Hiring a crew of professional painters is like assembling the perfect football team. Think about how Coach Kirby Smart chooses players for our Georgia Bulldogs. He knows that to build a good team, you need complimentary pieces that can win one moment at a time.
Or what about how the Atlanta Falcons took Bijan Robinson eighth overall in the 2023 NFL draft? They already had an elite runner in Tyler Allgeier, but Coach Arthur Smith wanted to compliment his veteran back with a breakout star.
Wait, is this blog about painting or football? Who says it can’t be both?
If you want to hire a team of winning painters, you must ask the right questions. So, put yourself in the coach’s shoes. Gather your notes, review the film, and get ready to draft the perfect team of professional painters.
1. License and Insure: The MVPs of Your Dream Team
Any Joe Shmoe can throw a football and call themselves a quarterback. But it doesn’t mean they’re ready to take the field in this week’s game. Painters are the same way.
Under Georgia law, contractors don’t need to hold licenses for residential jobs as long as they’re performing work that falls under their “specialty.” If they call themselves a “painter,” they can paint your house. (They just can’t re-configure your plumbing.)
But when building your dream team of professional painters, you want one that’s fully insured. That’s why it’s a key part of our Procoat Process. The best painters also carry substantial insurance policies to cover any accidents that may occur. Paint on the sofa? Covered. Shattered pottery? Covered. Someone falls off a ladder? You guessed it: covered.
Never hire a team without confirming their licensing and insurance policies. Anybody with these credentials will be more than happy to show them. If they’re being sketchy, you probably don’t want them painting your house.
2. Managing Your Dream Team’s Project: Who’s in the Huddle?
When the quarterback recites the play in the huddle, he assumes everyone understands their job. If the wide receiver is supposed to run a shallow out-breaking route to the sideline, then that’s the route they’ll run.
When it comes to hiring professional painters, think of yourself as the offensive coordinator. You call the play, and you dictate the job. Basically, you want to know who’ll be on the field and why they deserve to be there in this critical moment.
Don’t be afraid to ask about individual crew members and their qualifications. For instance, what skills have they acquired during their painting career? Look for these traits when adding painters to your huddle:
Attention to detail
Physical strength (painting is a demanding, labor-intensive job)
Knowledge of paints, mixing, and color schemes
Forward planning
Reliable and Punctual (On Time)
Balancing budgets (supply costs can add up quickly)
3. Two-Minute Drill: What’s Your Project’s Game Clock?
You often hear coaches and broadcasters talk about clock management. The game’s on the line, and the offense has 90 seconds and two timeouts to take the lead. Will they execute under pressure, or will they fumble the game away?
Similarly, you likely have an ideal timeline for your paint job. After all, painting is intrusive, especially interior work. You don’t want professional painters living in your house for the next six months, right? (Or maybe you do to help with the mortgage).
When hiring a team, ensure they clearly understand your project’s deadlines. Anybody can smile, nod, and promise they’ll finish on time—so check reviews and testimonials to see what other clients say. Talk to friends who have used the same company and ask about their experience.
Don’t hesitate to ask leadership how they plan to stay on track. It’s also a good idea to work hard deadlines into your contract to keep the project from dragging.
4. Winning Starts With Preparation and Strategy
Coach Smart doesn’t show up on Saturday and wing it. He studies the other team to find their flaws and weaknesses. Then, he builds a game plan focused on one thing: winning.
Every paint job is different. Before hiring professional painters, ask about their game plan. How do they plan on tackling your house, your project, and your needs?
Ask about what kinds of paints they’re using and what they’re made of. We’re seeing a strong push toward eco-friendly paints with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These paints are better for the environment and don’t impact indoor air quality like the paint mixes of old. (Lead paint, anyone?)
In addition, how will they protect your floors, furniture, and carpeting? Is there a bigger red flag than a painter without plastic?
You’ll also need to deal with a certain level of intrusiveness while professional painters do their jobs, especially inside. But that doesn’t mean they can turn your home life upside down. How will the crew limit disruptions? Will they only work between certain hours? How will they maintain a tidy workspace?
5. Knowing the Rules: What Are the Terms of the Painting Project?
There are a lot of obscure rules in football. Do you know about the 1-point safety? The Mercy Rule? What about the Shading Eyes rule? Knowing the rules—even the weird ones—is half the battle.
This is especially true when drawing up contracts with professional painters. That contract is the rule book, and all rules should be followed to a tee. That’s why it’s so important to define terms like “properly painted surface” accurately. Your definition of a “properly painted wall” should be the same as your painter’s.
It’s also the painter’s job to provide paint recommendations. These include brands, types, color options, and any liabilities or restrictions associated with the chosen materials. Some other stipulations you’ll want to iron out are:
Payment Terms: Will you pay throughout the job or when it’s completed?
Project Timeline: How long will the project take, and what may cause warranted delays, such as bad weather, work suspensions, or labor strikes?
Warranty Terms: What’s covered? What’s not covered? And how long do you have to file a claim upon noticing faulty work?
Let’s Break It Down: Professional Painters on Three!
Painting is a big decision. It starts with putting the perfect team in place. Then, you can define your playbook and set your game plan.
When you’re ready, Procoat’s team of professional painters will be ready and happy to meet with you. Just click this link right here and scroll down to the bottom for our contact information. Or request a quote now.
While we love teaching our customers everything there is to know about paint, we also like sharing uplifting stories from around the world. Take these folks from Nashville, Arkansas, for example. After a fire damaged this local woman’s home, they offered to repaint the exterior free of charge!
One Last Thing: I told the Doctor I broke my leg in 2 places... He told me to stop going to those places