If you're thinking it's time to bring a new look to your Calgary home or business, or if you just want to freshen the place up, the fastest way to get the job done is to hire an experienced painting contractor to put a fresh coat of paint on your interior and/or exterior surfaces. Calgary is fortunate to have a great collection of professional painting companies serving the area and we've got the best right here at Handy Canadian's directory of painting contractors.

Go ahead and browse through the profiles. Each listing includes a brief description of services provided, the service area, full contact information including links to websites and for many there are reviews from former Handy Canadian customers. This directory is a fantastic place to develop your short list of painting contractors.

But before you sign a contract with anyone, we highly recommend that you follow these 4 steps to ensure that your project doesn't run into problems before it gets started.

Can your contractor provide...

• Business License. Calgary requires that all businesses have a valid city business license. Most of the surrounding towns have the same requirement. Get a copy of the contractor's license and then contact the license department to make sure that it is not only valid, but that there are no complaints filed against the contractor.
• Business Insurance. Things can go wrong on any project and painting jobs are no exception. Ask for a certificate of insurance and then verify it with the insurance company. Pay particular attention to workman's compensation coverage. If your contractor doesn't carry this insurance and one of his employees or subs is injured on the job...you are on the hook for the cost of that injury.
• References. Even though the references provided by the contractor are likely to sing the praises of the contractor it's worth the time to call them. Ask them about their experience particularly how easy it was to work with the contractor and how “clean” they did the job. Was the house filled with dust, or if an exterior job was done, were all the scrapings removed. Check with the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and find out what rating they give the company and if there are any unresolved complaints. Lastly run the painting company's name through Google and see what other clients have to say.
• Professional License. Calgary has no requirement for a professional license like a plumber or an electrician but Alberta does have one that might apply. If your contractor demands prepayment for a part of the job they are required to have a Prepayment Contractor license. Getting this license requires that the contractor post a performance bond. However, if a contractor requires prepayment to cover supplies you may want to take a hard look at them. Most established and professional companies have accounts with their vendors and have no need to use the customer's money to purchase the materials needed for the job.

While most interior painting jobs do not require a permit it is best to check with the city building permit office to make certain. Exterior jobs may in fact need a permit particularly with commercial properties. There may also be local restrictions on color schemes that apply to certain residential areas.

After your project is completed Conde Nast may not add your home to their list of Calgary attractions like the Stampede or Banff National Park, but it will certainly rank high in the personal lifestyle department. Why not browse the directory now and find the Calgary painter who is perfect for your project.

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