How to Choose a Painting Contractor in Toronto: 12 Questions to Ask

The 12 questions every Toronto homeowner and property manager should ask before signing a painting contract: insurance, prep, materials and warranty.

Painting is one of the highest-trust trades you can hire: these crews are inside your home or business for a week or more. Here are the 12 questions we recommend every Toronto homeowner and property manager ask before signing.

1. Are you fully insured? Ask for a Certificate of Insurance with at least $2M general liability.
2. Are you WSIB compliant? Ask for a current Clearance Certificate.
3. Are your painters employees or subcontractors? Employees usually mean tighter quality control.
4. What specific paint products will you use? 'Premium paint' is not an answer. Get a product name.
5. How many coats are included? Two should be standard for any colour change.
6. Is prep work itemized in the quote? Caulking, sanding, priming, patching, and drywall repair should be explicit.
7. Do you carry lead-safe certification for pre-1978 homes?
8. What's the written warranty? 1 year on workmanship is the GTA standard.
9. Will the same project lead run the job from quote to final walkthrough?
10. How do you handle change orders or unexpected repairs?
11. Can I see local references and recent project photos?
12. How quickly can you start, and what's the daily schedule?

Red flags to watch for

• A quote that's dramatically lower than others (usually means skipped prep, thin paint, or sub-contracted labour).
• No itemized scope of work.
• Cash-only requests or unusually large up-front deposits.
• No physical address or business registration.
• Reluctance to provide insurance documents.