Mods - not quite if I’m the correct forum, please move if necessary…
Question for Maryland Dopers (Wheaton/Kensington area)
I decided to paint the living room, kitchen and bedrooms yesterday. While in the process of it, I discovered that things aren’t as easy as they appeared to be.
I’m now looking to get a contractor. Here are my questions;
Do they charge by the hour or square footage?
How much by the hour/square footage on average?
I taped, spackled and primed all rooms, can I negotiate a lower price or is that uncommon?
Anybody know of anybody whom they trust?
Thanks
Many variables.
I quote based upon SF and LF and EA, ex: walls and ceilings by SF, moldings by LF, doors and windows by EA.
There is no average that could be intelligently quoted without seeing the job.
Sometimes the customer enjoys a savings by doing prep work. Sometimes it costs them more because it needs to be redone.
Most folk think painting is simple stuff, until they’ve done a few jobs themselves. Part of the trick is for me to figure out what you expect it to look like. If you want a semi gloss finish, and the walls aren’t up to that standard, I either have to fix them, or talk you into a lower gloss level.
Are your walls and celings all the same color/gloss? Do you want moldings a different color/gloss? What color and gloss is present, and what do you want for a finished look? Is the property vacant, or will I be dealing with kids, pets, and retired Dad who wants to yak all day?
Perhaps now you have a handle on a few of the salient variables.