What questions should you ask a painter before you hire?
Dario’s PaintingSep 30, 20268 min readLast updated: Sep 30, 2026
Before you hire a painter, ask five things: are you licensed and insured, what exactly is in the written estimate, who will be on the job, when do you start and finish, and how does payment work. Get at least three written estimates, check the license yourself at verify.tn.gov, and don’t pay more than one-third down. If your house was built before 1978, add a sixth question about lead-safe work. This guide covers each question and the red flags. Dario’s Painting’s own answers are in our painting FAQ and on the about page.
Is the Painter Licensed and Insured?
Ask for the license number and check it at verify.tn.gov: Tennessee requires a license for jobs of $25,000 or more, and in Shelby County a Home Improvement license from $3,000 to $24,999. Then ask for certificates for two separate policies, general liability and workers’ compensation.
Check the license
- Ask for the company name and license number. The FTC says a contract should include both.
- Search them at verify.tn.gov, the state’s free license database. Confirm the license is active and covers a job your size.
- Ask the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors about complaints, and read reviews on independent sites like the Better Business Bureau.
Size matters. Tennessee requires a contractor license for jobs of $25,000 or more. In Shelby County it also requires a Home Improvement license for residential remodeling from $3,000 to $24,999, and the state lists painting as covered work.
Which license a job needs
- $25,000+ a Tennessee contractor license
- $3,000–$24,999 a Home Improvement license, for home jobs in Shelby County
Check the insurance
Ask for certificates for two separate policies: general liability and workers’ compensation. Consumer Reports warns that without coverage you could be on the hook if a crew drops a ladder on your neighbor’s car or a worker gets hurt on your job. Tennessee’s Department of Labor says workers’ comp is its own category, not part of general liability, and requires it for construction employers with even one employee.
Check each certificate’s effective date, then call the agent named on it to confirm the policy is active.
What Should a Written Estimate List?
Get at least three, as Consumer Reports, the BBB and Tennessee’s regulators advise. Check that each lists the same things.
| It should list | What to look for |
|---|---|
| The surfaces | Which rooms, walls, ceilings, trim and doors are in, and which are out. |
| The prep | Patching, sanding, caulking, priming and washing, described in detail. |
| Paint, coats and costs | The brand and model of the paint, how many coats of primer and paint, and a labor and materials breakdown, not one lump sum. |
| Start and finish dates | An estimated start date and completion date. |
| Payment terms | How much is due and when, tied to the work done. |
| Changes and warranty | How change orders are handled and what any warranty covers. |
| The company | Name, address, phone number and license number. |
Then compare line by line. The FTC says not to choose the lowest bidder automatically, and to ask for an explanation when estimates differ a lot. Our house painting cost guide shows what moves a price.
Ask About Prep, Paint and Coats
What prep is included?
Ask who patches holes, caulks gaps, sands glossy trim and washes walls, how floors and furniture are covered, and what you must do yourself.
Which paint, in what sheen?
Get the brand, product line and sheen for each surface. Paint should suit the surface and the finish you want, says the BBB.
How many coats, and is primer included?
Sherwin-Williams says priming is essential on new walls and when going from dark to light, and each coat should dry completely before the next.
Is the paint thinned?
Sherwin-Williams says most paints are ready to use from the can, and thinning past the label may change how they perform. Ask if it is thinned.
Our paint sheen guide matches finishes to rooms, and Sherwin-Williams vs Benjamin Moore compares the two big brands.
Who Is on the Job, and When Does It End?
Who does the work?
Owner, employees or subcontractors? Ask the crew size, how experienced it is and who you call if something goes wrong.
When do you start and finish?
A start date and completion date in writing. Ask what happens if weather or the schedule slips, and who tells you first.
Who cleans up, and when?
The BBB says to be clear who is responsible in each phase. Ask if the room is put back each day or only at the end.
How does the final walkthrough work?
Walk the job before the last payment and point out anything wrong. Consumer Reports says to pay the final amount only when you are fully satisfied.
How Payment and Deposits Usually Work
A deposit is normal. Paying for work that hasn’t happened is not.
How much to pay up front
As a share of the whole job.
- A reasonable deposit: 10% to 15% (Consumer Reports)
- Tennessee law: no more than one-third down (Attorney General)
- Tennessee’s Attorney General says state law prohibits requiring more than one-third down. Its advice: don’t let payments get ahead of the work.
- Consumer Reports calls 10 to 15 percent a reasonable deposit, with later payments in quarters as the work progresses.
- Skip cash. The Attorney General suggests a credit card with special protection.
- Hold back the last payment until you are satisfied. The BBB also says to ask for written confirmation that subcontractors have been paid, since they can put a lien on your home if the main contractor doesn’t pay them.
- If you sign at home, the FTC says the contract should include a written statement of your right to cancel within three business days.
Lead-Safe Certification for Pre-1978 Homes
Lead-based paint was banned for home use in 1978, and the EPA says about three-quarters of older homes still contain some. Sanding or scraping it makes lead dust, and plenty of Memphis houses are that old.
By the numbers
- 1978 the year lead paint was banned for home use
- 3 in 4 older homes still have some, says the EPA
- 6 / 20 sq ft the small-job limit per room inside, and outside
EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule says anyone paid to disturb painted surfaces in a pre-1978 home must be EPA-certified and use lead-safe practices, even one-person firms. EPA certifies firms in Tennessee. Small jobs are exempt: six square feet or less of paint per room inside, or 20 square feet or less outside.
What to ask
- Are you EPA lead-safe certified? Ask to see the certification, and look the firm up in EPA’s certified-firm search.
- Will I get EPA’s Renovate Right pamphlet before work starts? Firms must hand it over before renovating a pre-1978 home.
- How will you contain dust and clean up? Lead-safe practices include sealing off the work area, no open-flame burning, no power sanding without HEPA exhaust, and a thorough cleanup.
Red Flags to Walk Away From
These come from the FTC, Tennessee’s Attorney General and the state’s contractor regulators.
- They knock on your door because they are “in the area.” Tennessee’s regulators say legitimate contractors don’t show up at your home claiming to have spotted damage on your roof.
- They say they have leftover materials from another job.
- They pressure you to decide now, or offer a deal that ends soon.
- They want full payment up front, more than one-third down, or cash only.
- They won’t put terms in writing, or leave blanks in the contract.
- They can’t show a license number or insurance certificates.
- They suggest a shortcut around lead-safe rules on a pre-1978 home. The BBB says not to hire anyone who does.
One red flag means ask more questions. Two means call the next painter.
How Dario’s Painting Answers These
| You ask | Dario’s Painting |
|---|---|
| Licensed and insured? | Licensed and insured in Tennessee, with the certificate in your hand before day one. Ask for the license number at the walkthrough. |
| What is in the estimate? | Free and written: surfaces, prep, coats, paint and days, priced line by line, with a start day and an end day. No obligation, and yours to keep. |
| Prep, paint and coats? | Patch, sand, caulk and prime first. Premium Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore, matched to the surface and never thinned: two coats, over primer where the surface needs it. Paint is included. |
| Who is on the job? | Dario, the owner, writes every estimate and is on every job. Crews speak English and Spanish. |
| When do you start and finish? | A start day and an end day on the quote, not a window. Weather moves exteriors, and you hear it from us first. |
| Cleanup and walkthrough? | Tools packed out and the room put back each evening, not on the last day. At the end you walk the job with Dario, and whatever you point at is fixed before it is called done. |
Not covered here: payment terms, warranty details and lead-safe work on homes built before 1978. Ask Dario about each at the free walkthrough, and get the answers in writing.
Ready for the first step? Get a free written estimate, read how a job goes, or meet the owner on the about page.
Got questions?
How do I hire a painter?
Get at least three written estimates, check each painter’s license and insurance, and compare the estimates line by line. Ask who will be on the job and how payment works, and get it all in a written contract before you pay.
How do I check a painter’s license in Tennessee?
Search the company name or license number at verify.tn.gov and confirm the license is active. The Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors can also tell you about complaints.
How much deposit does a painter ask for?
Consumer Reports calls 10 to 15 percent reasonable, though contractors vary. Tennessee’s Attorney General says state law prohibits requiring more than one-third down.
Does my painter need to be lead-safe certified?
If your home was built before 1978 and the job disturbs painted surfaces, yes: EPA requires a certified firm, with an exception for small jobs. Ask to see the certification and look the firm up in EPA’s search.
What should I look for in professional house painters in Memphis?
A Tennessee license you can look up, current insurance certificates, and a written estimate listing surfaces, prep, coats, paint and days. Dario’s Painting is licensed and insured in Tennessee, and Dario, the owner, is on every job.
Sources
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: Home Improvement Contractor — license required for residential projects of $3,000 to $24,999 in Shelby County; painting is covered work
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: Contractor license — contractor license required at $25,000 or more
- Tennessee Attorney General and TDCI: tips to avoid home improvement fraud (March 2025) — verify.tn.gov, insurance certificates, one-third down, red flags
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance: verify licenses of potential home contractors (2012) — at least three bids; unsolicited roof-damage claims as a red flag
- Tennessee license lookup (verify.tn.gov) — the state’s free license database
- Tennessee Department of Labor: construction workers’ compensation coverage — required for construction employers with one or more employees
- Tennessee Department of Labor: certificate of insurance — workers’ comp is separate from general liability
- FTC: how to avoid a home improvement scam — warning signs, contract contents, three-day right to cancel, lowest bidder
- Consumer Reports: how to hire a painter (May 2022) — what the estimate should list, insurance, 10 to 15 percent deposit
- Better Business Bureau: hiring a painter — questions to ask, cleanup, lead, final payment and subcontractor liens
- U.S. EPA: Renovation, Repair and Painting Program — certification for pre-1978 homes; three-quarters of older homes contain lead paint
- U.S. EPA: RRP firm certification — states that run their own programs (Tennessee is not one)
- U.S. EPA: RRP program for contractors — six and 20 square foot exception
- U.S. EPA: RRP work practices — pamphlet before work; containment, banned methods, cleanup
- U.S. EPA: Renovate Right pamphlet (PDF) — “always ask to see your contractor’s certification”; pamphlet before work
- U.S. EPA: find a lead-safe certified contractor — certified-firm search
- Sherwin-Williams: paint FAQ — most paints need no thinning; thinning past the label changes performance
- Sherwin-Williams: the best order to paint a room — priming for new walls and dark-to-light changes; dry between coats
Checked September 2026. Prices and product details change; your written estimate has the numbers for your house.
