Hiring a professional painting contractor vs. painting yourself.
Do-it-yourself home projects are very popular, and the temptation to do them is everywhere. It seems like there is a Home Depot or Lowe’s on every corner. At home, turn on the television and there are dozens of shows devoted to home improvement projects. With some much encouragement, it’s not surprising, so many homeowners choose to tackle a home project on their own. Unfortunately, most homeowners do not know that some professional contractors generate all of their income by fixing projects started by homeowners. Far too often, a homeowner begins a project only to find out they have bitten off more than they can chew. Of course, there are home improvement projects a homeowner can take on themselves, but there are also jobs that need to be done by a professional, and many painting jobs fall into this category.
This is a Do-it-Yourself Painting Job – 20% Are Wrong
There is really only one reason a homeowner would consider doing a painting job themselves, to save money, although many times there is a different result. According to industry sources, on average twenty percent of a professional painting contractor’s business comes from do-it-yourselfers who need professionals to bail them out and finish the project. That’s because to a home owner, most painting jobs appear much easier than they actually are. When a professional painting contractor assesses a job, they see all the problems, effort and intricacies involved in the project, things overlooked by the homeowner. For homeowners, this is a very common mistake, and it can create a great deal of problems. According to Angie Hicks, founder of Angies List, “A lot of homeowners tend to tackle painting on their own, but keep in mind the most common mistakes made is not properly prepping before you paint.” Hicks said. “And a lot of times consumers underestimate the true work involved in prepping properly – scrapping and getting the surface clean is really important to a lasting paint job. Also, keep in mind if you have a two-story house and you don’t have the proper ladders it can be dangerous too.” According to Hicks, a cheap paint job can actually end up costing you more.
When a homeowner decides to handle a painting project on their own, these are some of the issues they will need to handle. From a cost standpoint, there are the expected expenses: primer, paint, brushes, rollers, drop cloths, tape, to name a few. There are also unexpected expenses that appear after the job begins like repairs to damaged surfaces, clean-up issues and equipment issues. As a homeowner is deciding whether to do a project themselves, they need to factor for both the expected and the unexpected expenses.
In addition to the expense analysis, the homeowner needs to assess all of the necessary work the project will require to result in a quality paint job. The typical paint job requires all or most of the following work: washing, scraping, taping, spackling, hole repairs, sanding, priming. If the painting surfaces are not properly prepared, there is only one possible outcome, a subpar painting job. That is why it is critical for the home owner to assess all of the required work, and make sure they are comfortable doing all the everything necessary labor. If that’s not the case, the homeowner is better off seeking the services of a painting contractor.
The costs and the amount of labor involved are not the only factors a homeowner must consider, time is an additional factor. No one can dispute the fact that a professional painting contractor will be able finish a job faster than the homeowner. Plus, the homeowner must determine how much free time they can allocate to the project to complete the job. If the homeowner works a full-time job, that leaves only one or two days a week to finish the project. With such a limited time frame, events like bad weather can turn a one or two day job into a month-long project.
Advantages to Choosing a Professional Painting Contractor
For most people, these are some of the reasons a professional painting contractor is the right choice for them:
- The inevitable mishaps – it is not uncommon for professional painting contractors to encounter problems on the job. Unlike a homeowner, painting contractors have specific insurance policies designed specifically to handle these problems.
- Painting is not easy – some people incorrectly assume that painting is easy, but they are wrong. Painting contractors are skilled professionals who have invested a great deal of time and money into their craft. A painting contractor understands that the proper equipment is needed to finish a job, and it makes sense for them to invest in the best equipment available. For a homeowner, investing in the same equipment does not make financial sense. That is because the average homeowner will never use the painting equipment often enough to warrant the expense. For example, it does not make sense for the homeowner to purchase a professional-grade paint brush that can cost $25-$30 or more, when the brush may only be used a couple of times. Yet a painting contractor may use the same brush every day. So a problem arises because using sub-par equipment will always have a negative effect on any painting job. Yet if the homeowner chooses the best materials, much of the money they are saving by doing the job themselves can be lost.
- Painting is a dangerous job – Almost any painting job requires a ladder, and ladders are dangerous. Falls from ladders represent one of the most common causes of emergency room visits, and the majority involve falls from two to six feet off the ground. So there is a real danger for the homeowner attempting any painting job on their own.
- Product Selection – A professional painting contractor will select the right product for the job because they have both product knowledge and experience. If a homeowner selects the wrong paint for the job, that mistake can easily erase all of the savings anticipated by doing the project themselves.
When you factor in all of these considerations, it becomes easy to see why so many painting jobs end up in the hands of a professional.
