It’s no secret that being a homeowner is costly, especially if you’re looking to update the aesthetic of your home with a fresh coat of paint. It’s tempting to want to cut corners in order to cheapen the bill. However, when it comes to paint, is hiring a cheap painter truly cheaper in the long-run? Read on for more insight into this topic and to dive into the reasons hiring a cheap painter can be an expensive mistake that actually costs you more.
In This Post
Quality Paint Jobs Come at a Price
Just like with most things, you get what you pay for when it comes to the quality and care you receive when hiring a painter. Sure, a cheap painter may present you with a low quote that’s oh so tempting. However, you have to stop and think about WHY the quote is low.
It could indicate their use of lower quality materials that won’t withstand the test of time, poor quality paint products, inexperienced painters and crew members, and/or rushed workmanship. Not to mention, they may not be as professional to work with. That doesn’t mean they’re not great people, but it might mean their skill level and knowledge of paint products, techniques, insurance, warranties, etc, isn’t at the level of a professional painter.
Quality paint products, knowledge of techniques, and skilled painting application are essential elements of a long-lasting finish that holds up and looks great. Cutting corners in order to save money on these aspects of the job can often lead to a low-quality paint job that peels, chips, or fades much sooner than it should. Then, you’re left with the decision to touch it up or completely repaint it. Of course, this means more expense in terms of products, materials, and labor.
Reasons Hiring a Cheap Painter Can Be An Expensive Mistake
The upfront cost of hiring a cheaper painter can seem attractive. Don’t we all love to see a quote or bill much lower than expected?! However, it’s so important to consider how hiring a cheaper painter can lead to more expenses and headaches in the long-run.
If you hire a cheap painter that delivers poor workmanship, this can result in inadequate prep, mismatched paint, shoddy application, messy brush strokes, and premature chipping, peeling, and fading (among other things).
Here are a few reasons hiring a cheap painter can be an expensive mistake.
Financial Cost of Repairs and Corrections
It can feel like a blow to the gut (and your bank account!) when you have to make repairs and corrections to your home, simply because you went with the more inexperienced, cheaper painter. This can be time-consuming, tedious, frustrating, and costly. Patching uneven surfaces, fixing paint drips and splatters, and attempting to save a poor paint job can add up quickly and cost another company a lot of time and money to complete. It can easily end up being more expensive to fix rather than have it done right the first time.
Additional Materials
One of the biggest costs of redoing a poor paint job is the investment in additional materials. You’ll need more coats of paint, or if you decide to invest in a higher-quality paint (that wasn’t used the first time), you’ll have to buy a whole new can altogether. Not to mention, you may need more Frog Tape, brushes, rollers, etc.
Shortened Longevity
A cheap paint job doesn’t just look unprofessional, but it may also fail to protect your home from the elements, leading to damage and premature wear and tear. This shortened longevity can mean more frequent touch-ups, repainting, and repairs.
Risk of Damage to Property
Looking beyond the extra costs of fixing a poor paint job, hiring the cheaper painter can also put your home, belongings, and property at risk. Inexperienced painters or cheap painters that have poor reviews may end up damaging surfaces, furnishings, fixtures, or decor in the process. This also leads to more repairs, replacements, and unplanned costs. You want to ensure you trust the painter in your home, especially with all of your belongings.
Stress and Time
It can be hard to calculate, but stress is a major factor in quality of life, sleep, job performance, etc. If you have to go back and fix a paint job and spend your own time managing the job to get it done right, it can impact many areas of your life.
You’ll have to take the time to research and find a new paint company, materials, products, etc. It also costs the company you hire to fix the job time to ensure it is fixed and completed properly.
If a cheap painter cuts corners, puts on paint half thick, skips prep, set-up, and clean-up, etc, it would have easily been cheaper to do it yourself or have a professional painter do the job in the first place.
Here at Oak City Coatings, we do our best during our estimate process to talk through these details with our customers to see how much time is needed to meet their expectations, whether it’s being very thorough or quickly getting in and out to save money.
Underbidding Situations
Sometimes, mistakes happen and paint jobs get underbid for some reason, or sometimes, things that should have been seen and planned for during the estimate process are simply overlooked. A reputable paint company will have procedures in place on how to handle these situations. I’ve seen many times where contractors will just stop showing up when this happens. They pack up their things, leave, and don’t say a thing to the customer when they realize that they can’t produce the job without losing money.
Ghost Painters
I’ve seen many homeowners get burnt and into trouble by hiring cheaper painters that ghost them. In these instances, you often can’t find any information online about them because they are constantly getting new phone numbers, their company isn’t registered anywhere, etc. This is super frustrating and can leave homeowners feeling cheated and at a loss for what to do.
Investing In Quality Is Investing In Peace of Mind
Ultimately, the allure of saving money by hiring a cheap painter may be tempting, but it’s important to consider all of the pros and cons. Look at a paint job through a long-term lens and consider what will be best for your home in the long-run.
Investing in a professional, reputable painter who prioritizes high quality paint products and materials, has excellent workmanship, and is more attentive to detail may be a higher cost up front, but it’ll save you money in the long-run. Plus, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that your paint job will be done right, look great, and be durable.
In the long-run, hiring a cheap painter is NOT truly cheaper, from our experience. Professional painters offer an array of price points, so just make sure to do your research, read their reviews, and ask all the questions you need to make the best decision for your home and budget. Check out this blog post for 9 questions to ask your painter before hiring them!
If you’re looking to inquire about quality services and hiring a trusted, professional painter, we’d be honored to be considered. Visit our contact page to learn more about us, read our reviews, and book your estimate today!
