Scams are common and often hard to spot because these unscrupulous companies change their names often. To protect your interests, it is important to recognize the telltale signs of a sole tradesperson or company that is not at all what it seems on the surface.
When you deal with a company, such as MC Painting, you will want to seek assurances that the work is of the highest standard. Customer satisfaction should be a core component of any reputable painting company’s promise.
Payment Requirements
There are various red flags to look out for when it comes to payment requirements from a painting company. Paying a down payment is normal; however, if you are asked for a large sum of money without any commitment to services, you are most likely to be scammed. You should never have to pay for a painting project, from a reputable company, upfront. Professional painters will deliver the product before asking for payment. MC Painting requests a down payment of 10% to get your project on our schedule.
You should also be wary of painting companies that constantly change payment requirements. Before you know it, you may end up paying more than the job is worth. In some cases, the dubious contractor will take your money and run, leaving you with a half-finished project. Your only option, then, is to pay the extra expense of finishing the job yourself or hiring a reputable company.
Contract Details
Scammers can easily dupe you by not providing a contract, or by using vague language that is open to interpretation. A good painting company will go through the important aspects of the contract and correct any ambiguous terms. Ultimately, with a reputable company, you won’t have to worry about being caught out on a technicality that leaves you paying twice or more for one project.
Look out for points in a contract that has the potential to result in hidden charges. This is a common contractual scam that is used to commit homeowners to additional costs that were not explicitly expressed during the consultation period. These companies don’t care about your budget and are only interested in maximizing the profit they make.
Licensing and Qualifications
If you ask for proof of licensing or qualifications and the contractor is reluctant to provide the information, you are likely dealing with a con artist. A reputable company, such as MC Painting, will happily display employee credentials and produce evidence upon customer request.
Without proof of credentials, you have no way of knowing if the contractor has the training and experience to get the job done. For all you know, you are hiring someone who watched online videos about painting before deciding to pursue a career in-home or commercial painting. You have to protect your investment, so ask for proof of qualifications before signing a contract.
Work Insurance
Is your painter unable to provide proof of insurance or guarantees? That is a good indication he or she is not prepared to stand by the work. Even the best painting companies make mistakes, sometimes. That is why those companies offer their customers guarantees, insurance against property damage or poor workmanship.
Furthermore, painting companies that offer proof of insurance usually do so because they are confident you will never need to act on those guarantees. That is the sign of a professional service that will surpass your expectations. If anything, you will recommend such companies to friends and family as reliable contractors.
Product Quality
Scammers are well aware of the fear’s homeowners have about paying more than necessary for home improvements. They use reverse psychology by offering services at the lowest cost possible. While it may sound like you are getting a deal, you are being conned into accepting work that involves cutting corners and using low-quality products.
The savings you make will not last long. Low-quality paint is not suitable, which means the rate of wear and tear is significantly escalated. You will have to repaint your home or commercial premises within a few months, which will end up costing you considerably more than it would have cost to hire a reputable painting company in the first place.
Experienced Painters
Although newly established painting companies are not necessarily scammers, it is important to consider experience. Painting as a business is not as straight forward as you might think. At MC Painting, we have an ethos of understanding the complexities of each customer’s needs. Creativity borne from experience is a central part of everything we do.
If you are concerned about painting scams, feel free to speak to Amy at MC Painting. We are more than willing to provide full transparency when it comes to the products and services we provide.