The freezing winters and stormy summers that occur in South Central Pennsylvania can be pretty rough on the exterior of your home. With it being the end of summer; now might be the time to look into doing some painting. Summer is a great time to get the results you desire when it comes to exterior painting. It provides the warmth and dryness needed to get that perfect paint job. A common problem that occurs when dealing with painting is figuring out if it’s needed or not and whether you can do it yourself, or should you hire the professionals.
Is It Time To Start Painting?
Take a good look at your homes exterior paint. Check for any chipping, cracking or peeling. Check any areas that paint may have been effected by water, especially around gutters. If you see any of these things, it may be time for a fresh paint job. You can always touch up small areas. Sometimes a little paint can help disguise some of these issues. More than likely though, if it’s large areas, or multiple locations are effected, it’s time for a new paint job. Of course, you don’t have to paint just because it’s needed. A fresh paint job can make a huge difference on the curb appeal of your home and your sense of satisfaction!
Should You Do It Yourself?
Even the best Do-It-Yourselfers will probably stay away from taking on exterior house painting. If you find yourself trying to determine if you can handle a task such as exterior painting, keep this in mind. Usually, it’s going to be more efficient, cost effective and safer to hire a professional! Below we are going to go over why.
Size Is A Big Factor
The size and shape of your home plays a big role in how difficult it will be to paint the exterior of your home. The bigger it is, the more time and supplies you will have in the project. Homes with multiple stories, dormers or turrets will be the most difficult. Even if you do have the capability of getting to these areas, you will soon realize how hard it is to do quality work in these awkward positions. The professionals are experienced with these difficult to reach areas and bring the proper tools needed for the job.
Painting Preparation
If you have ever done any type of painting, you already know how much preparation is involved. On average, 30-50% of the time spent on exterior painting is spent prepping. Some of the preparation tasks you will have to do before painting include:
- Patching holes
- Replacing damaged or missing shingles
- Clean and remove both debris and dirt
- Sand rust stains
- Re-caulk joints
- Trim shrubs and trees away from home
- Finally, the most time consuming preparation task… scraping away old paint
Paint Supplies
Another thing homeowners don’t take into account when thinking about starting an exterior painting project is the supplies that will be needed. A large job such as exterior painting requires many supplies like:
- Caulking gun
- Caulk/sealant
- Cleaning cloths
- Scraper
- Joint Compound
- Putty knife and putty
- Steel wool
- Wire brush
- Painters tape
- Screwdriver
- Sandpaper
- Hammer & nail set
- Extension ladder
- Dust mask
- Goggles or glasses
- Primer & paint
- Paint brushes
- Paint roller
- Paint paddles
- Roller trays
That’s not even everything! Every job is going to be unique. You never know what you will run into. As you can tell by the list of supplies, you’re going to have a large amount of money in materials alone. Professionals have those supplies on hand and know how to properly use them. By the time you purchase all the supplies you will have close, if not more money invested if you had just hired a professional painter to do it for you!
How Much Is Quality Worth To You
Let’s pretend you did get a excellent price on paint and supplies and you would like to take on this project on your own. How much is quality worth to you? Your homes exterior is your homes first impression. Unless you have done professional painting before, you probably don’t have the skills or knowledge a professional would have. A professional painter will be able to give you a beautiful paint job that will stick around for years to come.
When you take into consideration the time saved, supply cost, safety concerns and quality of service, hiring a professional will more than likely be your best option. If you are considering hiring a professional paint service, give ASJ a call. ASJ has some of the best professional painters in the South Central region of Pennsylvania. They can handle any paint job both big and small. Let the pros take on your painting project so you can get back to enjoying the last bit of summer.