Six Expert Tips To Choose a Parking Lot Striping Contractor

Before a customer ever arrives at your front door or walks into your lobby, they’ve already gotten an impression of your business or establishment. No, it’s not the architecture of the building or even your decor that first welcomes them to your property – it’s your parking lot. 

A professionally striped commercial parking lot looks great and lends curb appeal to your business. It helps direct the flow of traffic and makes parking quicker, easier, and safer. Fresh, bright pavement markings also clearly identify ADA-compliant parking spaces, define walkways, and, of course, show drivers where not to park.

If you’re gazing out the front window at your chipped and faded parking lot striping right now (or lack thereof!), and thinking your customers’ first impression isn’t looking too sharp, it’s probably time to spruce up your parking lot with freshly painted markings. But how do you find a pavement striping contractor who’s trustworthy, knowledgeable, and experienced? 

THE FOLLOWING SIX TIPS WILL HELP MAKE IT MUCH EASIER TO FIND AND SELECT THE PERFECT STRIPING CONTRACTOR.

Request Bids From Multiple Parking Lot Striping Companies
As with any job that requires hiring an experienced contractor, it’s important to get more than one estimate for your pavement marking project. By requesting a custom quote from a few different pavement striping contractors in your area, you’ll be able to assess more easily what the average cost of commercial parking lot striping should be.

Request Bids From Multiple Parking Lot Striping Companies
As with any job that requires hiring an experienced contractor, it’s important to get more than one estimate for your pavement marking project. By requesting a custom quote from a few different pavement striping contractors in your area, you’ll be able to assess more easily what the average cost of commercial parking lot striping should be.

Don’t Automatically Choose the Contractor With the Lowest Quote
Business owners need to save money whenever possible. But if you get a commercial parking lot striping estimate that is noticeably lower than the rest, it pays to be a bit leery. Is the contractor registered with their state and insured? Do they provide references? Do they use professional striping equipment and high-quality materials? Or will someone show up to your business with a homemade stencil and 30 cans of spray paint in the back of their truck?

Avoid Having To Fix Another Parking Lot Striping Contractor’s Mistakes
When you hire a pavement marking contractor to stripe your parking lot, and they don’t do it well, it will almost always end up costing you more money to redo the lot. Paying a skilled and trustworthy contractor to stripe your parking lot will save you the time, expense, and headache of having to find another contractor to fix the poor workmanship. So how can you dramatically increase your odds of finding a top-notch commercial pavement striping contractor? See the next tip!

Request Referrals From Friends, Family, and Business Owners in Your Area
Your community is probably the single best resource for finding experienced parking lot striping contractors who will provide excellent service and products. Contact other business owners in your community, chat with your local Chamber of Commerce, reach out on social media, and ask the people around you for referrals. You should get a few good suggestions for pavement marking contractors. You can then visit their websites and decide whether to request a quote. And if no one you know has a recommendation? Well, that just means a bit more research.  

Search Online for Parking Lot Striping Contractors in Your Area
A simple search for “parking lot striping contractors near me” or “pavement marking companies near me” will likely bring up dozens of options. The important thing here is to select a handful and then spend some time researching each one. Does the company have a professional website where you can view some of their pavement marking projects and read customer reviews? Do they offer free estimates? If you contact the company, are they friendly and responsive? Will they readily provide you with references – i.e., projects you can check out yourself? Are they willing to give you the name of another reputable contractor? Which leads us to the last tip.

Make Sure To Ask For References (and Actually Go See Their Work!)
Contractors who are proud of the work they do will happily give you references to check out for yourself. If a parking lot striping contractor is hesitant to provide references or seems to be making excuses, consider it a red flag and move on. Take a drive into a few parking lots the company has striped and see how they look, whether the flow is good, and how the parking spaces are laid out. Is the parking lot easy to navigate? Does it give you a great first impression? (And since you’re there, you may even be able to say hello to the business owner and ask if they are pleased with the contractor who did the pavement striping!)  

A professional striping contractor will have the knowledge and experience to maximize your parking lot’s layout, improve flow and efficiency, reduce driver confusion, and improve safety. They’ll employ the latest materials and tools to give your commercial parking lot long-lasting quality. They should even be able to advise you on how to best care for your lot and how often you may need to restripe. 

By following these six tips you’re sure to select a pavement marking contractor who will stripe your commercial parking lot right the first time. And if you're in central Minnesota and you’d like to make a great first impression on the people who visit your business, contact Ryan at RTA LLC for a free parking lot striping quote.