How can I get my place painted soonest?

July 8, 2013 11:13 AM

I need to get my 2 BR apt in the Washington, DC area painted before I move in. But my only personal-networking options have fallen through: the co-op itself is presently too short-staffed, and it turns out the guy recommended by my realtor can't do it until August. I really need it painted ASAP--although I'd also like a neat, professional job. Is it realistic, to want to get it painted much sooner than August? If so, how can I go about finding a good and reliable painter or company, being new to the area? (Bonus if you have a painter/company in the area whose work you liked and you would recommend!)
posted by theatro to Home & Garden (11 answers total)

Look on Yelp (or, I guess, Angie's list, if you have access to that), start calling places and asking when they have availability. The nice thing about painting is that it's hard to mess it up too bad, even if you end up with just an "average" guy doing it. It's not plumbing that's going to leak or lead to backed up toilets or electricity that can burn your house down if it's done wrong.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 11:21 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

the co-op itself is presently too short-staffed

Is painting prior to a new tenant moving in a standard practice provided by the co-op? If so, make them hire someone else outside their own staff.

If not...well, ask around. check local directories, Yelp, even craigslist if you're desperate. You can always ask for references.
posted by trivia genius at 11:23 AM on July 8, 2013

Could you check houzz?
posted by semacd at 11:33 AM on July 8, 2013

Or search or post a request on DCUM (DC urban moms and dads). They are nuts but could give this sort of recommendation.
posted by semacd at 11:34 AM on July 8, 2013

Can't your realtor recommend someone else or ask other realtors? My realtor's backup recommendation is painting my place right this moment.
posted by mullacc at 11:42 AM on July 8, 2013

Angie's List is a great site for finding home repair/improvement folks. There are ratings from previous clients.

It's a paid subscription site so they are making their money from people like you seeking authentic opinions about businesses, which IMO makes it superior to free sites (like Yelp) which are supported by ad revenues, premium listing payments, etc. from the same businesses being rated.

http://www.angieslist.com/
posted by Jacqueline at 11:51 AM on July 8, 2013

It might be difficult finding a good painter that is not booked through fall with exteriors. I would recommend contacting paint stores in the area to see if they have any recommendations for painters who are looking for jobs. They can usually give you a good start on painters who are trustworthy and skilled but maybe a little slow.
posted by Tevin at 11:53 AM on July 8, 2013

Join Angie's List ASAP and e-mail or call all the recommended people. If you're lucky, you'll find someone who's in between jobs or had a job delayed. Another source of names is a full-fledged paint store--Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams franchise. Ask the manager for recommendations or see if the store has a bulletin board with business cards then cross check some of names with the manager.
posted by Elsie at 12:28 PM on July 8, 2013

I recommend Tech Painting.

I have never used them, but a former Frager's Hardware manager used to recommend them over other companies. She might have used them herself, as well. She said they "were cleaner and more organized."

If I needed painting, they are the company I would use.
posted by jgirl at 12:50 PM on July 8, 2013

Would you be up to painting it on your own? Young House Love has a bunch of easy to follow paint tutorials and some great information on types of paint.

-Picking the Right Paint Finish

-Painting Trim and Cutting in

-How to Paint a Room YHL Style

-The Painting How-To Page
posted by donut_princess at 5:35 PM on July 8, 2013

Response by poster: Thanks for all the ideas, everybody! I'm not sure yet which'll turn out to be the lucky answer for me, but I'm doing them one by one, starting with emailing my realtor about his backup choices (since he used to be a contractor, I hope he has a fairly deep bench). I think painting it myself will be last on the list, though I appreciate the links, donut_princess!
posted by theatro at 11:25 AM on July 10, 2013