We’ve never been the types to name names when it comes to specific painting companies you might want to avoid. That’s for you to decide. However, as a champion of proactive and positive decision-making, we can certainly offer a few tips and guidelines when it comes to detecting the duds.
And trust us when we say, there are plenty of them out there!
It’s not that this is the kind of industry where you are likely to be scammed or cheated as such. But at the same time, the kinds of results and value for money you can expect may vary enormously from one service provider to the next. Here at Homm CPS, we have total confidence in the services we provide and this is why we never hesitate to encourage our customers to compare the market before going ahead.
When it comes to spotting the kinds of painting firms that are probably best avoided, it’s simply a case of factoring a few things in mind…as follows:
First Impressions
As with many things, it’s a good idea to ask yourself exactly what kind of initial impression you get where encountering the company for the first time. Whether it’s by telephone, via the web or in person, what do first impressions tell you about them? Are you filled with confidence and optimism, or do you get the sneaking suspicion they aren’t quite up to par? While it’s true to say that you cannot find out everything about a business the very first instance, first impressions still count for a lot. So if you gut tells you something isn’t quite right, you might want to listen to it!
Portfolio of Work
The way we see it, there’s very little more important when it comes to demonstrating your abilities than actually demonstrating your abilities. In the painting profession, this is relatively easy – you simply provide prospective customers with an extensive portfolio of completed work. Doing so not only provides a precise illustration of what you can do, but also demonstrates total confidence in your abilities as a service provider. Nevertheless, there are certain companies who seem entirely unwilling to publicly showcase their work, which doesn’t exactly breed confidence.
Customer Feedback and Recommendations
It should also be possible for any professional painting company to provide evidence of customer feedback and recommendations, supporting their services and quality of work. If not directly available via their website, you need only carry out a quick web search to find out what’s being said about them. More often than not, this is one of the best ways of finding out whether what the company has to say about its own work is actually reflected in the results delivered. And if there seems to be a common consensus on the negative side of the fence or no feedback to be found, you can probably work out what this means.
Suspicious Deals and Discounts
Whatever kind of painting package you need, there is a relatively average industry price you can expect if looking for the very best results possible. The reason being that when it comes to the highest quality paints on the market, advanced equipment and the services of experienced painting professionals, these are the kinds of things that are given away for pennies. Which is precisely why when you come across a deal that seems too good to be true, it most probably is exactly that. For example, if you have been quoted somewhere in the region of $900 by four or five painting companies, a sixth company that says they’ll do the job for $150 probably isn’t operating at the same level. They might come and carry out the job, but there’s a pretty strong chance you’ll only end up paying out a second time to have it done properly.
Cash-in-Hand Services
An instant red-flag warning sign and a classic characteristic of dodgy dealers in these kinds of professions. Even now, there are still so many painting companies in business that will happily carry out jobs for cheaper prices, just as long as it all stays off the books. You book them, they carry out the work and you pay them cash-in-hand, with absolutely no paperwork, receipts or records being kept. What’s the harm in all this? Well, not only is there the slightly important point that it is illegal, but paying cash-in-hand means that you are absolutely and hopelessly stuck if anything happens that you are not happy about. Shoddy work, damage to your property or one even just disappearing halfway through the agreed work. As the deal was not in any way official or legally binding in the first place, there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.
Guarantees and Warranties
Last but not least, Homm CPS has always been a firm believer in offering extensive warranties and guarantees on absolutely every paint job we carry out. As far as we’re concerned, if the products you use are of sufficient quality and you know what you’re doing, there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t be able to back your services accordingly. We recently extended our own warranties to a full 3 years – the same not being said for plenty of other painting companies out there. The simple fact of the matter is that if the work does not come with some kind of a guarantee or warranty, you run the risk of the whole thing falling apart in a matter of months…maybe even weeks. If they aren’t willing to offer guarantees, this really says all that needs to be said about the quality of the work they carry out.
For more information on any of our painting services or to discuss a quotation, get in touch with the Homm CPS customer service team today.