Having the exterior of your house painted is an enormous project--that's why most of us hire someone else to do it. It's also a costly project, and you want to make sure you get your money's worth. This can be tricky; unless you monitor the process, it's nearly impossible to tell upon completion if your house painters have taken shortcuts. Signs of an inferior job--peeling or cracking paint--might not become noticeable for a couple of years or more, and by then it's too late. To avoid this fate, it's important to know what to ask potential contractors.

 

The most important part of exterior house painting is preparation, which should take as long, or longer, than the actual painting. Preparation should include hand washing (not pressure washing,) scraping to remove loose or buckling paint, sanding, and applying wood putty to repair any noticeable gouges. If you own an older house that has been repainted many times over the years, it may even be necessary to strip away the existing paint because the bottom layer of paint may no longer be able to adhere to the wood under the weight of all of the subsequent layers. Ask potential contractors how they plan to prepare your house for painting. Make sure they explain to your satisfaction why certain steps are necessary and why others are not.

 

Priming isn't always necessary for exterior painting. If the existing paint in most places is in decent shape--relatively smooth and free of cracks--then a light sanding is all that is required, with primer being necessary only in those areas where the existing paint is starting to fail. If the cracking is pervasive or if you're going from a darker to a lighter color, then the entire house should be primed.

 

Finally, make sure your house painters plan to follow the paint manufacturer's recommendations. It's easy to find out the manufacturer's recommended coverage rate (something along the lines of one gallon for every 400 square feet). When you get your estimate, which should include the calculated square footage of your home's exterior and the brand and amount of paint the painters plan to use, do the math to make sure your new paint will be properly applied.

Ask the Builder, Exterior Painting, by Tim Carter

This Old House, A Pro Confides His Best Tips for Exterior Painting, by Brad Lernley