There are significant differences between commercial painting contractors and most residential painting companies. Most house painting contractors do not have the training, certifications, or expertise required to work on commercial properties.
You might think this distinction would make your search for a quality commercial painting contractor easy, but there are several factors to consider. The painting industry is massive, generating over $4.2 billion in revenue just three years ago, with commercial painting services driving most of that revenue.
There are competing commercial painting contractors across the great state of Massachusetts, and Worcester is no exception. To sort through the weeds and find the best commercial painter in town you’ll need to do some research. Here we will review what to look for in a reputable commercial painter for your next painting project.
Licenses and Certifications
You might have seen the phrase “licensed and insured” on many commercial painting websites and written it off as an empty selling point, but there’s more to those qualifications than meets the eye.
To get a commercial painting license in Massachusetts, you need to pass two exams (a trade exam and a business law exam), provide ample proof of insurance, and have at least two years of professional painting experience under your belt.
So, you can be sure of these things when you talk with a commercial painter with the proper licensing:
- Thanks to the examinations, they have a scholarly understanding of what it takes to be a commercial painter.
- They have at least two years of hands-on experience.
- They have insurance to protect themselves and their clients from accidental injury or property damage.
A commercial painter isn’t inherently bad if they don’t have state certification, but you should look for those qualifications if you value painters with experience and educational training.
Customer Reviews
If a painting company has pages of one-star reviews without many positive remarks, they’re probably not the right team for the job. On the other hand, if previous customers have nothing but fond feelings about a company’s painting job, you can feel safer that they’re fit for the job.
But the best thing about customer reviews is that they tell you what to expect beyond the star ratings. For example, if a company receives a bad review but the customer only gripes about a part of the service you’re indifferent about, you know that their particular judgment won’t affect your opinion.
Unfortunately, customer reviews aren’t a foolproof judgment methodology. Some review websites allow fraudulent reviews that companies pay for to boost their perception, while other commercial painters might receive swaths of poor reviews for reasons outside their services.
But if you remain skeptical when you see a suspicious rating and stick to reliable review websites that vet their entries, customer reviews are a great way to find the best painters. Here at Associated Painting, we’re rated 5-stars!
Don’t Be Afraid to Communicate and Ask Questions
When you hire a commercial painter, you entrust them with a massive responsibility. Their services will transform your entire property, so it’s vital to know before they start that you’re on the same page and that they’re qualified for the job.
Don’t be afraid to interview your prospective commercial painters before hiring them. Any painting company with nothing to hide will be happy to address your concerns and tell you more about how they approach their painting projects.
Here are a few starter questions if you want to know more about a commercial painter but don’t know what to ask them:
- How long have you been in business?
- What kind of paints and coatings do you use?
- How much will it cost to paint this entire building?
It’s also vital to examine how prospective painters communicate with you before hiring them. If they dodge your questions, respond late to emails and texts, or talk to you like they know better, they’ll probably approach your painting job similarly, without regard for your requests.
Compare Price Points
The best commercial painter will save you as much money on paintings and coatings as possible.
That’s not to say the cheaper the service, the better, as high-quality companies have to charge more for the best paint supplies. But instead, the best services are the ones that work to fit within your budget without reaching “too good to be true” territory.
Some painters offer service discounts, while all reliable ones provide free service estimates. If you’re paying for a price estimate, you’re paying too much before the service begins.
Look Online for Work Samples
All 21st-century commercial painters should have an online presence packed with work samples.
Whether they’re on the company’s official website, on their social media platforms, or posted on a third-party site, you should be able to find photo examples of the team’s previous work. You can even ask the painter during your consultation for photo samples; most teams will have a few readily available.
Work samples can be even more helpful than customer reviews in determining a painter’s qualifications since you can see the quality of their work first-hand. But, like customer reviews, you have to remain skeptical.
Commercial painters are trying to sell their services to you, so they’ll only show you the best and brightest of their work. While seeing a best-case scenario can give you an idea of what to expect from their service, it’s vital to remember that a painter’s average performance might not live up to that expectation.
The perfect work sample is one attached to a verifiable customer review. That will show you what a painter’s finished service looks like beyond the ones they’re willing to post themselves.
Ask About a Contract
You must always sign a contract before hiring a painter. Standard painting contracts exist so that the commercial painter is accountable for the service they agreed to and to establish in writing the following criteria:
- What rooms the commercial painter will work in
- What color paints and specific paint supplies they’ll use
- How much you’ll pay them
- What the price and painting schedule will be in the event of unexpected delays
Remain wary of any commercial painter that doesn’t offer a contract or refuses to draft one. Contracts protect you from unfair pricing or mediocre service; without one, you won’t have anything to hold the company accountable.
Examine Their Resume
Commercial painting isn’t a new industry, and many of Worcester, MA’s best painters have served their community for decades, improving their craft as they build experience.
You might find a strong painting company with only a couple of years of experience. However, you’ll encounter many teams in Worcester and beyond with a couple of decades of experience that you know have the training needed to deliver quality service.
You can be an excellent commercial painter before opening a company. But more experienced teams have resumes that can give you peace of mind that their service is strong enough to stick around in the community for decades.
Common Commercial Painter Red Flags
You might still have a list of a few commercial painter candidates even after examining the criteria. The truth is, it’s impossible to know precisely how well the service will go until it’s finished. But these common red flags can show you how a company acts beyond the sales pitch and help you make a final decision.
- Limited Online Presence: Companies will do anything to stand out with how competitive the painting industry is. For most, that means building an online portfolio with reviews and photos posted everywhere. If you’re looking at a company but can’t find their work samples, they might not have any to show off.
- Small Staff: Always ask a company how many people they’ll have working on your commercial painting project. If they’re planning to commit one or two painters, the odds of them finishing without delay due to illness or other personal problems are smaller than a crew with all hands on deck.
- Can’t Meet Custom Requirements: You might have special requests you want your commercial painter to meet, like a unique graphic or design pattern. Some painters might not have the skills or supplies to meet those requests, but others will take on any job. You shouldn’t have to settle when you hire a painting company.
Call the Best Commercial Painter in Worcester, Massachusetts Today
If you want a commercial painter in Worcester, MA, that meets all the above criteria and more, look no further than Associated Painting.
Our team combines 25 years of experience, competitive pricing, and quick and clear customer communication to create the city’s most reliable commercial painting experience. There isn’t a job too big or small for our friendly staff to handle within your deadlines.
Call the professionals at Associated Painting today at (774) 469-4880 to receive a free estimate.