Professional house painters do more than just drive up in a truck, drag out equipment, and start painting.  Rather, they go through a lot of preparation work before they ever pick up the first brush, roller, or air sprayer.

Professional house painters, first and foremost, are properly licensed, bonded, and insured, and they are willing to show proof of this.  If they aren’t or if they are reluctant to tell you or show you they are, then most likely the only thing they are “professional” at is taking your money (and possibly anything else they can get their hands on.)

Next, professional house painters are considerate of your property as a whole, not just your house.  Their vehicles are parked in such a manner as to not cause traffic problems, and they are NOT parked on either your lawn or the neighbor’s lawn.  If it is necessary to park on an unpaved surface, they take special care to do as little damage as possible, and to repair any that might occur.

This consideration extends to those areas and structures under and surrounding the part of the house that is being painted.  Shrubbery, flowers, grass, and/or any landscaping are protected by removing or covering.  Carports, sheds, patios or porches, and anything else not meant to be painted is similarly protected. 

Only after the above matters have been properly attended to will professional house painters actually be ready to being the paint job itself.  This will start when the professional house painter begins the preparation work that you and he agreed he would do beforehand, and does it thoroughly and correctly.   (A REAL professional might even ask you if you want to inspect the “prep” work before he and his workers even move on to the painting itself.)

Once the house is sufficiently prepared, then the paint application will start.  The professional house painter will take his time to do the job right.

The professional house painter will have ALL the necessary tools and equipment to perform all of the above tasks.  He will know the proper way to use said tools and equipment, and will do so to the best of his ability.

You only need to supervise (discreetly, of course) and, later, enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labor.  And, THAT’S why hiring professional house painters is the wisest decision.

Homeowners often wonder what they can do to their home to raise the value of the property. After all, if they’re planning to make an investment in home improvement projects they want the projects they choose to do to make a positive financial impact should they try to resell or refinance. Here are a few of the best home improvement tips and ideas, for making the wisest investments.

Exterior House Painting

One of the easiest ways to bring potential buyers into your home is to throw a fresh coat of paint on the exterior of your home. Real estate experts claim a potential buyer makes a snap judgment about your home in the first few minutes of viewing it. So, the outer appearance can make or break their enthusiasm about the house. In addition, if you paint your home before listing it on the market you can expect to add from $10,000 to $15,000 more to your asking price. What could cost less than $600 to paint yourself can yield you an incredibly high return.

New Appliances Or Kitchen Update

Another good area to spend money within your home is in the kitchen. Kitchen updates give you the most return for your investment during selling or refinancing appraisals. So, focus on the area wisely. New counters and new appliances are a must and can add thousands of dollars to your home’s value without the need to spend a fortune.

Bathroom Remodels

Be very careful when spending money on bathroom remodels. If you are adding an additional bathroom to your home, you can expect a great return on the investment. However, if you are remodeling an existing bathroom try to keep your costs down. A new bathroom sink and vanity can always add great value without costing a lot. In addition, a fresh coat of paint and new shower curtain can do wonders.

New Windows

Adding new windows to a home is a great investment for home improvement. New energy efficient windows can help you save money on heating and cooling bills as well. New windows attract potential buyers when you’re selling and can even be written off on taxes.

When making your exterior house paint selection, it’s important not to simply go with your favorite color. Instead, you should consider your neighborhood’s general color scheme, your landscaping and the style of your home’s architecture. After all, the choice you make can either magnify or wreck havoc on your home’s curb appeal and ultimately your real estate investment.

First, you must choose a base color. Base colors are often neutrals which can be paired with a variety of other options for trim. You can then choose complementary colors for your shutters, trim, doors and windows. Many people choose a neutral base color, a lighter color for windows and trim, a darker color for shutters and a completely different and complementary color for the door. When choosing trim, shutters and door colors be sure to stick with something in the same general color family. After picking your primary base color, you may want to buy a small amount to test on a small portion of your home. Since paint is not usually returnable you’ll want to ensure you like the color before purchasing a large quantity.

When selecting an exterior paint color you should also consider the look you’re trying to create with the paint. Those who want to make their house look larger should stick with lighter colors on the trim, as darker colors can quickly shrink the appearance of the home. If a house is too tall and you’d like it to seem shorter, you can always use a deeper tone on the top than on the bottom. Some professional painters choose colors by the placement of the house on the lot. For instance, if your house has no shade, a cool color might work best. In contrast, a warmer color may be needed to make a shady house appear more inviting.

Remember, making an exterior paint color selection is a big deal. You shouldn’t rush into choosing or do so without thinking it through fully. So, be sure to fully take your time and consider what works best for your home before committing to your exterior color palette.

Removing old paint from the interior or exterior of your home can be a tricky job. There are many precautions to take and techniques to consider. When considering removing old paint you should start by determining if there is lead in your paint. There are a few ways to determine this but the simplest way to go about the job is to pick up a home lead paint test from one of your local hardware stores.  If you determine your home does not have lead based paints, you may precede in removing the paint without caution. However, if your home does contain lead paint you may want to consult with a painting professional to get instruction on how you should remove the paint. Many times lead paint removal requires the assistance of a painting contractor.

A heat gun is often one of the easiest methods to help remove years of built up paint. As you use a heat gun you will need a few types of tools to help you scrape the paint when it heats and bubbles. Drop clothes should also be placed under the area you are working in, for easy clean up. 

There are also several types of solvents you can apply to surfaces to remove the paint. You should keep in mind if you use these solvents there are some which may damage wood underneath the paint, or can have very caustic fumes. The best choice for this type of remover is for furniture.

The easiest and most efficient way of removing old paint from the exterior of a home is to use a pressure washer.  You can rent one from your local hardware store, for a small daily fee. Most often they not only remove the paint color but can remove the flaking and bubbling of the old paint as well. However, beware when using a strong water current because it may warp or dent wooden surfaces if too pressurized.

No matter what method you choose to remove your old paint, you will want to keep safety in mind. Use goggles for your eyes and be sure to have a well ventilated area if you use chemicals!

Different parts of the country have different climates. Some areas do not see much difference between one season and another, while others undergo what could be considered extreme temperature changes.

Because of this, it is important to realize that the same paint and equipment that your brother who lives in the temperate South used may not work for your home located in a city that sees regular snowfall and/or other winter precipitation, and for which 80 degrees may seem like a veritable heat wave.

When it is time to repaint the exterior of your home, first consider how you can improve on the original paint job (whether you did it yourself or it was done before you took possession of the house). Check to see how well the paint job has held up in previous years.

If you can determine exactly when the house was last painted, you will have a better idea of exactly how long the previous paint job did last. If you don’t know, or aren’t sure, you can still get a pretty good idea of the durability of the last paint job.

Take a few moments, and think back on the past two to three years, in terms of the weather conditions. Were they about average for the area in which you live, or were they different? Don’t forget to factor in the amount of precipitation (or lack thereof) when taking your stroll down the “weather memory lane”. Unusually dry conditions can be just as damaging to exterior surfaces as unusually wet ones.

Now, try to find out what type and brand of paint was used for the last paint job. If your home is relatively new, the original contractor or builder may be able to give you that information. If it isn’t, and you know how to get in touch with the previous owners, don’t be afraid to call and ask them if they might know.

Once you have, or have not, received this information, you can then decide if you want to use the same paint as was used before, or if you need to go up a little in quality. You will, of course, base this decision on how well the former paint job held up.