend to clean any spills that might occur? You could get the basic service and then wind up with an one-coat job that needs to get redone after a year or two. Or you could wind up having to clean everything they mess up.

When you’re looking for a painting estimate, remember that there’s more to it than just the price. While cheaper may look better, you should see what sort of service and experience is coming with it. You could end up with a mess on your hands if you’re too thrifty.

When you’re getting a paint estimate from a contractor make sure he gives you references to follow up with. This way you can know exactly what you’re getting with each job offer.

Weakneckt Peters has been writing about the steps a homeowner should take to get a great paint estimate for many years. Find out more about what expert house painting companies can do for you. Great paint can be yours today!