The Importance Of A Good Painting Website
When your search Google to find a San Diego house painter there are over 300,00 results. How do you narrow down the options to find the perfect painting contractor for you? Websites make the first and possibly last impression on potential clients. Websites can tell a lot about a business.
Here’s a list of important items to look for when comparing painting contractors on the internet.
Is the site created by a professional web designer?
Let’s face it, most old school contractors aren’t exactly tech savvy. Reluctantly, contractors are creating inadequate, rushed websites. Many of these sites are created using basic templates that the contractor themselves haphazardly put together. A contractor who places value on their business will invest in a website designed by a professional.
A website should provide the following information
- Who owns the business?
- How long have they been painting for?
- Are they licensed?
- Do they have insurance?
- Are they bonded?
- Do they offer a warranty?
Is this a franchise or a local contractor?
Why does it matter if a business is owned by a franchise vs. a local contractor? The most important factor is experience.
Franchise owners are not required to have ANY EXPERIENCE. The person you hire may not have ever painted a home in their lives. A franchise owner can buy into a company without having any knowledge of the business. A franchisee can work under the license of a “Responsible Managing Employee.” That means someone allows the franchise owner to use their license for a fee. This practice has become a huge problem for the CSLB. The States’ website recently posted this warning ~
“Many absentee qualifiers are older individuals who are seeking to supplement their retirement income by qualifying licenses, and are unaware of deficiencies and illegal acts performed by those who run the day-to-day operations until CSLB takes formal disciplinary action against their license. Whether the absentee qualifier is 18 or 80, CSLB will hold him or her to answer. Being the qualifier on a license can be a huge risk and liability. Under existing law (Business and Professions (B&P) Code section 7122.5), if the performance of an act or omission by the license constitutes a cause for disciplinary action, it also is a cause for disciplinary action against the qualifier, regardless of his or her knowledge and participation.”
How old are the pictures? A good contractor should show recent photos to show that they are consistently working. If a painter hasn’t updated their site or social media accounts in years, there may be a reason why they haven’t worked in a while. Are they still licensed? Have they received disciplinary action from the CSLB?
What type of painting do they specialize in?
There are different types of painting contractors. Some specialize in commercial painting. These contractors usually work on large industrial projects such as shopping centers, medial facilities, office complexes and retail centers. Their expertise is in mostly exterior painting that requires scaffolding and boom lifts.
Residential painters work consists of single family homes, apartment communities and custom finishes.
A website should give REAL examples of their work
Photos are a major part of the decision making process for homeowners. It is important to see the quality and type of work a contractor does.
Are these real photos or stock photos? Here is an example of common stock photos found regularly on San Diego Painter’s websites.
A talented painter should have a diverse array of photos showing a range of skills. Examples of interior, exterior, stucco finishes, wood repair/staining and fine finishes should be represented in their gallery of work.
When reviewing photos on a painter’s websites, it’s best to call the contractor who has documented experience working on a home similar to your own.
Follow the links
A good website will have links to other reputable pages for further research.
Successful contractors post photos, videos and blogs on many sites including; Instagram, and Youtube. This gives consumers information on current projects.
Homeowner’s should be wary of referral and review sites. Most have biased reviews that are paid for by the contractors.
Searching for a Contractor? Why you Shouldn’t Trust (Or Pay For) Online Reviews
Nowadays, most homeowners start their research process for a contractor on the internet. A good website will give you an idea of the painter’s skills and experience. A website can easily portray a business as a successful, professional company. The next step is to get an in home estimate before selecting a painting contractor. In our next blog, Maverick Painting will address what to look for during an estimate appointment.