How to choose an industrial painting contractor: 12 questions to ask

To choose an industrial painting contractor, compare first what they propose to do, not only their price: the system and preparation to the required grade, inspection and records, containment, health and safety and confined space work, ambient conditions, written warranties, declared subcontracting, insurance, the shutdown schedule, waste handling and verifiable references. The 12 questions below and the evaluation grid let you compare bids on the same basis.

An industrial coating rarely fails because of the product. It fails because preparation was cut short, thickness was not measured, paint was applied below the dew point or the work overran the shutdown window. These gaps are invisible on handover day, but show up a few seasons later. This guide is for buyers, maintenance managers and project managers in Quebec and Ontario preparing a tender or comparing bids.

Do the proposed system and preparation meet the need?

A serious bid describes the full system and the preparation to the specified grade, coat by coat, rather than a simple price per square metre. If your specification does not cover these points, ask each bidder to write them down; it is the only way to compare.

1. What system do you propose, and what reference is it based on? The answer should name each coat (primer, intermediate, topcoat), its nominal dry film thickness and the reference used, for example a typical system per ISO 12944-5 for the corrosivity category of the environment. Our article on ISO 12944 explains how to read these categories. ISO 12944-8 specifically covers writing specifications for new work and maintenance.

2. What surface preparation, to what grade, and how will it be checked? The bid should name the grade (for example Sa 2½ per ISO 8501-1 or SSPC-SP 10, or SSPC-SP 11 power tool cleaning), the target profile and the measurement method, for example ASTM D4417. Grades are described in our NACE 2 / SSPC-SP 10 preparation guide. Preparation "as needed" or "depending on condition" makes comparison impossible.

How will quality be inspected and documented?

The contractor should describe hold points, measurements and records, and accept that independent inspection checks them. A coating that is not measured cannot be credibly accepted or warranted.

3. What inspections do you carry out, and what records do you hand over? Expect at a minimum: ambient conditions, cleanliness and profile, dry film thickness per SSPC-PA 2 or ISO 19840, holiday testing for immersion linings, adhesion where needed (for example ASTM D4541), and a signed daily log. Our coating inspection service can carry out or verify these checks for the owner.

4. How do you manage ambient conditions? The answer should cover steel temperature, relative humidity and dew point margin (measured per ISO 8502-4, for example), reading frequency and what happens when conditions go out of limits: stop, heat, dehumidify or postpone. In a Quebec winter, this point often decides the schedule.

How will the site, workers and environment be protected?

The contractor should present a containment plan, a health and safety program suited to the site and a waste handling method before work starts. These three points are hard to negotiate once the job is open.

5. What containment do you plan? Tarps, enclosures, dust collection, protection of nearby equipment and products in process: the method must match the process (abrasive blasting, hydro blasting, spray painting) and the surroundings. Our article on blasting in operating plants and dust control lists what to check.

6. What is your health and safety program, especially for confined space work? Ask for the prevention program, risk assessments, lockout method, rescue plan and worker training for confined spaces, with reference to the RSST in Quebec, Ontario Regulation 632/05 and CSA Z1006. WHMIS and respiratory protection are also part of the answer.

7. How do you handle waste? Spent abrasive, old paint, wash water, containers: the bid should state collection, characterization, transport and disposal. If old coatings may contain lead or other heavy metals, a specific protocol applies, as with our lead paint removal service.

What warranties and insurance should you ask for?

Ask for a written warranty that states what is covered, for how long and under what conditions, and require insurance and compliance attestations before award. A verbal promise protects no one.

8. What written warranty do you offer? The document should separate the workmanship warranty (preparation, application) from the manufacturer's product warranty, state exclusions (mechanical damage, unplanned chemicals, wear) and describe the inspection procedure during the warranty period. Duration is compared bidder to bidder, with no default figure.

9. What insurance do you carry? Ask the bidder for a current general liability insurance attestation, with the amounts your specification requires and your organization named as additional insured if your policy calls for it, plus a CNESST compliance attestation, or the WSIB equivalent in Ontario. These documents are checked, not assumed.

Who will actually do the work, and on what schedule?

The bid should declare subcontractors and present a schedule that fits the shutdown window, with its assumptions. This is often where the production schedule is won or lost.

10. Which parts of the work will be subcontracted, and to whom? Subcontracting is not a problem in itself: it is common for scaffolding, containment or specialized processes. The problem is undeclared subcontracting. Ask for the list of subcontractors and their role, and confirm the same requirements (safety, insurance, inspection) apply to them.

11. How will you hold the schedule during the shutdown? Expect zone sequencing, crew size per shift, drying and recoat times from the data sheets, inspection hold points and a contingency plan (weather, ambient conditions, findings during the work). Our project management service coordinates this kind of shutdown with production.

How do you check a contractor's references?

Ask for recent references for comparable work (same type of structure, same environment, same shutdown constraint) and call them. A list of names without contact details is useless.

12. Can you provide verifiable references for comparable work? On the call, ask concrete questions: was the schedule kept, were the records handed over, how were surprises handled, how has the coating performed since? A visit to a completed structure, when possible, says even more.

How do you compare bids with an evaluation grid?

Bids are compared with a weighted grid that scores each question, and then price is weighed against life-cycle cost, not only initial cost. The grid below is an example structure; each organization sets its own weighting based on its priorities.

Our article on coating total cost of ownership helps put price in perspective, and the one on industrial painting cost explains what makes a bid vary.

For our own bids in protective coatings and industrial painting, we answer these 12 questions in writing. Our crews and qualified subcontractors work from LaSalle, including in Quebec City and Trois-Rivières. Send your specification or photos through the request a quote form: pricing on consultation, reply within 24 business hours.

Frequently asked questions

Should you always pick the lowest bid?

No, not if it does not meet the same requirements as the others. A lower bid that leaves out preparation to the specified grade or inspection is not comparable. The evaluation grid brings all offers to the same basis before price is considered.

What if the specification does not define the system?

Have it defined before tendering, with help from an independent advisor if needed, or ask each bidder to propose a detailed system per ISO 12944. Without a defined system, you are comparing different jobs.

Is independent inspection useful if the contractor does its own checks?

Yes, especially for immersion linings, critical structures and large projects. Independent inspection verifies hold points for the owner and reduces disputes at acceptance.

How many bids should you request?

Enough to compare in earnest, from bidders able to answer the 12 questions. Fewer complete bids are better than many prices without detail.