If you are about to get your house painted–specifically, exterior house painting – you will find several clickbait tip lists. You know, “The five ways to do that” and “The eight steps to do this.” They are all effective for education on doing the right thing when considering exterior painting services.
Whether daring enough to do the job yourself or searching for exterior home painting companies, understanding a few things before the task is kicked off will help the process go smoothly.
Some of these punch list items will seem rudimentary. Others may surprise you. The objective is simple. If you understand what to look for first, you will be more comfortable and confident with whatever option you decide. Painting your home can be rewarding, but it’s also laborious. Exterior house painting is a large investment, but it doesn’t have to be stressful. Finding the right exterior painting companies isn’t always a simple search online.
Let’s see if we can increase your insight for enhancing your curb appeal. Here are a few questions you should answer before becoming a pro or hiring one.
6 QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK ABOUT EXTERIOR HOUSE PAINTING BEFORE BECOMING A PRO OR HIRING ONE
When was the house built?
If you are interested in exterior home painting, the first thing you must make certain is knowing when the home was first built–not when you bought it. Did you know the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) demands anywhere that sells paint to check for lead? It’s toxic and was banned from interior or exterior house painting in 1978. If your home is older than that and tests positive for information, hire a lead-safe contractor first to ensure safety.
What’s Your Budget?
For exterior painting services, or if you plan to do it yourself, you must go by your budget. The price tag isn’t shocking if you do your homework, but a word of caution: do not go cheap. Paint constantly erodes eventually, but the better quality of paint you get for exterior house painting, the fewer times you will have to repaint. Today, colors will last longer, and materials can fight the elements stronger. However, in the world of painting, you get what you pay for, so pay more upfront so you won’t have to pay twice as much later.
How Clean is Your House?
Most of us, outside of an episode of Hoarders, know how clean our house appears to others. Even if you don’t have the best landscaping, the home’s focus is always on the inside. However, when searching for a pro or instructions for DIY, exterior painting companies made it the norm to power wash your home. The main reason is paint doesn’t stick to dirt or rotted siding.
Your house is outside daily, usually not protected by much shading or other elements. The dirt and dust buildup can be substantial, and you don’t even realize it. There could also be paint residue, mildew, or any number of things in the elements. Think of exterior house painting like any other canvas–it needs to be smooth and clean. You can power wash your home by yourself with the help of a power washer. Going from top to bottom is usually the best way to do it.
Do you have any cracks?
Much like when you are painting the walls of your home, exterior house painting requires the filling of any cracks or small sections that are damaged or missing. Try to sand your surface to create a smooth surface for the new primer and paint. Use a hand scraper to remove any loose paint or mortar. Then, the entire outside surface will need to be vacuumed to remove all dust. And then, there’s all the caulk trimming that will be necessary.
(Admit it: You’re considering hiring one of those exterior painting companies now, right? It’s okay. We understand better than most.)
Do You Have Protection?
This isn’t that particular class in 5th grade where videos showed the birds and the bees. This is still exterior home painting 101. Much like you would do inside the home, your windows and furnishings need to be covered–outside, that is, the landscaping. Anything like a grill, hoses, vegetation, doorways, or garage doors need heavy drop cloths to be secured around each corner of each item. We’d recommend stronger tape to hold coverings over the windows.
Are You Ready?
The stuff that comes next for you or an exterior home services company is what you would expect. It needs to look like you painted the house exterior white with a generous coat of primer, followed by sanding, and whatever color of paint you have decided will make your home as beautiful as possible.
A good note other than buying the “good stuff” is buying more than you need. Mix several cans of the same color into a larger container or “boxing” the paint. If you don’t buy enough paint in that color, it could dry before you have a chance to get some more and get back to work. Do you want two different colors on your exterior home painting project? No, you don’t.
Whatever you decide, you will make the right decision for what’s suitable for you and your home. All that advice is free. Make the best investment for your house. However, if you need some help, call Teaberry. We’re here to help.
