Get Quotes from Top Painters in Seattle, WA

Are You Licensed to Practice as a Painter in Seattle?

In Seattle, painters are mandatorily required to register as specialty contractors at the state level to be eligible to execute painting jobs for home improvement or construction purposes. Operating without the appropriate specialty contractor registration is a misdemeanor punishable by various statutory penalties and fines. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries is the agency responsible for registering and regulating specialty contractors across the state, including eligible contractors in Seattle. While there are over 63 specialty contractor categories in the state, painters are only required to register as painting and wall-covering specialty contractors.

A painting and wall covering specialty contractor can carry out activities like sandblasting, caulking, surface preparation, pressure washing, and installation of surface coverings, including paint, pigment, oil, fillers, and wax. To register as a painting and wall covering specialty contractor in Washington, applicants must first register their business with the Washington State Department of Revenue. Furthermore, each applicant is required to maintain a general liability insurance policy, obtain a surety bond or provide evidence of savings, pay the contractor registration fee, and mail a completed, signed, and notarized contractor registration application form to:

Once the application form is submitted and the necessary fees are paid, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries will review the specialty contractor registration application to determine if the applicant has met the requirements for registration. This usually takes three to four weeks and is often followed by the issuance of a specialty contractor certificate. You can verify a painter's registration status by requesting their registration certificate and contacting the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries at (360)-902-5226 to confirm the details on the certificate. You can also confirm a painter's registration status using the Department's verify a contractor, tradesperson, or business tool.

Finally, per the requirements of the lead renovation, repair, and painting rule, anyone who intends to execute renovation, repair, or painting projects that distribute lead-based paints in schools, child-care facilities, and homes that were constructed before 1978 in Seattle must be certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Hiring a painter who is certified by the EPA protects you from exposure to lead dust that can cause lead poisoning. Additionally, it also helps you avoid statutory penalties that may arise from a violation of the lead, renovation, and repair rule.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Painters in Seattle?

The hourly cost of hiring a painter in Seattle is typically dependent on factors like the square footage of the wall or ceiling that is to be painted, the state of the surface before painting, the type and quantity of paint that will complete the job, and the amount of labor required to do the job. Before hiring a painter near you, it is always good to get estimates from at least three different painters. This will help you get a fair price for your job while providing you with adequate information about the project and what to expect from the individual you eventually hire.

A Painter in Seattle earns $50,410 annually. The table below provides the hourly mean wage of painters in Seattle and compares this with the wages of painters in other parts of Washington and several other major cities in the United States:

What Kind of Painting Services Do You Offer?

Hiring the right person for your painting job can help you achieve great results, such as improving your home's aesthetic value and curb appeal. Seattle painters offer a variety of interior and exterior painting services. Some of these services include but are not limited to surface preparation, sandblasting, pressure washing, metal roof painting, concrete painting, stucco painting, wall and ceiling painting, mantels and bookshelves painting, and baseboard paint.

However, Seattle painters specialize in providing different types of painting services, such as new painting works, repair, and maintenance. The aforementioned painting services are performed at different times and for different purposes. For example, new work painting focuses on newly-built structures and can only be performed once, while maintenance painting is performed on a routine basis to retain or improve the aesthetic appeal of a building.

When considering hiring a painter for your home improvement or remodeling job, you should always ensure that the individual specializes in providing the type of service you need. Likewise, you should ensure that the individual is qualified to do the job. This is particularly important considering that painting can lead to negative effects if not done properly. For example, if your home was built before 1978, anyone you intend to hire for the painting job must be certified by the EPA, as this is the only way to protect yourself and your family from exposure to lead poisoning.

You should ensure that the painter you intend to hire resides in your area. Hiring a painter near you means you are allowing someone familiar with the weather conditions and climate in your area to do your work. This can help reduce negative effects such as cracks, wrinkles, and uneven color appearance from occurring during your painting work.

In addition to ensuring that the painter you intend to hire has the relevant experience and qualifications to do your work, you should also find out how much painting services cost in your area. Listed below is the cost estimate for some common painting services in Seattle:

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Painters in Seattle?

Per state requirements, specialty contractors, including painting and wall covering contractors, are required to maintain a general liability insurance policy. Purchasing a general liability insurance policy is one of the requirements for registering as a specialty contractor in Washington. Therefore, it is essential to find out whether the individual you intend to hire to do your painting work is insured. This gives you the much-needed protection against claims or liabilities that may result from work accidents that occurred during your painting job. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were more than 1,600 work-related injuries among painters in the United States in 2020. These injuries, which are generally caused by exposure to contaminants and fumes, slips and falls, and repetitive stress, can occur at any time during a painting job.

While you can not entirely prevent work accidents, you can protect yourself from the liabilities associated with these accidents by hiring an insured painter. You can confirm if the individual you intend to hire is insured by asking for their insurance certificate and contacting the insurance company that issued the certificate to confirm the information on the certificate.