Avoid General Painting Contractor Scams with These Steps
Extensive research is a must before hiring a painting company. Make sure the painting contractors are licensed and legitimate before you allow them to start working on your New Jersey home. But tons of research still won’t protect you from common scams that some contractors play on unsuspecting homeowners. To prevent these scams, we’ve provided some steps you should take before sealing the deal with a painting contractor:
Be Aware of Payment Schedule
The most common scam is when contractors ask you to pay a substantial down payment, often 30%-50% of the project cost. Contractors might explain that the reason for the upfront costs is because they need to buy new painting tools or purchase materials, like buckets of Sherwin Williams paints for example. But once they have your money, who knows if a quality painting job will be completed. It’s best not to prepay more than $1,000 or 10% of the project cost.
Have a Detailed Contract
Make sure that everything you want to have done within the scope of the painting project is outlined in the contract. Contractors may make a verbal promise to do the work but they can easily go back on those promises if it’s not specified in the contract. Make sure to carefully review the entire contract and point out if there are any vague sections, as well as any specifics related to the project that don’t appear to be laid out within the contract.
Don’t Fall for the Extras
Some contractors will try to add on extras once the painting or construction project is already underway. These extras might be warranted, like an unforeseen problem that the contractor couldn’t have predicted before the project started. However, it could also be a way to drive up the cost of the project. And sometimes contractors won’t communicate that these extras will make the price much higher than what was expected. So people get a $3,000 bill when they were only expecting $1,000. Make sure that the process for handling these extras is spelled out in the contract. And your contractor should communicate any additional costs before performing the work.
If you are seeking a painting contractor in Northern New Jersey area who’s reliable and trustworthy, you’ve come to the right place. Spectrum Painting has been delivering high quality professional painting services since 1989. Read our reviews and check out our portfolio to see the kind of work we can do for you.
