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How To Choose The Best Painting Contractor in the Bay Area

What makes a great painting contractor? Great question, and certainly one that every homeowner or businessperson in the Bay Area should ask themselves before their search begins outright. It is simultaneously the most important and difficult step in the process.


Many Bay Area residents opt for finding a company online or in the Yellow Pages. Take a look at reviews on Angie’s List, City Search, Google Reviews and Yelp. These sites will give you a sense of who might be the right fit and which companies should be avoided. In this digital age, online searches are often the first step in charting a discerning course for quality painting done at houses or business spaces.

Like any profession, painting companies are broadly arrayed according to size, experience, craftsmanship, technique and business practices, amongst other things. The person researching painting companies should ask a number of questions. What is the company’s history? Is there an immediate sense of professionalism amongst the company’s leaders and employees? Are they licensed and insured?

Many people find their painting contractor by way of referral through friends and family or at the workplace. Those who have had solid, fruitful dealings with a painting company will provide answers to many of the above questions.

That said, don’t be afraid to make further inquiries once you’ve been given a referral. Schedule a telephone conversation or an in-office visit to get a sense of the company and their management. A true professional contractor will gladly provide you with all of the details you will need to make an informed decision. This is especially important if you are comparing notes on contractors without the benefit of referrals.

To aid in your search, it also helps to be very clear about your job and make sure that you emphasize that you will always be available to the contractor if he or she has any questions. This helps build a rapport, which is vital, and will go a long way in insuring a positive experience for both parties. It is at this stage in the process that you will get a good idea of how attentive the contractor is to your needs and how well they communicate. The last thing you want is a contractor who, after impressing you with their craftsmanship and record, forgets to return your phone calls and seems disorganized.

Another great resource is the Better Business Bureau, which will have records of any serious complaints lodged against the painting company. Ask to see some of their recent work and speak to clients. Look at their website or Facebook page, for instance, which will have client testimonials.

Once you’ve gathered the requisite information about each prospective contractor, compare notes on each and make your decision.

The process may seem time-consuming, but—rest assured—the benefits of this degree of exactitude outweigh the costs.

And, if you think about it, the only real cost is an unpleasant experience and a painting job that doesn’t last.

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Customer Reviews

“Julie, by the way, I have never been so impressed with the service of a painting job before! It was like magical elves came and painted our walls without us having to do a thing! It looks amazing and just wanted to let you know how happy we are. Thanks”

— Anja
Piedmont

“It was a great experience working with MB Jessee. The crew was careful and thorough as they painted the house, sealed stucco cracks, repaired dry-rotted wood, stained the deck, etc. Robert, Gersson, Jose, and all of the people involved in the process from the estimate to the job completion were friendly and professional.”

— Mike C.
Livermore, CA

“I love the article in the paper on your company. Thank you for supporting our community by painting at the Claremont Middle School. Thanks!”

— Carla Banks

“MB Jessee just finished our exterior and we couldn't be happier with our experience. The foreman (Pedro) and lead painter (Ricardo) were incredible to work with: they communicated scheduling clearly, Ricardo was a joy to be around every day, the showed up early every day, were incredibly tidy and did great paint work. The final walkthrough experience was incredible. Pedro pointed out items I missed demonstrating a clear desire to complete another quality project. I highly recommend them. As others have noted they definitely aren't the cheapest but you quickly realize that you're getting what you pay for. The 3-year guarantee is also a nice touch since there are likely touch-up items that will show up after the job is done.”

— Joshua J.
Oakland, CA

“Many thanks to Rigoberto and Damon and the extraordinary team who transformed my castle in the skies.They are magicians. I appreciate their work very much.”

— Kathleen A
San Francisco

“Very easy to work with, they did an outstanding job with our project of re-painting our painting our kitchen cabinets. Given the scope of the job and that our kitchen is roughly half of our upstairs living area they did a fantastic job of minimizing the mess. Workmanship was top notch, would definitely recommend.”

— Vince Scola

“High quality work from a pleasant and qualified staff. Thank you!”

— Paul Markovich

“In all the years I've worked with MB Jessee, I'm always so impressed by your crews. They are so respectful of everything--you never even know they're there! Except that the paint looks amazing when they're gone. We've had one showing of our home and already have an offer. I'm sure it is because the paint looks so beautiful.”

— Erin T.
Pleasant Hill

“I want to express my thanks for a job well done. The rooms look great and there is no problem with any marks on the all the trim, floor, carpet, etc. The paint job is lovely. I also want to express my thanks for the level of professionalism the foreman showed in running the job. He was very attentive to any changes I needed to make, was extremely careful in getting the faux paint color and effect correct. Thanks so much for a job well done.”

— Suzan D’Arcy

“Today I received a beautiful bouquet from your company. It was totally unexpected and very much appreciated--a lovely surprise. Also today, your crew finished my job. I am so pleased with all their fine work. Richard is absolutely amazing and a total delight to work with. He was also extremely helpful during the paint color process. The interior work in my home far exceeded my expectations. A big thank you to you and the crew for an outstanding job. Thank you, thank you for a terrific job!”

— Barbara
Piedmont

“I just wanted to thank you all for doing such a phenomenal job on our recent house painting. We are very happy with the outcome and can't say enough good things about the crew. Everyone working on the project was outstanding and made it a great experience. Thanks to everyone.”

— Daylan
Piedmont

“I just wanted to send you an email to say that John did such a great job over here today. He is truly a hard worker. He has the perfect balance of friendliness, honesty, and professionalism. I trust him. He takes the time to do the job to the best of his ability and that is what sets him (and your company) apart from the competition. He didn't make me feel rushed. He really made me feel like our job was the most important thing in the world. Thanks again!”

— Jo
Oakland