If you have recently moved into a new home, or have simply decided to re-decorate your current home to make it fresher and to revitalise it, you might be considering hiring a qualified decorator. When hiring a decorator it is important to remember that not all of them are professional or even qualified or experienced, there are some rogue cowboy tradesmen out there just looking to take your money. Cowboy tradesmen are unlikely to produce a good finish to your work, if they finish it at all. Therefore it is always best to research decorating companies before you hire one, to make sure you find one that suits your budget, but also is experienced, qualified and professional in their work.
When appointing a decorator there are some things you should look for, or even ask questions about, these include:
1. Qualifications and experience: you should have access to this information, in fact the company should provide this to you as you speak to them. Ask the potential decorating companies you are looking at to verify their qualifications and years of experience, then check this with the relevant examination boards. You can also check to see if they are a member of any interior design associations, this is a good indication of the reputability of the company.
2. Portfolio review: most established decorating companies will have a portfolio of previous jobs they have completed that they can show you. This will give you an idea of the standard of their work and will show you if the company is experienced in the particular style you are after.
3. Communications: from speaking to the company initially you will get a good idea how well they are likely to communicate with you and how much involvement you will have in the decorating of your home. Remember you have got to live with the decorating one its done so it is important the company you choose works closely with you to make sure the decorating is exactly what you want.
4. Timescale: understand how long it will take the decorating company to complete the job, this is particularly important if you need it finishing quickly. Remember here that there is not only a lot of manual work involved in decorating, but it also takes time to source the exact paints/wallpaper/fabrics you have selected, therefore you can’t expect the work to be completed too quickly.
5. Charges: of course how much the redecorating is going to cost will have some impact on whether you select a company, always make sure you ask the decorating firm how much they quote for your job, to make sure you can afford it. Try to compare this quote with different companies so that you can make sure you are getting a good deal.
6. Insurance: ask if the company is insured in the event of one of the decorators damaging or breaking something completely, or in the event of your possessions going missing.
7. Research: before deciding on and hiring a decorator, do some research on the top contenders, read other peoples reviews about them and check their credentials.
8. Policy: after communicating with a company they will usually send a policy, within it will be the terms and conditions, make sure that you read all of these and are completely satisfied with them.
Make sure that the decorating company you hire is perfect for your needs, and avoid simply choosing the cheapest company unless you have verified that they are an established and reputable business and they can cater to what you want.
