A reliable painter is one you have checked, not one who told you they're reliable. You read reviews, call a few past clients, and ask a short list of direct questions. A good painter answers them easily and puts the answers in writing.
Shortlist three painters with plenty of recent reviews. Get a written, itemised quote from each. Ask each one the same questions about insurance, workers, warranty and schedule, and have them confirm the answers in writing. Then compare the answers, not only the prices.
Use the checklist below on every painter you're considering.
1. Read the reviews properly
Start with review sites such as HomeStars and Google.
- Read the recent reviews, not only the star average. A company can change a lot in a few years.
- Look for specifics: did the crew arrive on time, protect the floors, clean up each day, and finish when they said they would?
- Read the low ratings and the replies. Most companies with many reviews have a few complaints. How a company answers them tells you how it will treat you if something goes wrong.
- Check awards and badges on the review site itself. Click through to the profile, and don't rely on a logo pasted into a quote.
- Look for jobs like yours: a full interior, an exterior, a stairwell, a feature wall, or a home in your part of Mississauga.
2. Call references
Ask for two or three recent clients with jobs like yours, plus one older job, because some problems take a year or more to show. Ask the references:
- Did the crew start and finish on the dates they gave?
- Was the house protected and cleaned up each day?
- Was the final price the price in the quote? If not, why?
- How was a problem handled, if there was one?
- Would you hire them again?
If a painter can't give you any references, treat that as your answer.
3. Get a written, itemised quote
Get at least three quotes so you can compare them. A useful quote lists:
- The rooms and surfaces: walls, ceilings, trim, doors
- The prep: patching, sanding, caulking, priming
- The paint product and sheen, and the number of coats
- Who moves the furniture, and the daily cleanup
- Start and finish dates
- The payment schedule and deposit
If one quote is much lower than the others, check that it includes the same prep and the same number of coats. Compare the line items, not only the totals.
4. Ask about insurance and workers' coverage
Ask every painter these questions and get the answers in writing:
- "Do you carry liability insurance? Can you send me the certificate?" Then call the insurer named on it and confirm the policy is current.
- "Are your workers covered by WSIB? Can you show me a clearance certificate?"
- "If something in my home is damaged during the job, how is it handled?"
5. Ask who will be in your home
- Who will do the work: your own employees, or subcontractors?
- Will the same people be here for the whole job?
- Have the people coming into my home had background checks?
- Who do I call if there's a problem on site, and will that person pick up?
6. Ask about the warranty
- Do you offer a warranty on your work?
- What does it cover (peeling, blistering, touch-ups), and for how long?
- Is it in the written quote?
7. Settle the schedule and the money
- How many days will the job take, and how many people will be on it?
- Which rooms will I lose, and when?
- How big is the deposit? Keep it small, and pay the balance after you have walked through the finished work.
- Condo owners: ask your management office what it needs from a contractor before work starts, such as elevator bookings or paperwork. Then ask the painter whether they have worked under those rules before.
Red flags
- No written quote, or a quote with one line and one number
- Pressure to sign today
- A large payment before any work starts
- Cash only, with no paperwork
- No references, or reviews you can't find on the review site itself
- Vague answers to the insurance and worker questions
The one-page checklist
- [ ] Recent reviews on HomeStars and Google, low ratings and replies included
- [ ] Awards and badges confirmed on the review site
- [ ] Two or three references called, plus one older job
- [ ] At least three written, itemised quotes
- [ ] Liability insurance certificate received and confirmed with the insurer
- [ ] WSIB coverage question asked and answered in writing
- [ ] Who will be on site, and whether they were background-checked
- [ ] Warranty terms, in writing
- [ ] Dates, crew size, deposit and payment schedule in the quote
Checking Natik Painting
Natik Painting is a family-owned residential painter established in 1978, led today by Tony and Natalie, serving Mississauga, Toronto and the GTA. It does interior and exterior painting, custom murals, sophisticated finishes and colour consultation.
On HomeStars, Natik has won 11 awards: three "Best of the Best", including 2024, and eight "Best of". It also holds the HomeStars Verified Background Check (a check of the business, run by HomeStars). Check both on HomeStars, as you would for any painter. Two homeowners' reviews:
"By the time they were finished, we understood why they are so highly rated and are worth every star." (Anupam, Mississauga, ON; HomeStars review, as shown on natikpainting.ca)
"Amazing team! Natalie really went out of her way for us. Helped us pick out colors. Gave us some ideas on decor." (Sameera, Toronto, ON; HomeStars review, as shown on natikpainting.ca)
Ask us your questions. The quote is free. Call 416.409.4476 or email sales@natikpainting.ca.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, "Your rights when starting home renovations or repairs" (consumer guidance on estimates, references and deposits; read it for your rights in Ontario): https://www.ontario.ca/page/your-rights-when-starting-home-renovations-or-repairs
- Natik Painting company facts: https://natikpainting.ca (read 2026-09-30)