How to Choose a Painter in Singapore: 10 Checks and 8 Red Flags
Hire a painter who has a registered business (check the UEN), insures their workers, shows you recent work, and gives an itemised written quote naming the paint, number of coats and prep work. Avoid painters who ask for most of the money upfront, won’t put anything in writing, or quote far below everyone else.
Why it pays to be careful
Painting looks simple, so anyone can call themselves a painter. Most are honest. But the common problems are real: watered-down paint, one coat instead of two, skipped preparation, messy edges, paint on floors and furniture, extra charges added halfway, and contractors who disappear after taking a deposit. A few checks up front avoid nearly all of them.
10 checks before you hire
1. Registered business and UEN
Ask for the company name and UEN, and check it on ACRA’s BizFile. It tells you the business is real and still active.
2. Insurance for workers
Employers in Singapore must buy work injury compensation insurance for manual workers. If an uninsured worker is injured in your home, it gets complicated. Ask whether workers are covered.
3. Public liability insurance
This covers accidental damage to your property or a neighbour’s, which matters a lot for exterior and condo jobs.
4. Recent, relevant work
Ask for photos of recent jobs similar to yours, such as HDB, condo or landed homes, and ideally a past customer you can message.
5. Reviews you can verify
Look at Google reviews and see whether they’re detailed and spread over time. A handful of short, five-star reviews posted in one week is less convincing.
6. An itemised written quote
It should list the paint brand and product, number of coats, preparation, areas included and excluded, timeline, payment terms and warranty.
7. A site visit or detailed photos
A painter who quotes a firm price without seeing your walls is guessing, and guesses tend to grow later. Photos are fine for simple jobs.
8. Clear start date and duration
You should know when they’ll start, how many days it’ll take, and how many workers are coming.
9. Fair payment terms
A small deposit with the balance paid on completion and your satisfaction is reasonable. Paying in full upfront isn’t.
10. Workmanship warranty
Ask what happens if paint peels or bubbles within a few months. Get any warranty in writing.
8 red flags
- Asks for 50% or more upfront, especially for a small residential job
- No written quote, or a one-liner like “paint whole house $700”
- Won’t name the paint, or says “same as Nippon” without a product name
- Far cheaper than everyone else, often by cutting coats, prep or paint quality
- No business registration or won’t share a UEN
- Pressure to decide today with a “special price”
- Vague about who’s actually doing the work, in case it’s passed to a subcontractor you’ve never met
- Extra charges appear mid-job for things that should have been in the quote
Questions to ask every painter
- Which paint product will you use on walls, ceilings and wet areas?
- How many coats, and do you seal or prime patches first?
- How will you protect my floors, furniture and fittings?
- How many workers, and how many days?
- Are your workers insured?
- What’s not included in this price?
- What warranty do you give, and what does it cover?
- What are your payment terms?
How to compare quotes fairly
Put the quotes side by side and compare line by line: same rooms, same paint grade, same number of coats, same prep. If one quote is much cheaper, find what’s missing. A quote that’s $200 cheaper but uses economy paint with one coat isn’t actually cheaper. You’ll be repainting sooner.
Want this done for you? Every painter in our network has already passed these checks, and quotes in the same itemised format so you can compare easily. See how we vet painters or get up to 3 quotes.
On the day: what good painters do
- Arrive on time with sealed paint tins that match the quote
- Cover floors and furniture before opening any paint
- Mask switches, sockets and frames
- Fill and sand before painting, not after
- Paint ceilings first, then walls
- Clean up at the end of each day and walk you through the finished work
FAQ
How much deposit should I pay a painter in Singapore?
For residential jobs, a small deposit (often 10% to 30%) with the balance on completion is common and reasonable. Avoid paying most of the price upfront.
Do painters in Singapore need a license?
There’s no specific painting license for homes, but the painter should run a registered business and insure their workers. For HDB works that need a permit, such as some partition works, HDB requires contractors registered in its Directory of Renovation Contractors.
Is it better to hire a painting company or a freelance painter?
Either can do good work. Registered companies are easier to hold accountable and more likely to have insurance and warranties. Whichever you choose, get everything in writing.
What should I do if a painter doesn’t finish the job?
Contact them in writing first. If that fails, you may be able to file a claim with the Small Claims Tribunals. Keeping the quote and payment records makes this much easier.
