Every home we visit is unique in its own way, and the questions we hear from our clients are often specific to their home. We love this individuality and having the opportunity to connect with you and discuss your property’s one-of-a-kind characteristics and considerations.
At the same time, there are some staple questions, if you will, that we often hear about the exterior painting process. With the hope that you might find them helpful, we’ve addressed the most common ones here.
Keep an eye out for links, too! If we have written about any of these topics in greater depth, we’ve connected you directly to that article for a little further investigation. If we haven’t covered it ourselves before, we’ve found solid resources that have.
Is Name Brand Exterior Paint Worth The Expense?
Especially if you are looking for ways to make your painting project as budget-friendly as possible, using bargain-brand paint can be very, very tempting.
Here’s the issue: over time, cheaper products can actually become more expensive. Why? Poor color retention, a shorter lifespan, and thin coverage are all side effects of the low-quality ingredients. This means that you’ll need to paint more often, use more product, and it simply won’t look as good!
Investing in quality paint pays undeniable returns over time.
How Long Does Exterior Paint Last?
There are a huge number of factors at play that impact the answer to this question. The short version is that quality paint carefully applied can last 7-10 years, depending on environmental conditions.
How can you get the longest possible life out of your exterior paint? Be sure to click over to an article we wrote on this specific topic for a longer answer, but here is the short version:
Invest in excellent paint products
Be mindful of the kind of paint you’re using (stay consistent with either oil or latex, or else switch carefully)
Choose a trustworthy painting company
Never skimp on surface preparation
How Often Should You Paint Your Home’s Exterior?
This might sound a lot like the question of how long paint lasts, but there is a slightly different angle we can take here.
While your paint may stand strong for 7 years, we would suggest more frequent touch-ups, cleaning, and maintenance. This will not only keep your surfaces looking their absolute best, but also give your paint a shot at a long and healthy life. A little TLC goes a long way!
Should You Hire An Exterior Painter Or Do It Yourself?
You may be the kind of homeowner who likes to roll up their sleeves and get it done (which is great!), but here are a few questions to consider:
- How intricate or complex is your home? – Angles, lines, architectural features, and other unique considerations can be tough to navigate and thoroughly coat without the right tools and experience.
- How tall is your home? – It may not look bad from the ground, but working from a ladder can be another story. It’s important to be confident that you can work safely and reach every inch of your house.
- Repairs – Exterior painting involves far more than just paint. Are you able to confidently make repairs and properly prepare the surfaces?
- Do you have the equipment and materials? – Exterior painting often involves buckets, brushes, sprayers, drop cloths, caulk, ladders, primer, lifts, rags, tape, and more.
- Do you have the right product knowledge? – Painting, when done well, is as much science as elbow grease. Knowing the way products interact with each other and your home’s surfaces is an essential part of making sure your paint lasts longer than a summer or two.
Here is another important question that not many people ask themselves: what is your time worth? Hiring a professional can be a fast, efficient way to get the job done well, leaving you available for work, family, other projects, and more.
What Should You Look For In A Painting Company?
If you do decide to hire a pro, remember that not all painting companies are created equal. If you find a painter by closing your eyes and dropping a finger in the yellow pages (remember those?), you could get lucky, but you also could be in for a disappointment.
Here is a quick breakdown of what you should look for:
Are they licensed and insured?
Can you find examples of their work online?
What are their reviews and feedback? You can find these details through such resources as the Better Business Bureau, Houzz, Yelp, Google, and your local Contractors State License Board.
Ask them what surface preparation they recommend for your exterior painting project, and make sure it’s included in your estimate.
You also should simply get a good feeling when interacting with your potential painter. Are they looking out for you and being communicative/engaging? Are they offering solutions? At ALLBRiGHT, we offer what we call Painting Happiness, and it’s a philosophy of service and joy that we hope our clients can sense and experience. You should feel something similar from your painter.
To help you narrow your search, take a look at this list of questions that many painting contractors fear. The right painter won’t fear any of these!
What Is Included In Your Exterior Painting Estimate?
Your estimate should be thorough, clear, and include an itemized synopsis of exactly what will be done and how much it costs. If yours is ambiguous or you sense that your painter is being evasive, it is definitely time to move on.
Look for:
- Labor
- Materials
- Incidentals
- Products being used
Proudly Serving Los Angeles, Santa Clarita, Ventura & San Fernando Counties
This is a huge topic, and we might not have touched on your specific question. If you would like more information about your exterior painting project here in Los Angeles, Santa Clarita, San Fernando, or Ventura County, the ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING team is ready to help, and just a call or email away.
Until then, have an ALLBRiGHT day!