Painting guides

Write your scope before you call anyone. List every surface: walls, ceilings, trim, doors, closets, window sashes, railings, shutters, garage door. Note which ones you want painted and which you don't. Hand the same list to every bidder. This one step removes most of the ambiguity that later becomes a change order.

When bids come in, compare them line by line rather than by total. Look for coat count, prep description, product line, surfaces included, protection of floors and landscaping, and daily cleanup. If one bid is dramatically cheaper, find the missing line — it exists.

For homes built before 1978, ask directly: are you an EPA or state Lead-Safe Certified firm, and will a certified renovator be on site? EPA requires firms doing covered work to be certified, requires lead-safe work practices, and requires recordkeeping that demonstrates compliance. Certification through hands-on training runs five years; online refresher training runs three.

Finally, agree how you'll sign off. A pre-start walkthrough (colors, sheens, exclusions, where they can park and store materials) and a punch-list walkthrough before final payment protect both sides. Hold a meaningful final payment until the punch list is done.

How to choose

Build a surface-by-surface scope list

One page. Give the identical list to every bidder so the numbers are actually comparable.

Ask for two references on the same type of job

Cabinets, stucco and historic wood are specialties. Generic references tell you nothing about those.

Confirm the certification before signing

For pre-1978 homes, get the firm's Lead-Safe Certification number in writing and verify it independently.

Do a color sample on the actual wall

Large samples on the real surface, viewed at different times of day. Chips lie under store lighting.

Set payment to milestones

A modest deposit, progress payments tied to completed areas, and a final payment after the punch list. Never pay in full up front.