This article offers the homeowner advice for exterior painting projects. It examines the equipment that you will need if you do it yourself as well as how to find a good professional painting contractor if you decide to hire someone else to do it.
So it's time to paint the house and you are trying to decide if you should attempt it yourself and save the expense of hiring a professional painter or go ahead and spend the money to have it professionally painted. In this article we will look at what you will need if you decide to paint it yourself as well as what to look for if you decide to hire a professional to do it.
So after much thought you have decided to do it yourself, lets look at what you will need to get started. First, you will need some basic tools and equipment to get started. You may want to write down everything you need before hand so that when you are ready to start you wont be delayed because you forgot something. The first thing you will need to do when painting an exterior of a house is to pressure wash it. Be certain to use a cleaning detergent that is formulated just for pressure washing. Most all pressure washers have a chemical injection device on it so that you can apply the cleaner directly to the surface. Be certain when using a pressure washer not to use too much pressure as this can damage the surface that you are cleaning. Second, you will need to decide how you want to apply the paint to the surface. There are three basic techniques that you could use, brush, roll or spray. Unless you have experience using a airless sprayer I would advise you to cross this one off of your list because you could end up doing far more harm than good with a sprayer. Next you will need to be able to reach whatever surface you are painting so you will need ladders, probably a extension ladder and also a step ladder. You will also need something to cover your shrubs and sidewalks so you will need some tarps or dropcloths. Last there are several small tools that you will need, a caulk gun, putty knife, scraper and of course a good paint brush. If you do not have some of these items such as ladders, pressure washer or an airless sprayer you can rent them at your local equipment rental store.
The most important thing to consider when trying to take on a project such as painting your house is safety. There are many serious injuries and deaths each year caused by falls. Also, when moving ladders always be aware of where the power lines are at as this is another safety hazard you must look out for.
Last, you will need someone to help you. It is a big project and trying to do it alone is not advisable. Painting a house is a big project for any one person to undertake and the more help you have the easier it will make it.
If you do decide to hire a professional painter, ask friends and neighbors what compainies they used to paint their house and find out if they were pleased with the work their painter did. This is usually the best method for finding a good painter. If you have no luck with that you could turn to the internet, yellow pages, chamber of commerce or you local Better Business Bureau for a referral.
Always get bids from three different painting companies, but be sure to compare apples to apples. Many companies will be much cheaper but use subpar material and cut corners where ever they can. Next, ask for proof of insurance, not only general liability but also workers comp insurance. Ask for at least three references and be certain to check all of them. Last, if you did not recieve a reference from your local Better Business Bureau, call them and find out if the company you are considering has had any complaints.
If you are going to paint your house yourself or hire a professional I believe that if you follow some of the guidelines that I have mentioned you should have very little trouble.
