Avoid This Oklahoma Painter At All Costs!
You may want whole-home exterior painting, or you may have a smaller deck staining project in mind. Whatever the case may be, you don’t want to leave the job to a shady painting contractor that charges an absurd amount for mediocre results. If you fall for a scam, you even run the risk of having your home damaged because the people who work on it won’t have the proper qualifications.
At Kaleidoscope Paint, we strive to gain customers’ trust first before we encourage them to hire our house painters. Whether you live in Edmond OK, where our office is located, or you live elsewhere, the situation is always the same. There are scams out there, but forearmed with knowledge, you can avoid them. Here are the warning signs to look out for.
Suspicious Payment Requirements
With any interior and exterior painting company, you should expect to pay a good faith deposit: usually about 10%-20% of the total cost or half of the cost of materials. This is to protect the companies in case their customers never pay. However, take note of the amount the company asks for and the available payment methods. A company that charges an exorbitant amount and accepts only cash is most likely not legitimate. The price can, conversely, be so low that you need to stop and think if it’s too good to be true.
Use of Scare Tactics
Some home painting companies may try to scare you into hiring them, using exaggerated language about your home “crumbling apart” or the walls “rotting” if you don’t get a new paint job. This is unprofessional in the highest. Scam artists may also use the tactic of recommending a painting job after providing a completely unrelated service, like roofing or plumbing work.
No Estimate and/or Contract
Normally, you receive an estimate of how much the project will cost; otherwise, you couldn’t even put down a good faith deposit. A company should also write up a contract confirming what structures will be painted and with what products. Don’t go with a company that refuses to put an agreement into writing when you explicitly request it. It’s equally strange if someone quickly quotes you a price without thoroughly inspecting your home. And above all, don’t entrust your exterior painting project to a company that says it will give you a great cash deal.
Refusal to Show Proof of Insurance
Before you hire any team of exterior house painters in Edmond OK, ask to see proof that the company is insured. Painting companies should at least have liability insurance, in case they damage property, and workers’ compensation insurance, in case their employees are injured; if they don’t, it signifies that they’re not really professional. Refusing to show proof of insurance is a suspicious move that should persuade you to choose someone else.
No Licensing
Interestingly enough, Oklahoma law doesn’t require painting contractors to hold a state license. All the same, avoid those who aren’t licensed because you won’t have any way to be compensated should they damage your property. If any workers are injured on your property, you would be the one to pay out the medical expenses.
Use of Cheap Paints
For both interior and exterior painting, you prefer quality paint. Moreover, you want the house painters to prefer quality paint as well. Any self-respecting painting company knows that good paint requires fewer coats, won’t clog up their sprayer, and will deliver better-looking results. But if the company uses low-quality paints and seems unashamed to do so, this is a red flag. If the company advises you to choose cheap paint, this should serve as an extra warning.
Lack of Experience
We assembled our team of house painters back in 2014, which isn’t so long ago compared to other interior and exterior painting businesses. Nevertheless, we want to emphasize that the years of experience that a business has, or that an individual painter has, should be one of the deciding factors in your search. Don’t be afraid to ask how many years a business has been around or a painter has been working in this field. On the other hand, not all start-up companies are shady since the owners themselves may have decades of experience.
No Online Reviews or References
Most exterior painting companies, even the more obscure, will have some reviews posted online. Failing that, they should hold a list of some kind that gives the names and contact info of previous clients who can vouch for their reputation. It would be unusual for a company to not have this or to refuse to show it, even if they explain that it’s for the sake of privacy.
The same goes for a business with no physical address. Even something as minor as the fact that the painters don’t wear a uniform should raise some suspicion, especially when combined with a few of the factors we already mentioned.
Contact Kaleidoscope Paint Today Our house painters in Edmond OK are all reliable technicians who carry insurance and offer estimates at no charge. Besides that, we include warranties on our work and guarantee customer satisfaction with even the most extensive home painting project. For a convenient consultation, give us a call today!