Month: July 2020

Posted on

How to Find the Best House Painters in Your Area

The most affordable and effective way to add value to your home is by adding a fresh coat of paint to both the interior and exterior. According to a survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, painting certain rooms in your home can increase its value by up to 3%. It will also enhance the overall look and feel of the home.

The problem is, not all house painters are created equal. If you settle for the cheapest estimate from a company that isn’t legit, you may find yourself dealing with a lot of unwanted, and very expensive, issues.

Large home in the middle of painting project with ladders against the house.
Large painting projects are best left to the professionals

How to Find the Best House Painters

When it comes to painting, the devil is in the details. The kind of paint used matters. The set up process matters.

Bad painters have been known to leave old poisonous paint everywhere. This of course can affect your health, and the health of anyone else that lives in your home.

For this reason it is extremely important you take the time to properly vet your house painter. The good news is the internet makes doing so super easy.

Here are four websites that allow you to harness the power of the internet while vetting potential house painters.

Houzz

Houzz is a home improvement and design website that makes it quick and easy to find a good house painter in your area.

And with a database of over 1 million qualified professionals, you are sure to find a painter that meets your specific needs.

The platform will ask you important questions such as the type of property you have, what rooms you want painted, and what your budget is.

The platform will then give you a list of five local professionals that have already been properly vetted. You will have the option to share your project with each professional to request a quote.

Yelp

Chances are you’ve heard of Yelp, and maybe even used it. It’s a great site for finding reviews on just about any type of business.

It’s very similar to Houzz in that you type in what you are looking for, in this case house painters, and you will get back a list of professionals in your area.

Yelp is a site that depends on reviews. You must take the time to parse through the reviews with an open mind. Keep in mind everyone will have a different experience. Don’t let a few negative reviews make or break a deal.

While Yelp is a great place to find help for your home painting project, be aware that some companies hire people to leave fake reviews. So if a review sounds too good to be true, chances are it is. After painting one or more rooms in your home, one finishing touch may be to clean or refresh your furniture. For information, see our post on furniture cleaning.

Angie’s List

Angie’s List is another great place to find painting professionals in your local area. First, you will need to create a free account. Once you’ve done that you can search for top rated painters in your area.

Similar to Houzz, you will need to answer a few questions first. You will then be presented with a list of the best painters in your city, state, or town.

Nextdoor

Nextdoor is a local hub where communities come together and exchange recommendations and advice. It doesn’t matter if you are looking for a babysitter, or a painter, you are sure to find a great recommendation through your local Nextdoor hub.

The idea behind this platform is to connect neighbors. Oftentimes your neighbor already knows someone that can help you with your project. Using this platform can save you both time and money. And don’t worry, all users must verify they live in your neighborhood before they can offer advice or recommendations.

Posted on

Frequently Asked Questions about Window Cleaning

When hiring a professional window cleaner, there are many common questions that come up over and over again.  You may be wondering if it’s a good idea to do it yourself. If you have someone who already cleans your place, you may be thinking it’s a good idea to just ask them to do it.  Another concern may be about the frequency that you should have them cleaned.  There is a little bit of nuance in all of these questions. Hopefully, this article does a good job providing some guidance on window cleaning.

Worker using a cloth to clean a full size window
Professional window cleaner washing large window

Should I Clean My Windows Myself, or Hire A Professional Window Cleaner?

That’s a good question.  If it’s a few windows that are dirty, it’s probably not a bad idea to do it yourself.  It shouldn’t take that much time; if you are attentive, you won’t damage the panes, or leave behind any excess grime.  It’s also not dangerous to clean a few on your own.

However, if you have many panes, say for a commercial building, or for a house with multiple stories, you may need a professional commercial window cleaner or residential window cleaner.  There are many good reasons for this; the primary one being the amount of personal liability when cleaning your own windows on buildings such as these.  For one, there is the height factor.  Multiple story houses and commercial buildings commonly reach over two stories.  Without the proper equipment, and training, a misstep can lead to serious injury, or worse.  Professional window cleaners come equipped with harnesses, scaffolds, ladders, and insurance to make sure the job is safely done. 

Also, it can take a lot of effort, like climbing up and down a ladder.  A quality shine comes from attentive detail to make sure there aren’t streaks and blemishes.  Even after you’re done, and satisfied on your own, you have probably had sunlight penetrate through a freshly cleaned pane, and noticed new spots.  Professional window cleaners bring the correct equipment, and know the proper techniques to ensure that the light won’t reveal what it normally conceals. Having to go back and fix this personally is a huge pain, and for a lot of people time is money, and isn’t worth doing, leaving a substandard job.

Additionally, if you own a business, such as a restaurant, having an unkempt appearance can be a deterrent for your brand.  Therefore, it’s a good idea to think of window cleaning as marketing, in a sense.

Can’t My Cleaning Person Do the Window Cleaning?

Sure, if you want them using Windex and paper towels!  As you’ve probably experienced, this doesn’t do a very good job.  Instead, it just moves dirt around, and forms a static charge, which can actually attract more dirt.  Also, paper towels are abrasive, and can damage your glass.  True professionals use specialized formulas, and equipment such as squeegees and anti-static brushes to reduce the chances of undo spots and stains.

How Often Should I Hire A Residential Window Cleaner?

The common adage is twice a year.  However, some people live in dustier, dirtier climates that wreak havoc.  These people may require something closer to once every quarter.  If you live on a farm, or near a busy highway, this also may increase the necessity for a professional job.  However, sometimes people live in super temperate, calm climates, and they may only require it once a year. A fresh coat of paint can help to make your home feel new and clean. See our post on hiring house painters for more information.

How Often Should I Hire A Commercial Window Cleaner?

As mentioned before, if you own a business such a restaurant, the perception of transparency, and cleanliness is paramount to your brand.  Same with if you offer a professional service such as an accounting firm, or a lawyer.  The windows are the first impression of many guests, and if they lack detail, can indicate a lack of detail on the end of the professional.  Many professionals get their glass detailed once a month, with restaurants doing it twice a month in many cases.