Sometimes quality is evident at a glance, but sometimes, you need to look beyond the superficial to know if something is terrific, terrible, or somewhere in between. When it comes to exterior painting companies in Lanham, Maryland, how do you know if they are a good investment or a frustrating waste? There are some obvious indicators that your Lanham house painter is an excellent one, but other qualities require closer inspection.
Surface Preparation before Exterior House Painting
One of the most important steps in quality exterior painting is the surface preparation, but it's hard to know if the painting company is doing this or not if you are not paying attention. Good surface preparation involves cleaning the walls thoroughly, remediating any damaged wood, removing any failing paint, and sometimes applying primer. If these steps are skipped, your exterior paint job will not last as long or look as good.
If you are watching the exterior painting project unfold, you can see whether these steps are happening. However, if you are trying to evaluate a Lanham painting company ahead of time, you will need to find out a different way. Ask the estimator what they plan to do in terms of surface preparation, and make sure those details are specified in your estimate.
Professionalism in Exterior Painting
In many cases, the difference between awesome and awful is the professionalism of your Lanham painting contractor. You can tell at a glance if the business uses company vehicles and if their employees have a dress code or uniform. Also, do they keep their vehicles in good condition, and their tools and materials tidy? Company letterhead for the exterior painting estimate is a good clue, as is the professionalism of the website.
Other aspects of professionalism require a bit more digging. For example, does the company have proper licensing and insurance? Ask them! Do they provide skills training and safety training for their employees? Do they have a guarantee for their work? Is their staff timely and polite in communication? All of these things add up to a major difference in how happy you will be with your Lanham exterior painting company.
Look at the Paint Job!
Of course, the main reason we hire a painter is for an excellent paint job. When you step back and look at the overall effect, what do you think? Are the colors uniform and rich? As you get closer, are the lines straight and even? Are the walls smooth, or do you find drips, smudges, and runs? Are there bare or thin spots? A great painting company will produce results that look wonderful from every angle, close up or far away!
Time will also tell the quality of your Lanham painter. A properly-completed paint job in the Washington, D.C. region should usually last at least 5 years, resisting the effects of time and weather. Early failure generally means your painting company did not do everything correctly.
Williams Professional Painting
If you are looking for an exceptional exterior painting company for your home in Lanham, Maryland, we would encourage you to consider Williams Professional Painting. We are a family-owned company that has been serving the D.C. region for over 4 decades, earning a reputation for excellence in painting and attentiveness in customer service.
Besides exterior painting, we provide many other services as well, including carpentry, kitchen cabinet painting, interior painting, molding installation, and much more. Contact us today, and we will be happy to provide you with a free exterior painting estimate for your Lanham home. We are excited to meet you!