When your facility has a need for the services of a painting contractor, how do you ensure that you get only the best contractors in the industry? Short listing contractor is not easy. There are a lot of contractors who would fall in line and bid for your project. Often, it can be difficult to tell one from the other. There can only be minimal differences between their service offerings and pricing schemes.

The selection process can be tedious, but there are ways that can make the process easier for you. Using the tips below, you can examine the detailed differences between each one of these contractors and come up with the one who can deliver success to your project.

1. Decide early on to allow only a few bidding contractors. Short listing 3 to 4 contractors is easier on your schedule and decision-making process. The selection process should not drag on too long. Remember that you will have to sit down with each of these contractors to discuss your requirements. This can be a time-consuming process if you have far too many bidding contractors on your list.

2. Each bidding contractor should provide you with a written work estimate, which outlines their implementation plan for your project. You need to be able to understand from this written estimate how they will actually accomplish your work requirements. The estimates should also detail their time plan and price estimates.

3. Summarize the estimates and come up with your detailed specifications. From the initial work requirement that you initially disclosed to the bidding contractors, they have provided you with a much detailed breakdown of how to achieve your requirements. From this work breakdown you can draw up the project specifications, which includes all tasks and activities that the painting contractor needs to do for your project.

4. Ask each painting contractor to rewrite their estimates with your work specifications, including materials, as a basis. When they do so, you will get price and time estimates for all similar tasks needed to be done for your project. You are getting a more valid basis for comparing their offerings, and that is through a standard specification.

5. Compare each contractor's time and cost estimates. The bidding painting contractor who can provide the best estimates in terms of workmanship, timeliness, and cost-savings will now have a higher chance of being considered for the project.

6. Check the work experience of the painting contractor. Require several references and past client testimonials, to examine the work reputation and proven capabilities of the painting contractor as observed from previous projects.

7. Negotiate on costs. When contractors are finally narrowed down into the most reputable and reliable ones, the only remaining decision criterion is one based on costs. The painting contractor that brings the most acceptable price to the negotiation table will emerge as the contractor of choice.

From the selection process above, one can easily recognize the painting contractor who may not be capable of delivering for the project. Any contractor who cannot fulfill the narrowing-down process must be eliminated. A contractor who cannot come up with a clear estimate should be struck off the list. So is the contractor that cannot provide good references. The process above protects you from making the mistake of choosing the painting contractor that can potentially bring problems and issues later along the project.