A fresh coat of paint is one of the highest-return home improvements you can make, and one of the easiest to get wrong if you hire the wrong crew. Philadelphia's rowhome-heavy housing stock adds a few wrinkles you won't find in a generic painting guide: shared party walls, older plaster instead of drywall, tall stairwells, and — in a lot of the city's pre-1978 housing — lead paint rules that not every contractor follows correctly. Here's what to check before you sign anything.
1. Confirm they're licensed and insured
Pennsylvania doesn't require a statewide painting contractor license, but any painter working in Philadelphia should still carry general liability insurance and workers' comp coverage for their crew. Ask for proof of both before work starts — if a ladder goes through a window or a worker gets hurt on your property, you don't want to find out afterward that neither was covered.
If your home was built before 1978, there's one more thing to check: contractors disturbing more than a small area of paint on pre-1978 housing are required under the EPA's Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule to be Lead-Safe Certified. A lot of Philadelphia's rowhome stock falls into this window. Ask directly — a legitimate painter will have the certification on hand and won't hesitate to show it.
2. Get at least three quotes — and make sure they're quoting the same job
Painting estimates can vary widely depending on how much prep work is included, so a low bid isn't automatically a good deal if it's skipping steps a higher bid includes. When you request quotes, describe the same scope to each painter: number of rooms or square footage, whether trim and ceilings are included, and any repair work needed first (patching plaster cracks, sanding, priming over water stains). Apples-to-apples quotes are the only way to actually compare.
3. Ask what prep work is included
This is where painting jobs most often go wrong. Philadelphia's older housing stock means plaster walls instead of drywall in a lot of homes, and plaster needs different prep than drywall — patching, sanding, and sometimes a bonding primer before paint will hold properly. Ask specifically: Is patching included? Are they priming bare or repaired areas? Are windows, floors, and fixtures being covered and taped, or just "worked around"? A rushed prep job is the single biggest reason a paint job looks bad within a year.
4. Look past the star rating to the actual reviews
A 4.8-star average tells you less than the reviews themselves. Read a handful and look for specifics: Did the crew show up when scheduled? Was cleanup thorough? Did the finished work match what was quoted? Vague five-star reviews ("great job!") are less useful than reviews that mention concrete details, good or bad. If you're browsing options, the Philadelphia painters listed here include real customer reviews you can dig into for exactly this.
5. Get the scope, timeline, and payment terms in writing
Before work begins, you should have a written agreement covering: exactly what's being painted (rooms, surfaces, number of coats), the paint brand and finish being used, the estimated start and completion dates, and the payment schedule. Be cautious of any contractor asking for full payment upfront — a deposit is normal, but the balance should typically be due on completion, not before.
6. Ask about cleanup and touch-ups
A professional crew should leave your home cleaner than a DIY job would — drop cloths down, hardware and outlet covers reinstalled, no paint spatter left on trim or floors. It's also worth asking upfront whether small touch-ups after the job (a missed spot, a scuff during furniture moving back in) are covered, and for how long. A painter confident in their work usually offers this without being asked.
A few Philadelphia-area painters to check out
If you're ready to start collecting quotes, here are a few local options worth a look:
Enhanced Property Appearance Painting & Renovation — Philadelphia
Rolled Right Painting LLC — Aston Township
Precision Works Painting — Philadelphia
Quality Brush Painting LLC — Philadelphia
Philadelphia Exterior Painting — Philadelphia
Or browse the full list of painters serving the Philadelphia area to compare more options, read reviews, and find one near you.