I am often asked for ways to save money when painting. There are several things you can do that will make it easier for a Paint Contractor to do his job. The easier and more efficient a job is the less expensive it will be to do.
The first way to save money when painting is don’t buy the paint yourself. Many homeowners believe they will save money by doing this. Most of the time it is not the case. We buy a higher quality paint and pay less for it then the public. Most Paint Contractors get special pricing. The better the relationship the painter has with their supplier the better the price. We don’t mark up the price of paint. Some contractors do but many don’t.
On interior work, the less there is to work around the easier the job will go. It is easier to paint an empty room then one full of stuff. You may not be able to completely empty a room but the less there is in there the better. It may cost more to paint a room full of furnishings. Most Paint Contractors will charge more because they will have to work around everything or spend time moving things.
In most cases doing things like removing switch plates or filling holes in the wall won’t translate into cost savings. Most Paint Contractors prefer to fix drywall issues/holes themselves.
On exterior work, again the less there is to work around the better. If there are trees or branches in the way it will slow things down. Large wood piles against the home. Sheds built too close, these are things a Paint Contractor will take into consideration when preparing an estimate. It will greatly speed things up if decks are clear of things like grills, toys, etc. Front porches loaded down with furniture will slow the process down too.
It never hurts to ask your Paint Contractor if there is anything you can do to make things easier for them. The easier the job is the cheaper it will likely be for you.