Your best bet in finding a good painter is by word of mouth. Ask friends whose homes you may have admired, or ask at work. Since you have had bad experiences, go and see the work of a prospective painter. You also need to be on site some of the time the work is being done, to make sure the floors are covered and that preparation work is being done properly. By now you probably know what to look for. I hope you don't pay these guys all up front!

Call some local interior decorators. Believe, they know who is good and who isn't. Ditto for paint dealers - at our Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore stores here, the sales guys all know who sucks and whose good. Don't know how they know (word back from homeowners?), but they do.

Be very specific in your instructions to the painter, too, even going so far as to make a list of these things that haven't been done/need to be redone. Do a walk-thru before the painter gives you a quote. Write it down...write it all down. Have a contract.

And hire a woman.

Cherry-pie, I did everything you mention except hire a woman! Will try that next, if I can find one.

Loblolly, tried asking friends but got nowhere. Paint store recommended three guys. First one came to walk thru the job but never called back with an estimate (anyway, he made me nervous talking about his religion instead of the job); second one told me I was being "too picky" and he didn't want the job. (Although he did point out some badly painted areas that I had missed.) Third one never showed up for the walk through and the estimate.

Back to the yellow pages.

I have heard this so much from clients of mine about regular painters. I run a faux finish company (for 23 years) and have heard plenty of awful stories. I think the best like mentioned here is checking with the big paint companys like Frazee, Dunn Edwards, Benj. Moore..have them come out give an estimate..then check at least 3 of their references and hopefully you find a good one.
I wish you the best! JoanAnn

Go to your local paint store. You can ask if they know any local contractors that due residential work. ALWAYS before you let ANYONE work on your home, check the contractors record with the state Better Business Br. Also ask the contractor for proof of insurance before he climbs on a ladder in your home. NEVER lend them a ladder of yours. If they do not have what they need, then YOU don't need them! On the mind of insurance, if the contractor doing work in or out side of your home has "HELP" MAKE him/her provide proof of workers comp. insurance on each worker! This way the individual worker cannot make claim on your homeowners insurance for injury. Check with your homeowner's policy agent to better understand your risks and rights.

Hello Meow! It would;d seem to me if you had a fire and this is an insurance claim issue that there were guidelines set by them for the painting repairs? Can you enlist their help? Also, although the BBB is a grand resource, a company is not listed with them until after completing one (successful) year in business. That is a good thing/bad thing imho.

My business has two divisions, one is housekeeping and the other is home maintenance/repair. We accept no new business prior to providing a written quote and a contract to the prospective customer that ultimately both parties sign. You can write your OWN contract clearly stating the work to be accomplished enabling you recourse if the job is not done to the specified terms.

The concept that anyone can paint is not valid. There are many considerations and a painter who knows their business will discuss in detail with you all the aspects of the job to be preformed. From surface prep, materials used, possible problems and their resolutions, clean up, time duration of job etc. Demand information and complete disclosure - do not settle for less! At the very least, check the company's license and get a copy of their certificate of insurance.

Best of luck to you - let us know how it turns out!
Mc