What's the absolute fastest way to spruce up a room or an entire house? The obvious answer is to give the interior or exterior walls a new coat of paint. Maybe you love the color that's on the wall now but want to freshen it up, or maybe you're planning a whole new home decor and want a color that will compliment it. Either way, you'll be happier with the final results if you hire a professional Toronto painting contractor.

Interior painting has always been a favorite for do it yourselfers because anyone can slap paint on a wall right? Well if you can recall the last time you tried it, and you did the whole surface prep thing, how many trips to the home improvement centre did you make for paint, sandpaper, drop clothes, rollers and brushes? How much dust did you get on your carpet and furniture while you prepped the walls? How much fun did you have on your knees painting the baseboards, or stretched out on your toes reaching for the molding? And of course, how long was the house sitting in 'paint mode' before you finally declared the job done?

The fact of the matter is that anyone can 'slap paint on the wall' but it takes an experienced painting contractor to get the professional results that you want for your home.
Of course painting the exterior of a house is a whole different ball of wax. Not too many Torontonians will try to tackle the job because of the extensive sanding and the fact that it often involves heights and scaffolding. A professional painting company can get an exterior job done in days where the do it yourselfer may very well spend weeks and end up with an inferior job.

So...if you're looking for a painter for either the inside or outside of your house you've come to the right place. Handy Canadian's directory of painting contractors in Toronto is a comprehensive list of professionals and a great place to start your search for a contractor who is best suited for your project. Each listing provides a description of the contractor's services and specialties, the areas that they provide service to, contact information and many have reviews and ratings left by customers who found the company here on Handy Canadian.

But selecting a painting contractor involves more than just accepting the lowest bid. We highly recommend you follow these four tips before you sign the dotted line:

Does your contractor have...

• A business license. Toronto and most of the surrounding communities require that all businesses have a valid business license. Ask to see the contractor's and then call the agency that issued it to verify that it is current and also to see if any complaints have been lodged against him.
• Insurance. Ask for a certificate of insurance and then check it out the same way you did with the business license. Call the agency that issued it to verify that the coverage is valid and that the painting contractor has workman's compensation insurance to cover any injuries that his employees or subs may suffer while on the job.
• References. Contractor provided references are almost always good but even if they sing the praises of the company from the top of the CN tower you can still get useful info from them. Ask how “clean” the job was in terms of dust, debris, and clean up. Did they complete the job on time? How easy was it to work with the contractor? You should also check with the Toronto Better Business Bureau for their rating.
• Professional license. While there is no requirement for a trade license like an electrician or a plumber, Ontario offers a voluntary Certificate of Qualification program for commercial and residential painters that involves a 3 year apprenticeship and passing an exam. If your contractor has one, they have demonstrated a real professional approach to their business.

Most painting projects in Toronto do not require a permit it is best to check with the permit office to be certain, particularly if your project involves painting the exterior of a house or commercial building.

When the job is finished it may not rank as a Toronto attraction like the Sky Walk or the CN Tower but it will rank right up there in the category of self-satisfaction. So get started now and find the painting company that's perfect for your needs.

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