So you’re ready to paint your house – either the interior or exterior. There are a bunch of things to think about, starting with the inspiration until you admire the finished product. There is so much, in fact, that we have put a Top Five Untimate Painting Checklist together to help guide you. Let’s get started with the Top Five Get-Ready-to-Paint List…
Number 1 – Getting Started
Set your budget. It is important for you to do some research and get an idea of the costs of getting your project done. Remember, when you hire a professional they supply all the equipment and expertise which is not readily obvious in the estimate. Also, costs vary in different areas of the country and different markets. Along the same lines, remember, you get what you pay for often rings very true.
Number 2 – Find Your Inspiration (and make your color choices)
There are a number of things you can do that will help you decide on your color palette. Sherwin-Williams offers Color Visualizer. Other paint companies offer similar on-line services, as well. After you have narrowed down your choices you may want to consider buying small jars of paint samples to actually try them out on your surface. I highly recommend reading over our posts – Choosing Interior Colors and Choosing Exterior Colors for more inspiration!
Number 3 – Hire the Right Company
- Google – Check out their My Google Business page and go to their website. You can read about the company, read reviews and get great ideas from the blog (like this one)!
- Ask for recommendations – Social media sites like Nextdoor, Soda City Connectors or Facebook are good places to ask people who have recently had a painting project done. You can ask them to share their experience and connect you with a great professional.
- Get estimates – Meet with the contractor. Get a feel for how you might work together. Make sure they answer your questions, make you feel comfortable and act in a professional manner. Don’t always go with the cheapest estimate – make sure you get what you pay for.
Number 4 – Day of Painting
Your painters will do the heavy lifting and moving of the furniture and use drop cloths or plastic to cover furniture and the floor. Let’s tick off what you can do to help make the process go smoothly –
Interior
- Clear the tops of all furniture so things don’t get broken or misplaced
- Remove pictures and decorative objects from the walls
- Move lamps and small pieces of furniture
Exterior
- Make sure there is enough room for ladders behind your shrubs (your painters may cut shrubs back as part of the contract, but be sure to ask)
- Remove any decorations you may have hanging on exterior walls
Number 5 – The Final Walk-through
Once your painting project is complete your contractor will do a final walk-through with you. Look for areas the might have been missed, usually around the baseboards or molding. Check window frames and areas around chair railing. Make sure the painter leaves any leftover paint for touch-ups you may want to make at a later date.
When you are ready to paint, just give Britt a call – 803-603-6486 or e-mail us at ellisb@colatownpainting.com
Please leave your comments below. We would love to hear from you!
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