We tell you to ditch the DiY. In this series we show you how to and/or things to look for when you’re considering completing Improvement Projects in your home or business.

Canadian homeowners spend up to 3 percent of their property’s total value on maintenance and repairs annually. Ignoring the problems a home has will only lead to them getting worse over time. The best way for a homeowner to find out about what their residence needs is by inspecting.

During these inspections, you need to pay close attention to the condition of the exterior paint. There will come a time when you have to get this paint replaced due to age and wear. Once you have new exterior paint applied, investing time and energy in maintaining it is vital.

The last thing you want is for your home to lose curb appeal due to a lack of maintenance. This is why keeping your exterior paint in good shape is vital.

The following are some of the things you need to do to keep your home’s exterior paint in pristine shape.

  1. Exterior Paint Needs to be Washed

Most homeowners fail to realize how much of a pounding their paint takes from Mother Nature. Every time the window blows dirt into the air around your home, it will usually land on the exterior paint. This means that over time, the paint will start to look dirty and dingy.

While you can wash the dirt off by hand, this will take lots of time and energy. The best way to reduce the time it takes to get this job done is by renting a power washer. If you are unsure about how to adjust the settings on the power washer, working with professionals is a must.

If the pressure is set too high, it may lead to the paint getting blown off. This is why hiring professionals to do this job is a good idea. They will be able to scrub the outside of the home with soap and water before power washing it to ensure it gets as clean as possible.

  1. Touching Up Your Paint is a Good Idea

As previously mentioned, inspecting the outside of your home on a regular basis is important. While looking at your exterior paint, make note of any chips or scratches that are present. The longer you allow these problems to linger, the worse they will inevitably get.

Once the professionals are done painting your home, you need to find out what color was used. Getting a gallon of this paint to keep in the garage is a good idea. By doing this, you can easily touch up these imperfections.

With a paintbrush or a small roller cover, you should have no problem getting these spots covered with paint. Most homeowners take great pride in doing their own improvement projects. Not only will this touching up beautify your home, it can also give you a sense of accomplishment.

  1. Keep Your Landscaping in Check

A variety of different elements are included in your exterior home design. One of the first things a person will notice about your home is the condition of the landscaping around the residence. Allowing your shrubs and trees to grow too high can create lots of problems.

Most homeowners fail to realize that out of control landscaping elements near their residence can damage their exterior paint. If the branches of the shrubs and trees are always rubbing against the paint, it will cause scratches to develop. Also, wet branches coming in contact with the side of the home can lead to the development of mold and mildew.

Instead of dealing with these problems, you need to focus on keeping your trees and shrubs trimmed. If you don’t have the energy or time to do this work, hiring landscaping professionals is important. The money paid to these professionals will be worth it considering the results they can produce.

  1. Inspecting Gutters and Downspouts

The outside of your home has a number of different parts. The gutters mounted on your roof help to keep water from puddling on the roof and at the foundation of a home. Over time, these gutters will start to get filled with leaves and other debris.

If the gutters are allowed to overflow, the water can cause damage to your exterior paint. Instead of dealing with this problem, getting your gutters cleaned professionally on a regular basis is vital.

With this professional cleaning, you can keep your roof, your foundation and your exterior paint in good shape. Consulting with gutter professionals is the best way to figure out how often this cleaning should be performed.

  1. Caulking and Sealing

Keeping the doors and windows around your home sealed and functional is important. If the seals around these windows and doors wear out, it can lead to your paint getting damaged. When water gets behind the fascia boards on your home, it can cause them to rot.

Hiring professionals to caulk and seal the outside of your residence is a great way to avoid this type of damage for good. If you are like most homeowners, you don’t have the experience to do this work. Instead of making mistakes that will only lead to more problems, you need to work with experienced professionals.

Professional Painters Can Help You Out

Getting new exterior paint and maintaining it is much easier when hiring a professional. A professional painter will have a team of employees they can use to get this work done in a hurry.

Are you looking for a reputable and experienced painter to hire? If so, contact us to find out more about the services we offer.

Great event last night with BBB Serving Southern Alberta and East Kootenay on teaching consumers How to Hire a Contractor. Mary O’Sullivan-Andersen did an awesome job outlining what to look for in a contractor and how to avoid getting caught in a bad situation. Tony Tighe was also on hand to amplify what he’s learned in over 25 years of reporting on Consumer affairs in CALGARY. We also had lots of great Contractors on hand giving feedback for their specific industries.

By; Rob Hilditch

#bbb #startwithtrust #ctv #globaltv #calgary #yyc #contractors #robhilditch

Harding's Professional Painting Services

5 Reasons why you should always hire a Professional Painter

#1 Finished Product

Painting anything requires training in all sorts of disciplines. Many people do not think of what encompasses an entire painting job in their homes.

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Painting is a skill set that requires chemical handling/storage, ladder safety, skim coating, sanding, caulking, understanding the difference between paints and quality then ultimately having that steady hand. Also, don’t forget the tools you need.

When you hire a professional painter you are guaranteed a quality and professional finish, something you may not be able to achieve on your own. You all know what I am talking about there! The infamous ceiling hit!

#2 Preparation

The above ceiling hit could have easily been avoided by taking the time to properly prep the wall and ceiling. There is a lot to consider when prepping your home for paint, including having to research the paint to use, the tools needed and the time to complete it all. You may think that by buying the most expensive paint and tools it will ensure you a quality DIY job, but it all comes down to the application when using those products as well.

Professionals are not only efficient at the prep portion but will, again, guarantee the end product as well as ensuring the work is completed when its needed. Meaning you get that valuable #freetime you deserve.

#3 Perceived Value

So it is going to cost you less to paint it yourself, right?

That is not always the case. When you have completed DIY painting, it can come back to haunt you when selling your home or when you go to complete other renovations or DIY projects in your home.

Hiring a professional the first time means that its done right from the beginning and you’d be surprised about how reasonable hiring a pro is!

Calgary Professional House Painting

 

#4 #FREETIMECalgary Professional Painting Contractors | House Painting

We have already outlined how much prep and time is required for painting your own home. Do you really have that time?

Hiring a professional lets you get that time back and also gets that honey-do-list off your plate! You have bigger things to worry about, let a pro handle it for you. Plus, a pro will complete the job far more efficiently than the DIY route.

 

 #5 So now what…..

Whats the plan with the left over paint? Did you buy drop cloths for your DIY project, if so, where do they go now? Where do you dispose of the paint? How far is that drive and what does the municipality charge to do it? What other clean up is there to do now?

Is there touch ups to do after? Now you will have to pull all this stuff out again to do those.

A professional painter will take care off all of that so you don’t have to. They warranty and guarantee their work. This means there is no added pressure on you. You can either leave those spots you missed and get ribbed by your friends and family or just let your Professional Painter get it done right the first time.

Calgary Proessional Painters | House Painting

 

 

Consumer Reports News:

Most homeowners hire a contractor to repaint the exterior of their home. Follow our advice to help ensure a high-quality job, whether you’ll have your house painted this fall or next spring.

Meet the pros. Call in at least three different painting contractors for your job. (Friends and family are good reference sources.) And be home for the initial meeting with them. That way, you’ll know how much time each contractor took to assess the condition of your home. The longer he takes, the more realistic the estimate you’ll get. Even an experienced painter will need more than a quick walk around your house.
Also ask each contractor about the size of his crew and the members’ experience level.

State your expectations. The number of coats a painter applies isn’t the only factor in determining the quality—and price—of the project. Preparation is also key. If you want a surface that’s free of unevenness from past paint jobs, tell the contractors—and be prepared to pay extra. But if you can live with some imperfections, agree on what level of prep is acceptable and what isn’t.

Get estimates. Seek a written estimate from each painting contractor. It should include a breakdown of labor, material costs, the number of coats of primer and paint, the brand and model of materials, and a detailed description of the amount of surface preparation that will be done.

Check references and past work. Get a list of references from each contractor and call them to find about their experience with the pro. A history of positive references is a good sign. Also examine jobs the painters did several years ago to see how their work is holding up. Use recent projects to check the skill of their current crews.

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Harding’s – Calgary Painting Company

Consider credentials. Before you hire someone, consider his credentials. Membership in a trade or local business group, for example, isn’t a guarantee of quality work, but it shows a level of commitment and reliability on his part. Also verify whether the pro has the appropriate license(s). Also check with the Better Business Bureau,  or a local consumer-affairs agency to learn whether the contractor has a history of unresolved complaints.

Obtain a complete contract. The contract should include all the contractor’s key information: name, address, office and cell numbers, and license number, plus whatever details were in the estimate. Make sure the contract clearly states what is and is not included in the job.
Get a copy of the painter’s liability and workers’ compensation insurance certificates. If he doesn’t have coverage, you could be on the hook if, for example, the crew drops a ladder on your neighbor’s car or a crew member gets hurt on the job.

Ask for a guarantee. The painter should promise to correct any chipping, peeling, blistering, flaking, or excessive fading or chalking that occurs within two years after the job is done at no or little cost. If he tells you the paint itself has a warranty, remember that doesn’t include labor, which is a far more costly proposition than material.

Choose the paint yourself. Your painter might try to talk you into a paint he prefers, but use the finish you want. Just remember that your painter won;t be able to warranty owner supplied paint.

Look for lead. If your home was built before 1978, older coats of paint could contain lead. That means the painter might need to take extra precautions to avoid any hazards. .

Hold out. Finally, don’t make a large down payment and withhold the final payment, typically 10 to 15 percent, until you are fully satisfied with the job.

Check out our own video on Hiring A Painting Contractor.