How to Inspect painting

Brief 

In this article, we give you useful information about painting inspection. This practical guide, help you to know: When to Inspect the Paint Job, Helpful Inspection Tools, What to Look for When Inspecting an Interior Paint Job and …

Insight

Before the first can of paint is opened and the last dropcloth is back in the van, be a savvy homeowner with these paint inspection best practices.

I can paint just as well, and probably better, than any crew I could hire. I’ve done a lot of painting and a hired painter won’t be as persnickety about the details as I am. Or so I think.Recently, I was busy and hired a crew to paint my kitchen. I learned two things about inspecting a paint job:

Consideration. There are other good painters in the world beside me. Really. They have their own ways of doing things that help them be professionals. “I’ve done a lot of painting, too,” says Vince Christofora, owner of Woodstock Hardware in Woodstock, New York. “I might tape off trim, but pros may not and expertly cut in the paint with a much better brush than I might use.”

Communication. Sometimes, I bite my tongue and lived with the pro’s painting approach. Other times, a detailed contract of the project (prep to clean up) was my ally.

When something was not done, I could respectfully but confidently refer to the contract and not worry about nagging or micromanaging. “Nobody likes being confrontational,” says Christofora. “Pull out the contract when X, Y and Z are not done.”

When to Inspect the Paint Job

Inspect with each step, not when the project is complete. “You have most leverage before final payment,” says Christofora.

“Intermediate inspections help everyone. No painter wants to break down ladders or scaffolding only to learn the customer has a small issue two stories up that could have been easily addressed when the scaffolding was still in place,” he explains.