1. Get it in writing!
If it's in writing you will have legal documentation should any problems
arise.
2. Cover the following issues
in your contract with your contractor:
The contract must show the EXACT total square footage
of surface area (walls, rooftops, etc.) which will be painted or coated.
Additionally, it must also show detailed breakdowns for labor and materials
costs. With this information you can compare the real price between one
contractor and another.
You, not the contractor, needs to establish the total DRY thickness of how much paint
is to be
applied. This should be measured in mils (1 mil is equal to 1/1000 of an
inch). Regardless if it is ENERCHRON or typical latex
house paint, to get value for your dollar, you should be purchasing a minimum
coating thickness of 4 mils dry for most interior or exterior building
surfaces. The contactor needs to be responsible in his contract for how much dry
paint is going to be on the surface AFTER the project is finished. This
way, if you have any questions of whether or not you actually received the dry amount
of paint you paid for, it can be
physically measured.
When comparing paint products don't be fooled by only looking at
gallon amounts or wet spread rates! They are useless because you have no idea of
how much water (which is going to evaporate away) is in the paint. Only
written manufacturer's dry mil rates per gallon are accurate.
The most critical part of a paint job is surface
preparation. Before painting, the surface MUST be clean, dry and
stable. This is going
to be your biggest painting expense.
The best way to make sure the
contractor is preparing the surface properly is to have the contractor give
you a labor warranty. The rule of thumb is 1 year per dry mil. If
you are paying the contractor to apply 4 mils of dry paint, the labor warranty
needs to be 4 years.
With paint industry warranties, if the paint you
buy fails due to manufacturer's defects the manufacturer is responsible to
replace the paint. If
you don't have a written contract defining all work to be performed in making the surface clean, dry and stable, you are responsible for any losses.
All the contractor has to do is claim that he was "only paid to apply the
paint." It will then be your responsibility to prove otherwise. Plus, if
surface preparation is not properly documented, manufacturer defects will also be impossible to prove.
The contract must state the start and finish time/date of the job. Typically
there will also be a payment plan as each phase of the job is completed.
If you put the contractor in the position of having to finance your material
costs, expect to pay more for the job.
Make sure that the contractor has a current license and insurance.
Otherwise you may be responsible if anyone gets hurt on the job.
If you use ENERCHRON®, make sure the applicator has signed an
ENERCHRON®
Applicator Agreement before you sign a contract with him. This agreement helps us to protect
you. Our contract clearly states that the contractor must be responsible
for his actions in writing.
For additional protection, you can pay for the ISO 9001 documentation
process. Although it costs a bit more, the ISO 9001 program is a documentation process where
you and the ISO inspector you hire meet at each phase of the job to agree, in writing, that the work being performed is as described
in the painting contractor's contract. It also covers the ENERCHRON® applicator
specifications and paint industry standards. You can get an extended warranty on
ENERCHRON®
if the ISO 9001 process is followed. Please contact our Technical
Department for more information.
Get references from prospective contractors and checkup on them along with
checking with the Better Business Bureau.
