Painting contractors know that mistakes will always happen. It's inevitable; you will dribble a splotch of paint, or get residual spray from the roller. The best way to deal with these unavoidable mishaps is to minimize the mess by establishing a clean and prepared environment in the beginning. Purchase drop cloths allowing them to be big enough to cover a large area. Many painting contractors choose canvas style drop cloths because of their usability, and durability.

Canvas makes a better drop cloth

Have you ever used a plastic drop cloth and actually spilled paint on it? You are probably already convinced that canvas is better. The problem with plastic is the mess they make; these drop cloths will drag your spilled paint everywhere. Most people who buy them do so because they are cheaper, if you simply must use plastic be sure it is taped down tightly.

Properly used tape equals a quality paint job

Cutting in with a brush is not always done with the steadiest hand and paint rollers seem to always paint areas they should not. In order to do a quality job with as few painting mishaps as possible you should tape the room first. Use tape around windows, ceilings and edges to get a professional looking job easier.

Removing face plates and locks is strongly recommended.

You can save yourself future aggravation by going over the room before you begin painting. Locks and faceplates should be removed and set aside unless of course you want them sky blue like the rest of the room. This applies to any fixture on the ceiling or walls, doorknobs, sconces or light fixtures. Remove as much of the furniture as possible and cover the rest to prevent the speckled look; this also applies to the kids and pets of course that is unless they are on the crew. Look around the room looking for any other issues before you begin.

Paint footprints

If you have a spill or paint drops, you need to clean it up immediately. Otherwise, you will quickly have a marked trail through your home. Tracking paint is a contractor's nightmare, so they take steps to prevent it. This one piece of advice will save you time and flooring.

If your paint misses the drop cloth, then clean the spot immediately.

When the paint hits the floor or carpet...immediately use a wet sponge to blot the spot. Paint that has a solvent thinner base requires thinner. Use an old rag and thinner to gently blot the paint. If the paint has a chance to dry before you can clean it up, it will require a product called "Goof off", a clean white cloth and some elbow grease on bare floors to dissolve and remove the paint. On carpet, it will be more difficult depending on the kind of carpet and type of paint used. It is in your best interest to attack that splotch as soon as it hits the floor.

If you are using a latex paint, clean up will be easier and more successful than an oil based. Be sure to invest in a sharp edge razor scraper, this tool is a big help in removing paint from windows and edges. Woodwork can be rid of paint spots using Goof Off and by simply covering the scraper with a thin cloth and gently going over the area. And...be sure to wear a hat. You do want to assume the look of professional painting contractor don't you?

Your painting contractor knows one thing; mistakes are an inevitable part of the job. Either you will drop a spot of paint or the roller will spray paint in places you do not want it. To deal with such mishaps the best idea is to be prepared for them properly before a painting job begins. Purchasing a drop cloth big enough to cover most job areas is a good start. The style of choice by most contractors is canvas; this material lasts a long time and is usable in many settings.

Canvas is preferred over plastic drop cloths.

Have you ever used a plastic drop cloth and actually spilled paint on it? You are probably already convinced that canvas is better. The problem with plastic is the mess they make; these drop cloths will drag your spilled paint everywhere. Most people who buy them do so because they are cheaper, if you simply must use plastic be sure it is taped down tightly.

Use tape to your advantage

Paint rollers are going to want to touch the ceilings and walls where they shouldn't, and cutting in with a brush doesn't mean you will always have a steady hand. To prevent more paint 'oops', taping off the windows, edges, and ceilings will allow you to work (and breathe) easier while painting.

Protect faceplates and locks

You should go over the room thoroughly before you begin painting, look ahead for potential problems. Unless you want your face plates to be the same color as your walls, you should remove them. This same rule applies to door handles and light fixtures. Remove or cover well any furniture that is in the room and send out the dog and kids, unless the kids are 'helping'. Now step back for one last look around the room to see if it is ready for paint.

Do not leave painted footprints

If you have a spill or paint drops, you need to clean it up immediately. Otherwise, you will quickly have a marked trail through your home. Tracking paint is a contractor's nightmare, so they take steps to prevent it. This one piece of advice will save you time and flooring.

If your paint misses the drop cloth, then clean the spot immediately.

If you happen to drop paint on the flooring or carpeting you should use a damp sponge or cloth immediately. When you are using a solvent-based paint, you have to use thinner to clean it up. Using a rag or sponge, you can gently blot the paint until it comes up. If the paint happens to dry before you see it, a painter's product called Goof Off can be handy. Take a clean white cloth and plenty of hard work and eventually the paint will dissolve. Carpet can be a different story depending on the type of carpet and paint that you are working with. Yet another reason to clean up paint spills immediately.

When it comes to latex or oil based paints latex cleans up easier and more successfully than oil. A great tool for removing paint from window ledges and edging is a razor blade scraper. A combination of a razor scraper, cloth and Goof Off will gently clean spots off woodwork. Another thing you need is a good painter's hat, well you want to look professional don't you?

After 26 years in the painting contractor business around Marietta, I have heard about every reason there is for going with a cheaper contractor. Unfortunately, I have also heard from more than one homeowner who later regretted that decision. Often the sentiment is it would have been better to pay a bit more on the front end and received a quality job. Several lament that they should have checked on their contractor a little more closely before hiring them.

What I have found through the years is that most homeowners do not know how to properly evaluate Marietta painting contractors before hiring them. Just because a contractor is cheaper doesn't mean you're getting your monies worth. When it comes to hiring contractors, cheaper priced services often end up costing you a lot more.

Lately the cost of labor and materials has gone up to the point where profit margins are not that large. This means that in order for a painting contractor to offer you a cheap price they have to cut expenses somewhere and that is generally in the quality and value of the service performed.

Next time prequalify your Marietta painting contractors with the following 10 criteria.

1. How long has the painting contractor been active in Marietta? A common trait in this business is instability. Contractors will work an area for a short time and when word begins to spread from customers dissatisfied with their work they move on to the next town and begin again. It is safe to say that if a painting contractor can claim ten years or more in your area they are stable.

2. In what manner does the contractor pay his workers, is it a percentage or hourly? Back in 82 when I started this business, I would pay my painters and hourly wage. After 7 years or so of disappointing results paying by the hour, I switched to paying everyone on a percentage basis. The change was immediate and dramatic, quality went way up and project times were cut in half!

Paying the painters on a percentage basis instead of hourly greatly changed their mindset. They also had vested interest in the speed and quality of the work overall. When performance is peak, there are fewer things to tidy up in the end, which means a quicker job and better overall pay.

While you need to ask this question of your contractor, it is only a suggested method of business. There are a good number of painters that have a wonderful work ethic and are paid by the hour.

My experience has been however that the best results came from a percentage basis. I will never go back to paying painters by the hour.

3. Does your potential contractor offer you a well-written and laid out contract stating exactly what you can expect? A good contract is an indication of how organized he is. This organization will most generally be represented well in the painting crew as well. A person who is well organized is uncomfortable around disorganization and will avoid that trait in their employees. Moreover, they tend to maintain organized work environments.

4. Are you dealing with a contractor who is asking for a deposit before they begin? Even though some projects can be quite intensive, the average painting contractor job will not be more than $8000. For jobs like this, I highly recommend you do not pay a deposit.

A painting contractor should have enough financial stability to finance a project of this size. More important than that, without a deposit the crew will be more inclined to work at optimum performance and get the job done accurately and timely.

You would be amazed at the number of times I have been told about homeowners paying a big deposit only for the contractor to leave the job early if he even showed up in the first place.

5. How well has the contractor communicated with you since the first time you contacted him? Is he quick to respond to your questions and concerns?

Communication is very important to most quality professional contractors. This is another indication of the core values, by which he operates. During your project, you will definitely want good communication.

6. Are the contractor's employees covered by workman's compensation? This is an important point as many contractors will have liability insurance but this is nowhere near the same, as worker's comp. Liability insurance does not cover painters or other employees if they are injured on your property.

Another consideration is how well the contractor has insured his crews against injury. Some contractors pay their crews under the table and there is no history that the insurance companies can verify. They may not cover the crews in such cases. This can put you at considerable financial risk. This simply is another indication of the core values that govern the Marietta painting contractors performance. Contact his insurance company and ask these questions.

7. Be sure and check their references. Even though they will give you their best references, you can still get a feel for qualities such as neatness, timeliness, communication, and overall opinion of quality of the job. Keep in mind though, everybody has their own opinion of what constitutes a quality job so don't decide based solely on their references.

8. Watch out for the aggressive painting contractors who are volume oriented. Their entire goal is to turn out as many finished houses as possible in a short amount of time to earn fast money. The quality of their work will not be driven by any kind of core values. You and your home will suffer at the hands of this type of contractor.

9. Be sure that your contractor is perfectly clear on there being a walk through with the head crew member and yourself to look for areas that need tidied up or repaired. This must take place before you write any checks for the project. This protects both you and the contractor from issues later.

It assures that you are happy with their work and helps eliminate warranty issues for the contractor, saving him time and money. Seasoned contractors who really care about their customers know that this is the best approach for finalizing a project.

10. The following are more obvious things to look at, a business license, unsettled complaints listed with the BBB, how long has the company been around, how many people work for them and a well written contract including warranties.

Always put quality first. Putting a little extra time into qualifying your Marietta painting contractors will pay off handsomely. You will have fewer headaches during the project. You will have a better looking home with a paint job that last longer.

I have been a painting contractor in the Marietta area for 26 years and in that time I have heard more than one unique reason why customer choose a cheaper painter. On the other hand, I have also had many calls from regretful homeowners who realize they made a huge error. Several wish they had simply paid more for quality contractors. Still others are sorry they did not check out a contractor before deciding to hire them.

What I have noticed in my years as a painting contractor is that many homeowners simply do not know how to assess the abilities of painting contractors in the Marietta area. Most will look for the cheapest bid not realizing that they will probably not get their money's worth. The truth is a cheap contractor can often cost you more money in the long run.

With the high cost of labor and materials, profit margins aren't that great in the painting industry. Real cheap services in the painting industry are cheap for a reason. Quality and value of services are being cut.

Use the following 10 conditions to check out Marietta contractors before you hire them.

1. How long has the painting contractor been active in Marietta? A common trait in this business is instability. Contractors will work an area for a short time and when word begins to spread from customers dissatisfied with their work they move on to the next town and begin again. It is safe to say that if a painting contractor can claim ten years or more in your area they are stable.

2. In what manner does the contractor pay his workers, is it a percentage or hourly? Back in 82 when I started this business, I would pay my painters and hourly wage. After 7 years or so of disappointing results paying by the hour, I switched to paying everyone on a percentage basis. The change was immediate and dramatic, quality went way up and project times were cut in half!

Instantly my painters had a better mindset once they knew they would be paid on percentage. Their interests were now directly tied to the quality and timeliness of the job. Outstanding performance led to less double checking at the end of a project and a better bottom line for everyone involved.

Be sure and ask the contractor this question. This is merely a suggestion. Obviously, there are some painters that work by the hour that have a good work ethic.

My experience has been however that the best results came from a percentage basis. I will never go back to paying painters by the hour.

3. Does the Contractor present a well written and organized contract to sign that outlines what he is going to do? This is a good indication of how organized he is. If he is well organized, in most cases it will carry over to his crews. Well organize people are very uncomfortable with disorganization and generally will work to maintain well organized projects and crews.

4. Is the contractor insisting on an upfront deposit? Some jobs may be large enough to require a deposit, but the average home painting or repair job will run $3000-$8,000 and really should not require a deposit. In fact, I recommend strongly that you do not pay a deposit.

Your painting contractor should have no problems financing the project he is considering. If he does that is an indication that the contractor is not financially stable. When a contractor is waiting to be paid, you are likely to have his full attention to detail and an assurance that your happiness is the number one goal.

I have heard many stories through the years of homeowners who have given the deposit only to have the contractor leave after a day or two of work never to be seen again.

5. Since the first day you contacted the contractor how well has he communicated with you? Has he quickly answered all of your questions or concerns?

Quality professional contractors value good communication. The importance a contractor puts on communication will give you another clue to his core values. While your project is being completed, you will want to work with someone who communicates effectively.

6. Does the contractor carry worker's comp insurance? Check into this as many companies carry some form of liability insurance but this is not a replacement for worker's compensation. A simple liability plan will not cover a worker should they be injured on the job.

How well the contractor is covering his team in case of injury is something else to take into consideration. When a contractor has several people paid cash under the table, there is no proof that they work for a particular company and therefore are not covered by any insurance. You could be put at financial risk in a situation like this. Besides this just gives you more insight into the type of Marietta painting contractor you are working with. You are within your rights to call the contractors insurance company to answer some of these important questions.

7. Be sure and check their references. Even though they will give you their best references, you can still get a feel for qualities such as neatness, timeliness, communication, and overall opinion of quality of the job. Keep in mind though, everybody has their own opinion of what constitutes a quality job so don't decide based solely on their references.

8. Watch out for the aggressive painting contractors who are volume oriented. Their entire goal is to turn out as many finished houses as possible in a short amount of time to earn fast money. The quality of their work will not be driven by any kind of core values. You and your home will suffer at the hands of this type of contractor.

9. Be sure that your contractor is perfectly clear on there being a walk through with the head crew member and yourself to look for areas that need tidied up or repaired. This must take place before you write any checks for the project. This protects both you and the contractor from issues later.

It assures that you are happy with their work and helps eliminate warranty issues for the contractor, saving him time and money. Seasoned contractors who really care about their customers know that this is the best approach for finalizing a project.

10. You should also check for the following obvious things: a business license, Better Business Bureau for unsettled complaints, how long they have been in business, how many crews work for them, written and detailed warranties.

Keep quality as your first priority. Qualify your Marietta contractor before you hire them, you will be so glad you did. You will have less to worry about while the work is ongoing and end up with a beautiful home with paint that will last longer.