Home Improvement

Many homeowners prefer to hire a professional to paint the outside of their home, which requires getting an exterior painting quote. There are almost as many ways to structure a quote as there are contractors to give you one, but several pieces of information should be in every quote you get. It is not unusual for different contractors to use different abbreviations or descriptions for their services, so you may find some parts on the estimate that you don’t quite understand.



An exterior painting quote should specify how the surface will be prepared, how the surrounding landscaping will be protected, what painting method will be used, what type of paint will be used, an estimate for the quantity of paint needed, and both start and finish dates. For each of these categories there should be an explanation of exactly what it means. For instance, what kind of surface preparation will be done? Will the contractor hand scrape, pressure wash, or some combination of the two? How will the workers clean up the mess? What measures will be taken to cover or protect landscaping such as bushes, shrubs, and flowers? If the quote does not include these kinds of details, ask the contractor to add them on in writing.



Exterior Painting Quote



Sometimes you will get a quote that lists a dollar amount for paint, as long as you select the type and quality of paint preferred by the contractor. You do not have to use their preferred paint if it is not of high enough quality, but you can probably expect to pay more for the contractor to use your preferred paint. Check the quote carefully to see if it specifies the estimated number of gallons that will be needed. If they run short, are there additional charges for additional paint? Be sure to specify that if there is any paint left over, the contractor will leave it with you.



Perhaps the most important thing to remember, though, is to ask about anything that does not seem familiar. It is better to ask in advance, no matter how silly it might seem to you, than to misunderstand something and have a problem at the end. Reading an exterior painting quote is not difficult if you take your time and be sure to fully understand everything in it.

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March 14th, 2008 | Tags: Exterior Painting Quote, find local contractors, painters, painting, paintng contractors | Category: Home Improvement | Leave a comment