Springtime means a fresh coat of paint for home
The end of the cooler months and the arrival of spring may make you pay more attention to the appearance of your home. There are many things you can do to upgrade your home’s exterior, starting with a fresh coat of paint. Before you start, the Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas offers the following tips and information to assist during this process:
• Examine your home’s exterior. You do not have to look too closely to determine that your house is in dire need of new paint. Consider these when looking at your home’s exterior: cracked or peeling paint, old or faded paint, a poor-quality paint job, or the previous owners selected a color that does not match the home or your style. The color of your home is one of the first things people see when they arrive to visit. One piece of maintaining your home’s curb appeal and improving your resale value is making sure the exterior paint job always puts your best foot forward.
• Consider a professional housepainting service. If you have ever seen a paint job done by a person who did not know what to do, you know how important it is to have this home improvement completed by a professional. Professional painting contractors can examine the exterior of your home and select the right kind of paint for the structure. They can advise you on a color scheme that will look ideal. They also prepare your home for painting and finish the work efficiently. A residential painting contractor is the safest bet for a fresh update for your home, whether your focus is on the interior or exterior. Be sure to research the company first at BBBHouston.org.
• Select proper paint colors. Many people choose a paint for their home that reflects their personal style. While this is certainly an important factor for your decision, you also must consider other limitations for your home. If you live in an area governed by a homeowners association (HOA), you may be required to select specific colors for outdoor painting. Otherwise, you should decide on a color that matches the style of your house and coordinates with other features of your property, such as landscaping, roofing and any other existing structures.
• Here’s the house-painting process. Once your home is ready for work to begin, it will on average take a professional contractor to paint the exterior of your home in about a week. The contractors start by cleaning the home’s exterior and removing paint that has cracked or peeled. They apply primer over the whole of the exterior and allow it to dry. Next, they paint the home from top to bottom to catch any drips. The final result should look consistent, without brush marks or signs of the previous paint color underneath.
The Better Business Bureau is an unbiased nonprofit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews and BBB Wise Giving Reports to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. For information or to check the reliability of a company and find trustworthy businesses, visit www.bbbhouston.org, which includes our BBB Accredited Business Directory, or call 713-868-9500. Leah Napoliello is senior director of Investigative Services with the Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas. Send questions regarding homeowner issues to Leah Napoliello, Better Business Bureau, 1333 West Loop South, Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77027, or e-mail her at lnapoliello@bbbhou.org. Include mailing address and phone number on letters and emails.