Why hire a professional painter?

The time has come when you can no longer bear to look at your faded and cracked walls. You want to sort it out as quickly as possible by repainting or re-wallpapering your room, or perhaps even your whole home. But this raises a question that could ultimately make all the difference to the quality of the work. Many people think that a few brushstrokes and a roll of the roller across the wall are enough. Yet there are several reasons to hire a professional for a paint job.

What to consider before you start painting

Anyone can paint a living room; you don’t need to have attended art school. The difference lies in the quality and speed of the work. That’s why it’s often worth hiring someone who does this every day.

There’s something else to think about: there are many colours for walls, so you need to make the right choice. The first question is whether you’re going to paint indoors or outdoors. Outdoor paint has different properties and is more resistant to the elements. You also need to take into account the surface you’re applying the paint to. Each type of paint is suited to a different material, and if you use the wrong combination of paint and surface, you’ll end up with an unprofessionally painted wall and, more importantly, money down the drain. It’s worth consulting a professional when choosing the paint, as they can give you practical advice on selecting a wall colour.

Reasons to hire a professional painter

If you have the knowledge, experience and energy to do the painting yourself, by all means go ahead. But here are a few reasons to let someone else do it.

• You don’t need to worry about lengthy preparations. Instead, simply check with the painter to make sure everything is going to plan. Everyone knows that, to avoid making a mess, you need to mask off everything: light switches, door frames, decorative mouldings and anything else you don’t want to cover in paint. It’s probably the most tedious part of the whole painting job, but if you don’t want the paint ending up everywhere except on the wall, it’s essential. If you hire a professional, you won’t even need to explain to them what needs covering.

• Leave the choice of products to someone with more experience. A painter who’s been in the trade for years knows better what to use and what not to use. That saves you from running around shops and asking questions of sales assistants with no experience. A painter can also tell you how much paint you’ll realistically need and give you practical advice, not just what’s written on the packaging. They’re familiar with the latest methods and products, so you can be sure that what’s used is genuinely the best. Get in touch with them before you start painting, so they know what type of paint they’ll be working with and can prepare more effectively.

• A professional already has all the equipment they need. This prevents a situation where, halfway through the job, you suddenly realise you need more tools and have to rush to the shop — which only costs you more time and money. An experienced painter will know exactly what to bring with them after their first visit to your home. And you won’t have to buy anything you’ll only use once, only for it to take up space in your cellar for years afterwards.

• A good painter knows how to prepare the surface. Every type of paint has different requirements for the surface. Some can be applied over the previous coat of paint, whilst with others that layer must first be removed. To avoid the hassle of reading instructions, searching for articles online and asking friends for advice, hire a painter. They’ll know straight away what needs to be done. This also guarantees a higher standard of work, which is certainly important in the space where you’re going to live.

• A professional spots things you don’t. That’s not because you fail to notice the important details, but because of their experience. Right from the preparation stage, you may come across steps you don’t understand. That’s perfectly fine; they carry out their work in a way that takes as little time as possible and keeps your furniture in the best possible condition. Feel free to ask them questions about anything you don’t understand.

• If the painter makes a mess, that’s not your problem. Good painters tidy everything up properly and leave your home in the same condition as they found it. The best ones ensure that, once the painting is finished, all that’s left to do is remove the tape and pack away the protective film. That depends, of course, on the arrangements you make. And if the painting takes a few days, they should leave the property in a state where it’s at least partially usable every day. That makes the whole process a lot more pleasant.

• You know exactly where you stand. The most frustrating thing about doing the painting yourself is that you don’t know when it will be finished, especially if complications arise. You discuss with the painter in advance when the job needs to be finished, how much it will cost and what will be involved; they can even plan which room to paint and when. This makes it much easier for you to organise everything else around it.

In addition to these points, here’s one final piece of advice. Check the painter’s company before the work begins. Ask to see photos of previous work or reviews from other customers, so that you can be sure you’re getting good quality. Don’t try to save money by looking for the cheapest provider. That only increases the risk of your home being used as a training ground for beginners. Also pay attention to how the work is organised and whether they arrive clean and with clean tools, as this says a lot about a painter.

Whether you apply the paint yourself or have it done, quality and precision should be the top priorities. After all, it’s not pleasant to live in a house that’s been poorly painted.