You’ve made the decision. It’s time to paint your home! You’ve done your research, decided what colors and sheen you would like for your walls or exterior siding. You run out to the local home improvement store, and pick up the amount of paint you believe you’ll need. Now, all you need is a professional to apply the paint for you. While it sounds like you’re ahead of the game in getting your project started, there are a variety of reasons why buying your own paint prior to hiring a professional painting contractor is not always the best idea.
THE PRODUCT MAY NOT BE THE BEST FIT FOR YOUR PROJECT.
From primers to paints, to stains and more, professional painters have years of experience and knowledge to guide you in the right direction. The product that is best for your project depends on a variety of factors. These factors can include traffic, exposure to moisture and sunlight, condition of the surfaces, etc. When purchasing your own paint, the specs of the product you choose may not be a professional painters’ first choice for a variety of reasons.
THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT MAY NOT BE UP TO THE PAINTER’S STANDARDS.
Often, we find that paint from the “big box” stores that cater to homeowners and DIYers simply do not stand up to professional-grade paints made by companies like Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams. In the worst case scenario, you may find yourself incurring additional labor or materials charges due to the need to apply excessive coats (especially for vibrant colors) or other issues with applying the product.
YOUR PAINTER MAY BE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE PRODUCT.
Many professional painters are loyal to a particular brand or vendor (or perhaps a couple of vendors) and have come to understand which products are best for particular needs. Over time, the contractor and their employees have also likely developed a mastery for applying these particular products. Not all products can be applied in the same way, and while a new product may not necessarily be of substandard quality, it may be more difficult to apply or simply need to be applied differently. This can create a learning curve for the painters on the job and potentially delay the completion of the project.
YOUR PAINTER HAS ACCESS TO BETTER PRICING.
As professional painters, we have long-established relationships with our vendors that enable us to purchase products at the best possible price. This allows us to use the best paint at a lower cost. We can then pass these savings along to our clients!
YOU CAN SAVE YOURSELF TIME AND EFFORT.
When you hire a professional painter, it is expected that they possess a high level of expertise on products and applications. Therefore, as we mentioned above, they will be able to choose the best possible product for you from their preferred vendor depending on the surface, traffic, aesthetics, etc. A trusted painter can lead you in the right direction to achieve the best outcome and save you time on research.