Painting your commercial building is a major undertaking, and you want to ensure that you have the right person for the job. It goes without saying that you need to choose contractors that have good references and a history of superior performance in their work. However, there are some factors that contribute to getting the best paint job over your building, and these form the basis of the questions highlighted below:

1. What painting products will you use?

A good contractor will insist on getting high-quality tools and materials. You can expect that such products don't come cheap, so don't think you can get the best paint job if you're not willing to budget for it. Inferior products may look good at the outset, but will eventually become blotchy and unattractive. When asking for references, be sure to ask to speak to clients that they worked for a few years ago, so that you can judge the quality of their work after some time. This means that you should select a contractor that has been in business a few years.

In addition, talk to them about using zero-VOC or low-VOC paints which are more eco-friendly. These paints have lower concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which release toxic gases that are harmful to the environment. Another advantage is that lower-VOC paints emit less or no odours, and they have less or no allergens or carcinogens. They are excellent to ensure your tenants' health will be protected. They are, however, slightly more expensive than normal paints.

2. How will you paint my building?

After a visual inspection of your building, you contractor should be able to tell you exactly how he/she intends to handle your project from start to end. Seedy contractors won't take the time to do proper prepping, which depends on the condition of your building before the job. Prepping should include washing, scraping old paint, filling cracks and holes in walls using filler, sealing off areas not being painted and priming the surface if necessary. In addition, their work should include clean-up once the job is done, including disposal of their waste materials and any debris.

3. How long will it take?

Barring unforeseen circumstances, an experienced contractor should be able to tell you how long your entire paint job will take. They should be comfortable enough to offer a written warranty stating this timeline so that you don't lose money should they not deliver by their deadline. Bear in mind that the best time of year to paint is during mild spring weather. If it's too hot, the paint dries too fast and this inhibits proper film formation required for a long-lasting effect. In cool weather, latex paints become sticky and hence harder to apply. If absolutely necessary, the painter can use thinner as he goes along. However, the contractor should advise you depending on your own project.

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