Exterior Paint Maintenance Every Homeowner Should Know

 Exterior Paint Maintenance You Must Know

 

If you’ve had your home painted two years ago or longer it’s time to check for damage and do simple but important maintenance to keep your paint job doing its job longer.

There are 3 types of damage easy to detect and fix but left untreated may cost you hundreds.

• Cracking or missing caulk around windows, doors, trim or between side boards. Caulk eventually uses elasticity when exposed to the elements or cracks when a home settles. This unavoidable damage WILL allow moisture to destroy your paint job.
• Dirt or other substances on your paint job. These are abrasive and corrosive and can compromise your paint job and usually appear on the bottom 10’ of the paint job.
• Loose or damaged siding boards or trim. Paint is a coating that prevents moisture and pests from destroying building materials. When a board is loose or obviously damaged the coating has been compromised.

We now offer annual maintenance services to extend the life of your paint job.

The cost of maintenance that extends the life of your paint job is significantly less than repainting your entire home. The more time your paint job does its job, the more money you can keep in your pocket. Each year at the end of Spring we offer a limited number of maintenance appointments.

Based on the damage we find during an inspection we can:

• Re-caulk all windows and doors.
• Re-caulk and touch-up paint gaps between side boards and trim.*
• Power wash up to 10’ high.
• Replace loose or damaged boards, touch-up paint, and caulk.*

Contact us to book your inspection NOW. Appointments for maintenance work are offered on a first-come-first-serve basis during a 1-2 week period at the end of Spring and is determined by forecasted weather.

*Note: Touch up paint may not be an exact match and “flashing” may occur due to the effects of the elements on your existing paint job. The match will be as close as possible and the cost is less than repainting the entire home.

7 Tips for Great Garage Sale Shopping

7 Tips for Great Garage Sale Shopping

 

Find yard sale gold without losing your mind!

Hope you don’t mind, but I, Lisa, needed a change of pace. We are happy to provide great painting info, but I needed a break. “Please, call us to paint your home.” There, now I can continue.

I was never much of a garage sale shopper until I was pregnant with our first child. I avoided garage sales like the plague. I absolutely hated the idea of pawing through grandma’s old drapes, chipped casserole pans, and porcelain cat figurines to maybe find something good. It seemed like a tedious waste of a Saturday and a test of my sanity.

My perspective changed when I saw the price tags on new baby gear. I couldn’t believe it! My sister, by this time, was a seasoned garage sale diva who offered to go with me to find deals to deck out our home. Reluctantly I joined her. Over that summer we bought a full year of baby clothes and 75% of our “necessary” baby gear at garage sales for under $300. I was hooked. We became experts…fast. I have hit garage sales every year since to find things for my kids.

Garage sales can be dangerous. If you are easily distracted or unspecific you could wind up taking stuff home that isn’t needed, that cool, or something you end up giving to the thrift store. It may only have cost you a few dollars, but that’s still a waste of money.

I don’t dilly-dally. I strategize and hit each sale with a purpose. Here are my tips for finding garage sale gold without losing your mind.

TIP #1: The early bird gets the worm…or at least the good stuff.

Going early in the day will give you greater chances of finding the items you want before someone else does. Most garage sales start between 7-8 am. I usually plan to leave my house by 6:30 or 7 am depending on the sales I plan to hit. Great furniture and baby stuff in great condition go first!

 

Tip #2: Get an app on your smart phone or comb Craigslist to find sales.

I use an app called Yard Sale Mapper. It is free on iTunes. This app combs Craigslist posts, local papers, and other print promotion for sales and pins them on a map. Most people who are really looking to sell stuff will promote their sale. And, looking for closely grouped pins will help you find community garage sales. (More on community sales next.) Taking a little time to find sales that list items you want will save you time and frustration.

Tip #3: Always shop community sales. But pick your neighborhoods carefully.

Community sales are wonderful! I love driving down streets with lots of sales happening at once. It’s a huge time saver. In fact, unless I research a stand-alone sale that seems to have a lot of great items, I will ONLY shop community sales. And choose your neighborhoods carefully. Stick to the nicer neighborhoods for nicer stuff. Disposable income makes for some pretty great merchandise.

Tip #4: Make a specific list of the items you’re looking to buy.

People don’t always put junk or valuable antiques out. Lots are moving, downsizing, done having babies, have kids outgrowing things, etc. You can find some pretty good stuff. Staying specific will keep you from feeling pressure to buy something you don’t love just because it’s available. Or it will help you know what items you need to snag immediately if your search has been tough so far. Items I usually find in good condition are:

• baby clothes
• toddler clothes up to 5T (at least for boys—they wear stuff out!)
• newborn gear like swings, boppy, bumbos, cradles, changing tables, blankets, unopened pacifiers, strollers, car seats (just be careful here), pack-n-plays, kid dishes, toys, kid chairs…the list goes on and on.
• Lawn care items like grass seed, fertilizer, lawn mowers, weed whackers, etc.
• Furniture
• Sports and exercise equipment
• Camping equipment
• Mirrors, lamps, and décor

Tip #5: Make a budget. Plan to pay about 30% or less than retail for each item.

This will gently encourage you to stick to your list or make decisions about what you really want. And it will help you negotiate. If you want the cow hide rug that is marked for $100 FIRM and you only have $80 left you can do your best to make a deal. If they don’t budge, it wasn’t meant to be.

Tip #6: Gather your supplies no later than the evening before.

You will be getting up early so the less you have to do the better.

1. Fill up the car with fuel
2. Empty the car and lay flat seats in the back
3. Get CASH. Nobody in their right mind will take your check. And those $50 bills are cute and all, but will tick off your garage sale person who may kick you off their driveway. So pull out cash in small bills so you can give exact change whenever possible.
4. Gather bags (several trash bags and lots of grocery bags). It’s also helpful to have a couple empty boxes so you can put oddly shaped or breakable things in a safe place.
5. Have water, sunscreen, a hat, and appropriate clothing ready to go.
6. Pack a snack and water so you can power through the whole morning.

Tip #7: If you have small kids, leave them at home with someone you trust. If you have a fun friend, bring them along.

I am all for having kids. I think older kids can be help with decision making and can learn the value of buying used versus new. But with little ones I find I can’t move as fast. They have pressing needs and need constant supervision. I enjoy shopping more when they are at home with Dad. I love going shopping with friends. They are great to laugh with when you find weird items, they can be spotters so you don’t have to stop at every sale, and they can help you load the car.

So, get out there and give garage and yard sales a shot! You might be surprised how well you do.

Do you have any helpful garage sale shopping tips?

 

7 Things to Ask Exterior Painters Before You Hire

Every homeowner needs this list!

 

Painting your home exterior is a considerable investment. We know it can be hard to know if a paint contractor will give you your money’s worth. Here are a few quick and easy questions you can ask in the estimate appointment to help you with your decision.

First, we recommend getting three paint bids. Usually one company will stand out above the others.

1. How long have you been in business in Colorado or elsewhere?
2. What is your method for applying paint? (We apply a true two-coats of paint. “Wet-on-wet” application is NOT a true two coats and will void a manufacturer warranty. There are a few products like Sherwin-Williams™ Duration® or Emerald™ that are one-coat products but must be built to a certain thickness.)
3. Who do I contact if there is a problem during the paint project? (It should be the owner or the project foreman.)
4. Do you warranty your labor?(Some charge for a warranty. Some don’t.)
5. Do you scuff sand areas of peeling paint or do you just primer it? (No matter what primer they use they should ALWAYS scuff sand.)
6. What’s your typical amount of time spent on prep? (At least a full day)
7. Are you using actual primer or are you just painting? (They should use primer unless they are using Sherwin-Williams Duration or Emerald.)

Simply print this article and check off the questions as the estimator covers them. Make note where they fall short of the standards we share. Be proactive and ask the questions they haven’t answered.

TIP: Be sure the written estimate reflects the answers they gave you for each question. For example, if they say they will do two coats, make sure it is detailed in the bid. When you sign a paint bid it becomes a contract.

Did you find this article helpful? Show you care and click the LIKE button at the top or bottom of this article!

Things That Make or Break Exterior Painting Time Tables

 

When gathering paint estimates here are a few important factors to keep in mind when asking for a timeline.

1. Damage. More specifically, the amount of time it will take to repair the volume of damage. This is the single most important factor in timeline. We can paint a large home with minimal damage (1 day prep) faster than a medium sized home with extensive paint damage (2-3 days prep).
2. Weather. In Colorado Springs we have a window of warm weather to paint exteriors and have them cure properly. Summers can have daily storms and a brief monsoon season. Most of the time, though, our crews can make progress each day.
3. Size and shape of home. If you have a large home it will take longer to paint than a smaller home. Even if your home isn’t large, but you have 2-3 stories it will take longer to paint than a larger ranch style home.
4. Crew size. The contractor just starting out by themselves with no help is going to take longer. The painting crew of 2-4 is where maximum efficiency is reached. Crews larger than that actually decrease quality control.

Check out our recent article Typical Timeline for Exterior Painting in Colorado Springs for more specific information about how long it could take to paint your home.

Why Shouldn’t I Use Cheaper Paint?

What does cheaper paint have to do with fruits and veggies?

 

Let’ say you’re an athlete and your job is to perform. Do you think fueling yourself with fast food regularly would get you the best results or would slightly more expensive organic meat and produce be better?

Obviously, the better quality foods are the best choice. Fast food and much of our packaged food we buy in stores have things in them that make them less expensive: lower quality ingredients, fillers, man-made chemicals, and terrible preservatives.

The same can be said of paint for your home. Professionals use pro grade products for one primary reason: the results are predictable. The number of impurities are small. The ingredients are higher quality. The paint rolls, brushes, and sprays well without getting gunky. It covers and touches up well.

Inexpensive paints are like packaged and fast foods. We have used them—and will not use them in the future. They contain sediment and fillers that clog up professional paint pumps. They are thick and goopy or the opposite, thin and runny. The results they give are unpredictable at best and at worst are predictable (looking very thick).

Even for your DIY project we suggest visiting a professional paint store and paying a few more dollars for products that are far superior.

Was this article helpful? Please leave a comment below or share with your friends on Facebook.