Having the exterior of your home painted by professional painters is an excellent way to prevent termite damage and help keep the structure protected from exterior elements – especially during the winter months. A professional paint job will give your home new life and overall improve the curb appeal of your home’s exterior.
When looking at an exterior paint job, it’s important to understand what you need if you are a homeowner looking to take this exterior painting home improvement painting project on as a DIY versus hiring a house painting company. You’ll need things such as a pressure washer, sanding materials and sandpaper for drywall and more before priming, drop cloths for loose paint, various caulk, caulking and filler supplies for patching areas, paint scrapers, painter’s tape, putty knife – oh, and a painting crew never hurts to get the painting job done!
There are different steps you’ll need to take depending if you’re starting with paint that is flaking on wood siding or if it is bare wood or other surfaces to ensure proper adhesion.
Ultimately working with a professional painting company who offers house painting services can help with paint colors and paint type and finish selection.
Here are a few things you can do before your home’s exterior painting project to ensure that you’ll love the results.
1. Pressure Wash the Place
To prepare your home for a fresh coat of paint and to save your painting contractor some time, you can pressure wash your home to get all the dirt, debris, and chipping paint off. Your service provider will clean your home and remove debris and mildew before painting it anyway, so if you do some of the work yourself you can save some money on power washing service costs without sacrificing the quality of the paint job.
You don’t have to purchase a pressure washer if you don’t already own one. Rent one from your local hardware or home improvement store for a day or two. And if you don’t want to use a pressure washer at all, you can always scrub the dirtiest parts with some soap, water, and an old rag to save a little time and money during the painting process.
2. Do Some Weeding and Mulching
Weeds, bushes, and even grass growing up against your home can distract the eye from the beauty of your home and make people focus more on the imperfections of your landscaping than the new paint job you’ve invested in. So before your home gets painted, consider getting rid of all the weeds and cleaning up around your home, removing any bushes that are growing against the structure to give the place a clean and streamlined look.
Then place a layer of mulch that’s a few inches deep around the perimeter of your home to keep the weeds from coming back and the grass from growing too close to your foundation. Your painting contractor will have easier access to your home, and your property will have a cleaner look when all is said and done.
3. Consider Replacing the Trim
Having your home repainted offers the perfect opportunity to create an entirely new look by replacing all the trim. There are so many different styles and designs to choose from, you shouldn’t have a problem finding an option that matches your family’s personality and really brings your home to life.
Replace your traditional trim with squared corners with an option that features curved corners and edges. You can even have custom designs etched into the trim before it’s installed. Make sure your new trim gets installed before your home is scheduled to be painted so your painting contractor can paint everything at the same time.
4. Check With Your Homeowner’s Association
If you live in a community that is governed by a homeowner’s association, it’s crucial to check with the association before deciding what color to paint the exterior of your home. Every homeowner’s association rules are different depending on the specific communities they are serving, but many include restrictions on house colors within their rule guides.
So let your homeowner’s association know what color you plan to paint your home. If possible, take them a paint sample so they can see the color in person. And get permission to paint your home the color you’ve chosen in writing to ensure that you don’t end up having to deal with any legal issues after your house has been painted. Take the time to get in touch with your chosen painting contractor to schedule an in-home consultation where you’ll receive an accurate service estimate and learn all about your home painting options.
We here at Elite Painting KC are proud to offer exterior painting, as well as interior, kitchen cabinet, and more. Call or contact us today to talk about options or schedule a free on-site visit from one of our house painters to give you an estimate on making your exterior and interior painting dream come true!