On Kijiji alone, a free classifieds website equal to Craigslist in popularity, there are already 9 new bearing the words “Interior Painters Toronto” and other painting company tags at the hour of this writing. Imagine a day’s worth of results.
Here’s the thing, though, we don’t actually advertise on Kijiji or even Craigslist. They sure offer a lot of choices but based on our 35 years of expertise as a Toronto painting contractor in the GTA we’ve noticed a big difference between us and them. Most of these guys posting are more into the cash deal than actually providing professional painting services.
So are you feeling the stress now? We don’t want to increase that, so we’re going to help you out by offering a question for you to keep in mind: How can you find the best painting contractor in Toronto and the GTA?
Local Toronto Painters Search Hacks
There are two ways to start your search for local painters in Toronto. Online is more convenient, while traditional phone calls or referrals continue to be decent options.
When doing an online search, it’s important to consider reviews from real user communities. HomeStars is one such site that features reviews from users who have used a certain company’s painting services in Toronto and the GTA. It also features a 10-point rating system to grade excellent or poor services.
It’s very important to read good reviews about each painting contractor you’re interested in, though you should never forget to take note of any bad remarks or complaints you come across.
A traditional search can be more tedious, but it also produces good results. You can ask neighbours or nearby friends who their go-to company is for any painting needs you may have. If at all possible, ask when the service happened and pay particular attention to the most recent job. If you’re planning for a project this year, try to look for house painting services neighbours have hired in the current year to compare.
Referrals work best if the household you’re asking has experienced a certain company’s service firsthand because that allows you to get a clear picture of how a Toronto painting contractor works before hiring them. Not to mention that you get unadulterated comments, unlike the sometimes bloated information in online reviews.
No matter which method you choose, both give good results.
Painting Project Specifics
As usual, ask for painting quotes either online or by phone and compare painting contractors’ quotes according to the project specifics you have in mind. You can sort out scammers if they quote fast but don’t understand how big your project will be. This is where in-person meetings fit in.
Make sure to meet the contractors for face-to-face interaction. Why? Because you want to gauge how they’d behave in any further interactions. Not to mention that you can get a taste of their real expertise by the way they answer any questions you ask and their estimates according to industry standards and materials.
You’ll also get a peek at their level of professionalism in the way they talk and their timeliness. Observe whether or not they showed up on time, and if you were offered a quote when you were told you would receive one.
When meeting them, show them which parts of your house will need that professional touch. Discuss your needs for each area, thoroughly citing any factors that could possibly affect prices.
Ask if they’d be needing a lot of cash deposits for buying materials in advance [which is a no-no] and always ask for proper identification.
If they can’t even show you a business card or ID, walk away! It is also better if you inspect their business at their address to see how they work in their office.
Take this chance to look at their own interior/exterior painting portfolio over the years and ask for reference homes you can visit to validate pictures.
Ultimate Protection Against Scam Painters in Toronto
There are dozens of painting contractors in Toronto, but when it comes to house painting projects, there are only a few that can provide you with the level of quality, service, and professionalism that you expect from your home improvement project. For you to be able to choose the best painting company near Toronto GTA, you need to know what to look for.
Make sure that the following things are checked and present:
•License
•WSIB
•Black and white warranty
•Insurance
•Materials
•Written Contractor
First and foremost
a license is needed if you want a home improvement contractor who possesses a valid HST number or education to work their way around homes. Underbidding is a problem for competition, and only unlicensed painting contractors in Toronto area indulge in this behaviour.
Unlicensed contractors hire sub-contractors, they lack formal training, and they may be scammers or fly-by-night businesses, which is why they won’t show any of the other documentary needs mentioned above.
Next on the list
is WSIB, or Workers Safety Insurance Board clearance. This will protect you as a homeowner in case any sort of accident happens to the contractors and home painters while on your property.
Ask for a warranty in writing next. This is to help protect your property from any instances of damage and minimum 1-year protection from seasonal changes.
Written contracts are last but certainly not least. You MUST sit down with your painting contractors to discuss all stipulations mentioned here. Once all estimation is done and materials are inspected, check for the overall price, methods of payment, and duration, or normal hours, in which the project occurs.
Never leave out any possible detail, go over each item, and, if something’s amiss or unclear, always ask before signing.
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We hope your search for the best painting contractors in the region is a good one. Home Painters Toronto is one of the finest painting companies you can find in Toronto and the GTA. Call us now at 416-494-9095 for free quotes, or email Brian@HomePaintersToronto.com. And don’t forget to follow us on all our social channels below as well!
