Questions to Ask a Painter Before You Accept a Quote
Most people compare painting quotes on price, because price is the easy number to compare. The trouble is that two quotes for the same house can differ by thousands and both be honest, because they describe different amounts of work. The questions below are the ones that surface those differences before you commit rather than after.
You do not need to ask all twelve. Four or five will usually tell you what you need to know.
About the preparation
Preparation is where quotes quietly diverge, and it is the part of the job you cannot inspect once the paint is on.
- How will the surfaces be washed, and what happens to any mould or lichen? A rinse with a hose is not the same as a proper wash and treatment.
- How much scraping, sanding and filling is included, and what happens if you find more once you start? The answer you want is a stated allowance and a clear rate for anything beyond it, not silence.
- Which areas will be primed or sealed, and with what? Bare timber, patched areas and previously unpainted surfaces all need sealing. If nothing is being primed, ask why.
- What happens to failed sealant and cracked putty? On older Wellington homes this is often the difference between a repaint that lasts and one that lets water in behind the paint.
About the paint itself
- Which products are you using, and how many coats? Ask for the brand and the product name, not just “two coats of premium”. Two coats over a properly prepared and primed surface is a different specification from two coats over bare patches.
- Is the quote based on the product I have asked for? If you have specified something and the quote assumes something cheaper, that is worth knowing while you are still comparing.
A written specification naming products and coats is the single most useful thing you can get from a quote, because it makes two quotes genuinely comparable.
About access and the site
- Is scaffolding included, and if so, for how long? Scaffolding is a real cost on a two-storey Wellington home, and a quote that leaves it out will always look cheaper than one that includes it.
- Where will you work from on the steep or awkward elevations? Plenty of Wellington sections have one side you cannot reach with a ladder.
- What happens to the garden, paths and driveway? Masking, drop sheets and where the wash water goes are all reasonable things to ask about.
About the business
- Do you carry public liability insurance, and can I see the certificate? Ask to see it rather than take the answer on trust. It takes a minute and a legitimate contractor will not mind.
- Who is actually on site, and will anyone be supervising? Some quotes are priced on a crew and delivered by a subcontractor you have never spoken to.
- What guarantee comes with the work, what does it cover, and is it backed by anyone other than you? A guarantee from a business is only as good as the business. An accredited guarantee sits behind the contractor as well.
Prestige Painters is a Master Painters member, which is what sits behind our workmanship guarantee. There is more on what that accreditation means, and what it does not, on our Master Painters in Wellington page.
About timing and money
- When would you start, and how long will you be here? A rough weather allowance in the answer is a good sign. In Wellington a fortnight of exterior work rarely runs as fourteen consecutive days.
- What is the payment schedule? Progress payments against stages are normal. A large deposit before anything happens is not.
What a good answer sounds like
You are not testing anyone’s knowledge. You are listening for whether the person has actually looked at your house. Answers that reference your cladding, your worst elevation, the state of your window joinery or the way the sun hits the north wall mean someone has done a proper inspection. Answers that would fit any house on the street usually mean the quote was worked out from the floor area.
It is also fair to ask for two or three addresses of similar work. Wellington is small enough that most painters can point you at something nearby.
Getting a quote you can actually compare
Our quotes set out the preparation, the products, the number of coats and what is excluded, so you can lay them beside anyone else’s and see where the difference sits. If you are planning exterior house painting or interior house painting and want a written specification to compare, get in touch and we will come and look at the property.