There are many reasons for choosing a professional decorator. Among obvious advantages are speed and quality of work as well as skill, knowledge and experience.
Safety is of paramount importance, especially where exterior decoration or ladder work is concerned.
A professional will be more accustomed to working at heights and a reliable decorator will have the right tools and access equipment to cater for the job in hand and adequate insurance in the event of a mishap. A good professional decorator should be able to advise on the most appropriate choice of paint finish and colour and some may even specialise in decorative effect finishes. It's worth checking first, if you're looking for something out of the ordinary. The painting and decorating trade, like others, has professional bodies to whom good tradesmen are often associated. If you are seeking a decorator through a source such as Yellow Pages, look for those with BDA or PDF affiliation.