Category: How To

Finding a great contractor near you to give your home a new coat of paint is an excellent way to provide it a fresh new look. And it’s not as hard as you might think. Here’s how to do it!

  • How to Find a Great Handyman in Chandler, AZ

    How to Find a Great Handyman in Chandler, AZ

    How to Find a Great Handyman in Chandler, AZ

    Finding a well-rounded, experienced handyman that you can trust can be a stressful experience, especially for new homeowners and business owners that have never gone through the search process. Whether you have newly-relocated to the Chandler area, or you’ve been a resident of Chandler for your whole life, we want to share some of our top tips for finding a top-notch repair expert. We’ll help you find one you can trust wholeheartedly to work on your home or business, deliver top-quality results, and handle all billing and payment matters ethically and responsibly.

    Do Some Research

    You’ll find a host of different home repair services and handyman businesses based in the Chandler area online. By looking in the right places, you can find the information you need to determine if they are worth considering as a reliable option for your needs as a customer. Customer reviews, complaints, and even the tone and quality of the website can help you get an idea of what kind of results a given service is in the habit of providing to its clients.

    In addition to basic online research, your local Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade can provide a wealth of information on a business’ performance and reputation. You can have some insider knowledge before committing to a handyman with whom you have no first-hand experience. Doing your homework beforehand can save you money, time, and disappointment in the long run. By finding a great handyman, you can have a go-to person for all of your maintenance and repair needs in the future.

    Ask Around

    This may seem obvious, but asking close friends and family about their experiences with different handyman services is the best way to ensure that you know what you are getting into when hiring a specific person. If somebody in your inner circle has already had a success story or horror story in terms of hiring a handyman to service their home or business, you can learn from their experience. You can make an informed choice based on their story.

    Get An Estimate

    When buying a home, car, or appliance, you would never commit to a specific purchase without first shopping around a bit. Hiring a handyman shouldn’t be any different! Once you’ve determined the scope of the work that you need and the specific problem that you have on your hands, pick a few different services. Then contact them directly to get a rough estimate of how their different prices compare to one another. To get an accurate estimate, be sure to be as specific as possible with the information that you provide. Small details can play a significant role in determining an accurate service quote.

    Interview Your Handymen

    Once you have a concept for how much the job is going to cost, do not be afraid to go the extra mile to get a read on what kind of person you’ll be allowing into your home or business. Ask them detailed questions about the type of work that they do, how much experience they have, and where they learned the necessary skills to call themselves a professional in the industry. This may come off as a bit overbearing to some. But it is essential to bear in mind that as a client you have the right to know exactly where your money is going. You have a right to know what qualifies a given a person to administer a specialized service such as repair or maintenance.

    Ask About Insurance

    Although it is not always required for a handyman to have insurance to work, this is a detail that you’ would be well-advised not to overlook. Even among professionals, accidents can happen on the job. You do not want to be hung out to dry by being on the receiving end of the bills for any such damages, should they occur to your home or business. As the adage goes, “It is better to be safe than sorry,” and this rings true when it comes to hiring a handyman.

    By following these tips and being proactive in the selection process, you’ll be well on your way to finding a quality, reliable repair professional in the Chandler area. As always, get everything in writing once you’ve made a decision on who you’d like to hire. Detail every aspect of the work to be done and the cost of the work. This will save yourself time and trouble down the line.

  • How to Find a Great Painting Company

    How to Find a Great Painting Company

    How to Find a Great Painting Company

    So you’ve decided that your house needs a new coat of paint and you’ve started looking for a reliable contractor. Instead of asking, “Who are the painters near me?” consider asking, “How do I find great painters?” There are many companies in Chandler, AZ who will offer you great rates and will look excellent on paper, but you may wind up being disappointed with the results. So how do you make sure that you find a great painting company for your interior paint job the first time around? Here are some tips to help you find a great painter in your area.

    Shop around

    When looking for a painter in your area, be sure to check out a couple of companies that offer interior painting services. You can use all sorts of ways to find painters, including talking to family members and friends to get recommendations. Checking out the internet and googling, “Painters near me” might help as well.

    Are They Certified?

    Once you’ve got a list of painting companies, you can start narrowing them down to those that look most promising. Firstly, make sure that the company has the appropriate licenses and follow up with the Better Business Bureau to see if the painter has many complaints against them. While licenses and trade certifications can’t guarantee good quality work, it shows a level of commitment on the part of the painting company to be reliable and professional. For instance, Az Express Services is licensed with Arizona State to conduct minor home improvements, which include painting services.

    By doing these checks, you should be able to narrow down your list of potential painting companies down to around three or four, and you can then start getting quotes from these companies.

    Get quotes

    Quotes are about much more than finding out how much the job will cost. Obviously, that’s an important factor in your considerations, but the entire quote process will also let you evaluate the painting company on a couple of different levels. If the painter is late for the quote walkthrough, you know they’ll be unreliable once the job starts. If they quote way under what other companies are quoting, you can be sure they’re cutting corners somewhere. Make sure that the estimate you get offers not only a simple number but a breakdown of the budget of the project as well as expected timeframes for completion.

    Get the Painting Company to do a Walkthrough

    Your first initial contact with a painting company will tell you a lot about how they conduct business. It gives you a chance to talk to the contractor about the size of the crew that will be working on your job as well as how long they expect the job to take. You can use your initial impressions to decide whether the company is professional, neat, and reliable, all of which are important factors that will come into play when the job is underway.

    A good way of gauging how accurate the quote is going to be is to see how long the contractor takes before coming up with the quote. Good painting companies will take their time during the assessment stage, making sure they’re taking all the various aspects of the job into account. If the contractor just looks at the size of the house and gives you an estimate, you can almost be sure that the estimate will be inaccurate. If the contractor takes their time, checking the state of the walls, looking for dampness, and noting any potential issues that may crop up, you can expect a much more reliable quote, both in terms of budget and timeframe.

    Explain Your Expectations

    When you first meet with a painting company to get a quote, make your expectations for the job are very clear. If you want perfectly painted walls, make sure the painting company knows that, since they have to do extensive prep work before the first layer of paint goes on to ensure a perfect finish. If you’re willing to settle for less-than-perfect in order to save both time and money, discuss the matter with the painter and make sure they know what an acceptable level of quality is and what isn’t. This will affect your quote, so be clear and upfront about your expectations.

    Get references

    There are many places that you can get references for interior painting service. They may provide references themselves, or you can check online as well. Be aware that many people will complain, but few will promote a good job. Many review sites are skewed towards negative reviews. However, if a painter has hundreds of negative reviews and one positive review, you can expect poor quality service.

    If possible, visit sites of previous jobs to see the quality of the paintwork yourself. Also, look at old jobs that have had some time to age. New paint jobs always look shiny and great, but a couple of years will give you a good idea of how the paint job will hold up in the future.

    Sign a comprehensive contract

    Once you’ve narrowed down your choice, hopefully to Az Express Services, make sure you sign a comprehensive contract. This will protect both you and the painting company and ensure that everything goes smoothly.

    The contract should cover all aspects of the job to assure mutual understanding. The contract should include not only the type of paint that is going to be used but also the application methods and site protection plan that the contractor expects to use.

    The contract must also cover payment for the job. Avoid companies that ask for a large deposit up-front, and make sure that you reserve the final portion of the payment until you are 100% satisfied with the job.

    Conclusion

    Finding a reputable painting company can feel like a shot in the dark. By taking the time and doing the research, you’re more likely to find a company that you’ll have a great working relationship with for years to come. If you’re looking for a reputable, licensed, and bonded painting company in Chandler, AZ, give Az Express Services a call today.