Should You Hire a Painting Contractor?

It could be that you've noticed your exterior paint is showing some cracks or flaking, or maybe you're just feeling the need to spice up your living room with some exciting new colors. Regardless of what your painting project is, many homeowners end up questioning whether to do it themselves or hire the job out to a painting contractor. There isn't an easy answer here, just a number of things to consider before making your decision about whether spending money on professional painting services is the right choice for you.

Saving Money by Doing It Yourself—Or Will You?
I can't lie, just about any determined homeowner can paint their own home, inside or out, and do a fine job at it. Furthermore, you will undoubtedly get it done cheaper going that route than if you hire a painting contractor to do the work for you. Be sure to add up all the expenses you'll incur by doing it on your own, however. Remember, you'll need to buy the paint, brushes and rollers, drop cloths, ladders, wire brushes, paint scrapers and even simple supplies like tape and paint thinner. If you don't already have those on hand, the costs can add up quickly. Add to that renting paint sprayers and pressure washers, and for many jobs the savings end up being negligible in the end.

Preparation Makes for Good Painting
Besides what could be minimal savings, remember that there's a lot more to painting than just slapping on a few coats. There's a ton of preparation that must be done right if you want to get the longest life possible out of your new paint job. This includes cleaning all surfaces, scraping loose or damaged paint from the home, applying primer where necessary, taping off trim and windows, and moving appliances and furniture if you're painting indoors. These tasks can take painting services with a full crew several days to do. For a weekend warrior, it can stretch out much longer.

You Get What You Pay for
Another reason to hire a pro has to do with final results. As I said, you can do it yourself, and in most cases it will look fine when you're finished. But keep in mind that someone who offers professional painting services is an expert in the field. Painting contractors are seasoned professionals who know the tricks of the trade, and they've put in their time in the field to hone their skills. A job done by a pro is simply going to look more polished and blemish free than otherwise. Some homeowners don't care. Done is done. But if you're not satisfied with anything less than perfection, hiring a painting contractor is probably worth every penny.

What is Your Time Worth?
Finally, be sure to consider how much time a painting project is going to take you to get done. Painting a bedroom rarely takes more than a weekend, but doing a whole house is another story altogether. Painting projects, especially exterior paint jobs, can stretch out forever if you've only a day or two a week to tackle them. For many homeowners, the trade off simply isn't worth the cost savings. They'd rather be spending time with family, attending to hobbies, and sneaking away for a few days, than to tie up a couple months worth of weekends dangling from a ladder.