How to Realistically Budget for a Big Paint Job and Still Get What You Want
Obtaining the highest quality for the lowest price is an age-old balancing act that certainly applies to large painting projects. Whether you’re a homeowner, business owner, or both, crafting a budget can be complicated enough -- from there, you have to find a way to stick to your budget without sacrificing the results you desire and require. In order to do so, you must be patient, flexible, and strategic in your approach. Here’s how to realistically budget for a big paint job and still get what you’re looking for.
How to Get the Best Paint Job for Your Budget
Do Your Homework
When budgeting for a paint job, it’s always wise to start by looking into local rates for various paint projects. These days you can find plenty of solid information online from sites like HomeAdvisor, Thumbtack, and Manta, which break down average prices for residential exterior painting and interior painting projects (plus much more) by region, scope, and other parameters. Once you’ve got a rough idea of what your big paint job might cost you, start comparing local contractors and receiving estimates to see how they hold up to those regional averages and your current budget. You can ignore painters well outside of your price range while remaining skeptical of those with prices that severely undercut the competition -- the lowest bidder might not be willing or able to provide the highest quality results. After you’ve narrowed your search to a select group of potential candidates with fair prices, take a closer look at their reputation, online presence, and portfolio of past work until you land on the best fit.
Handle Some of the Prep Work Yourself
One of the best ways to save some money on a painting project is to perform some of the preliminary work on your own. Of course, going this route presents some trade-offs. While you’ll save money by moving furniture, cleaning surfaces, laying down drop cloths, covering non-paintable surfaces, and so on, doing so takes time and energy, plus you’ll be responsible for purchasing all necessary materials. On top of that, some painting contractors will recommend (and prefer) that they handle all prep work to ensure the best possible results -- after all, professionals will have more experience and knowledge in this arena than the average DIY-er, and you run the risk of holding up the exterior or interior painting project by mishandling the preparation steps. Still, if you have the time to spare and you’re confident in your abilities to get your surfaces ready for painting, you can greatly reduce the overall cost of your project this way.
Restrain Your Goals
In order to maintain a comfortable budget, you may need to make some compromises. This isn’t to say you should compromise on quality, but rather that you might need to tone down some of your ambitions to make it all work. For instance, painting a room two colors might be your dream scenario, but it’s more cost-effective to stick with a single color instead. Likewise, you might prioritize certain areas of your home or business to ensure that those spaces that need a fresh coat the most receive them, even if it means putting other areas on hold for the time-being. In this way, you might not be able to get precisely what you want by sticking to your realistic budget, but you can still ensure that you get what you need and that the results are up to par with (or beyond) your expectations.
Schedule Strategically
Finally, you can save some time and money by paying attention to the ebbs and flows of the painting industry. As is the case with any business, certain times of year, week, and day see higher or lower demand. When it comes to the realm of residential and commercial painting, winter tends to be the slowest period, with things picking up in spring and peaking during summer before gradually winding down throughout fall. The price of painting services often dip during these slower times to make up for the drop-off in demand. While you might not be able to get exterior painting done during winter, you might hire interior painters during this time and enjoy somewhat of a discount -- and because demand is lower, you’ll have an easier time scheduling your services so the job gets done according to your needs.
Better Results Without Breaking the Bank
Big paint jobs don’t come cheap, especially if they’re performed by experienced professionals. That said, by doing your due diligence, taking matters into your own hands, narrowing your goals, and strategically scheduling your services, you can adhere to a realistic budget while still receiving beautiful, durable results. At Anderson Painting, we’re committed to helping our clients achieve their painting and renovation goals without going beyond their means. To learn more about us and all we do, call today at 919-610-1855 or email us at info@andersonpaintingnc.com!
