Before you start
- Washington requires construction contractors, including painting contractors, to register with L&I and be bonded and insured.
- L&I’s Verify tool shows registration, bond lawsuits and safety violations.
- The Attorney General warns about crews offering to paint with leftover supplies.
A good painter is worth waiting for. A bad one can cost far more than the bid. Washington has clear rules for contractors and free tools to check them, and using them takes about ten minutes. Here is how to hire well.
Registration is required
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, L&I, requires all construction contractors to register and to be bonded and insured to protect the public. Painting is one of the 63 specialties that L&I says require contractor registration. Working without registration carries substantial penalties.
Use L&I’s Verify tool
L&I’s Verify tool shows whether a business has an active contractor registration and an active, paid-up workers’ compensation account covering its employees. It also shows safety violations, lawsuits against the contractor’s surety bond and license history. L&I notes that hiring a registered contractor does not guarantee problems will not happen, but it may give you protections that are not available otherwise.
- Active registration — L&I Verify. Required by law for painting contractors.
- Bond and insurance — L&I Verify. Protects you if damage occurs.
- Workers’ compensation — L&I Verify. Covers workers injured on your property.
- Lawsuits against the bond, violations — L&I Verify. Shows past problems.
- EPA lead-safe firm certification — Ask the contractor for the certificate. Required for paid work on pre-1978 homes.
Tip: L&I says it will never call to ask you to pay licensing or registration fees over the phone. Treat any such call as a scam.
Watch for door-to-door crews
Washington’s Attorney General warns that when the weather turns nice, traveling crews go through neighborhoods offering to pave driveways, repair roofs or paint houses with supplies left over from another job. The AG calls it a scam: the work is done quickly, the quality is poor and the bill often exceeds the estimate. Warning signs include an unmarked truck with out-of-state plates and no business identification, local address or phone number.
Get written bids
The Attorney General advises checking references and getting several written bids. Ask each bidder to spell out the prep, the number of coats, the type of primer and paint, how they will protect plants and the ground, and what is excluded. Compare bids on the same scope; see What Exterior House Painting Costs in Everett, and What Drives the Price.
Older homes need a certified firm
If the house was built before 1978, the EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule requires anyone paid to disturb paint to be a certified firm using trained workers and lead-safe practices, including plastic sheeting on the ground at least 10 feet out and no open-flame burning or power tools without HEPA dust collection. The EPA recommends homeowners hire a lead-safe certified contractor for this work. See Painting an Older Everett Home: Lead-Safe Rules, Prep and What to Ask a Painter.
What to put in the contract
- The contractor’s L&I registration number.
- Exact scope: surfaces, colors, sheen, number of coats and repairs.
- Prep steps, including mildew cleaning and end-grain sealing.
- Start window tied to dry weather, and what happens on rain days.
- Payment schedule tied to progress, not a large payment upfront.
- Cleanup and disposal, including lead debris if applicable.
If something goes wrong
General or specialty contractor?
L&I registers contractors in two classes. General contractors can perform most types of construction work and hire subcontractors across specialties. Specialty contractors, such as painting contractors, can work only in the specialty they are registered for and cannot hire subcontractors. If a painter plans to bring in a carpenter for siding repairs, ask how that will be handled and whether the carpenter is registered too.
What needs a registered contractor
Washington’s Attorney General explains that, generally, work that adds to or subtracts from real estate requires a registered contractor, while services such as gutter cleaning, pruning, lawn care or window washing do not. Exterior painting falls on the registered side. If someone offers to paint your house but cannot show an L&I registration number, keep looking.
L&I also publishes Hire Smart, a step-by-step homeowner’s guide to hiring a contractor, which covers how to find a qualified contractor and avoid common problems. It is worth reading before you sign anything.
One more practical point: ask who will actually be on site. Washington requires workers’ compensation coverage for employees, and L&I’s Verify tool shows whether a contractor’s account is active and paid to date. If the crew will be subcontractors or so-called independent contractors, ask how they are registered and covered before work starts, since gaps in coverage can become your problem if someone is injured on your property.
L&I’s site explains your options when a project goes badly, including claims against the contractor’s bond. Keep the contract, receipts and photos of the work. For timing and prep you can discuss with your painter, see The Best Time to Paint a House in Everett: Reading the Calendar and the Siding and Exterior Paint Prep Checklist for Everett Homes: From Washing to the Last Coat.
How long will your paint or stain last? Try the paint life check.