As a homeowner you are always faced with making costly decisions. There are always projects that need to be done. Some you can do yourself and others require the help of professionals. Not too long ago, I came across the need for a painter. Where to start? Do I do it myself? Do I outsource it to a professional? How do I know who to use? How do I find the best painter but not feel as though I got ripped off? These were the big questions.

After spending hours of researching the yellow pages, internet, and the newspaper I did finally find a painter. I found that doing a lot of homework up front, probably more than I needed to, did provided me with the results that made me feel that I made the best use of my money and time. In an effort to help friends, who over the years have asked for my help and referrals, I shared the tips that I used to find the best painter for my painting projects with them and now I am passing it on to you. I hope that this article is as helpful to you.

Planning your project: Consider the time needed in order to complete your painting project. Depending on the size, time to complete, and the ease of a painting project that you have, will greatly weigh on whether you decide to outsource your painting project to a professional or do it yourself. Painting a room, for instance, may require a weekend's worth of work. By the time you decide on the area and the colors being used, buy the paint, buy the necessary tools, prep the walls and ceiling, move out furniture, and actually finish painting, you may find it takes you an entire weekend or longer than you had anticipated.

Consider how difficult the project is when choosing which route to go. There are also those painting projects that require more experience where a professional might be a better choice than doing it yourself. For example, painting the exterior of your house or painting a 2 level foyer where special equipment may be needed to insure safety. These projects may be better left to a professional who has the know how and materials to insure a great product and that you don't end up in the hospital trying to do it yourself. Also consider any work that you want to have done before painting, for example adding mouldings, preparation, or patching drywall.

Consider how well you know how to complete the project. No matter how much time you personally may spend on a painting project, if it looks unprofessional all your hard work won't improve the appearance of your home, plain and simple. Proper care used to prepare for a painting project will enhance the end results of your hard work or use of your hard-earned money.

If you find that your painting project requires a professional painter, there are questions that you will want to ask to insure that your project will go as you planned and that you will be happy working with the painter you choose.

That is why it is SO important when deciding to use a professional painter - to hire a painter wisely. Make sure if you choose to hire a painter they are a well-qualified, reliable professional that can ensure the job will be completed to your satisfaction.

Okay - so now let's say that you have decided that your painting project requires a professional to paint your home. How do you go about finding the best one? I have found that first and foremost go to the most reliable place; your friends, family, real estate agents, past contractors, or even your local hardware/paint store. Word of mouth is probably the best way to find a reliable painter. When asking someone you trust for a referral, you are most likely going to get an honest answer. There are, of course, other ways that I have found to be successful like searching google maps for a local painter in the area, following up on ads that you may have seen on TV or heard on the radio, and the yellow pages. I am sure there are others, but these seem to be the most effective. One warning to keep in mind: those big ads on TV and in the paper cost lots of money, which usually means that these painters have a higher overhead, which ultimately means that the cost will be passed on to you, the customer.

Now that you have identified a few painters (I've always found that interviewing 3-5 painters works best), you will want to interview them over the phone and have them come to your home to look at your project in order to best give you a bid on the job. It is important when speaking with them over the phone to make sure that they service the type of job you want them to complete (i.e. do they service residential and or commercial). Make sure that you ask the same questions to all of the painters you've chosen to interview so you are able to best decide which one has the best experience and the one with whom you feel most comfortable. You should ask relatively simple but straight forward questions to each prospective painter and likewise should receive straightforward answers. If they can't answer you, they probably aren't the most reliable or best painter.

I hope this information has been helpful to you. I plan on posting another article soon covering what questions to ask, what to expect when signing a contract, and last minute tips.