If the idea of standing on a ladder brandishing a paint brush or roller doesn’t fill you with enthusiasm, then chances are that you’ll look for local decorators to help you out next time your house needs some decoration. Here are some simple tips for choosing your next local decorators.

Do they offer the kind of work you want doing?

This one sounds blindingly obvious but it is often ignored! Not every decorator is competent at all types of decorating. The person who is happy painting your walls, woodwork and ceilings may be absolutely useless when it comes to painting the outside of your house. Trouble is, if they don’t tell you then you won’t discover the problem for a year or two, when the paint starts peeling off prematurely.

Take out references

Unless you’ve used the local decorating company recently, make sure to check with a couple of recent customers to see what their experience was. Again, this sounds like common sense but it’s not done by everyone. There’s a certain pressure built in to having a local decorator sitting in your house, explaining what everything will cost.

Check the cost and any extras

It’s easy to assume that a quote for painting and decorating covers everything you’ve discussed. Most of the time it does but there are occasions when waste needs to be taken away – for instance, if there are walls to be re-plastered – and the decorator may assume that you know this could mean extra cost but not explain that to you. It also pays to find out whether the quote is fixed or whether there are any possible extras on the final bill. No-one can take account of unforeseen circumstances, so make sure that any such extras are discussed with you at the first opportunity rather than being left to the final invoice.