Time to paint the house-what should I ask the painters?

[dennis thompson]

It's time to get the exterior of my house painted. Does anyone have any thoughts on the questions I should ask the painters as I get estimates?
Thanks
Dennis

[David G Baker]

Don't know what you need to ask the painters but I advise you to get recommendations from someone you know and trust. There are people that paint and there are painters that do a good job.

[Sean Troy]

Have you thought about doing it your self? it's not as difficult as you might think. Just before we sold our house several years ago, I did ours in a day and a half. Half a day masking and a day to paint. I know it was done well and didn't skimp on or thin down the paint to make more money. With buying paint, a masking tool and renting a sprayer, it cost me 20% of what a painter would have charged.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Ask about the specifics of the surface preparation. Look at the tools if need be. Hand scrapers are one thing, 10" circular grinders are another.

They should power-wash just before priming.

If they power wash, they must wait 2 or more days before priming with oil-based prime (only on the bare spots).

Insist on brand-names on the contract.

1 coat prime on bare spots, 1 or 2 coats everywhere after that, depending on color and budget.

Go around the house with a note pad and binoculars yourself before getting estimates and go over what you expect them to do. If needed: caulk minor gaps, fix minor rotten edges (bondo)... etc. Caulk around windows etc. as needed should be included even if it costs extra.
.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Ask about the specifics of the surface preparation. Look at the tools if need be. Hand scrapers are one thing, 10" circular grinders are another.

They should power-wash just before priming.

If they power wash, they must wait 2 or more days before priming with oil-based prime (only on the bare spots).

Insist on brand-names on the contract.

1 coat prime on bare spots, 1 or 2 coats everywhere after that, depending on color and budget.

Go around the house with a note pad and binoculars yourself before getting estimates and go over what you expect them to do. If needed: caulk minor gaps, fix minor rotten edges (bondo)... etc. Caulk around windows etc. as needed should be included even if it costs extra.
.

Ditto every bit of that even if he does dress funny.

[Jim Rimmer]

Ask about the specifics of the surface preparation. Look at the tools if need be. Hand scrapers are one thing, 10" circular grinders are another.

They should power-wash just before priming.

If they power wash, they must wait 2 or more days before priming with oil-based prime (only on the bare spots).

Insist on brand-names on the contract.

1 coat prime on bare spots, 1 or 2 coats everywhere after that, depending on color and budget.

Go around the house with a note pad and binoculars yourself before getting estimates and go over what you expect them to do. If needed: caulk minor gaps, fix minor rotten edges (bondo)... etc. Caulk around windows etc. as needed should be included even if it costs extra.
.

What Mitch said plus:
1. Are you going to spray or brush and roll? (I prefer brush & roll)
2. If you are spraying, how do you control overspray?
3. This may be a Gulf coast thing, but, do you put anti-mildicide in the paint?
4. How do you plan to protect plants and other areas from drips?
5. Do you replace caulking or is that a separate charge?

[Tim Morton]

I would ask them if they or ant of there workers have criminal records....seems like everyone here in Vermont these days charged with murders, are house painters.

[Robert gree]

I would ask them if they or ant of there workers have criminal records....seems like everyone here in Vermont these days charged with murders, are house painters.

Criminal record isnt a big deal if the work is good. Repeat offenders yes someone that was young and dumb not a big deal.

[Pat Germain]

If possible, try to find an example of a painter's work. I've seen some very expensive and very lousy jobs. On the other hand, when the house down the street from mine was painted, it looked so good I asked the owner who did the job.

And ditto on power washing! Paint doesn't like to stick to dirt.

[Chris Damm]

I would ask them when they joined the plumber's union. A contracter friend just got some estimates to paint a house he is remodeling. An average of $9500 for the outside and $11,800 for the inside. This house is a one story brick veneer of about 2000 sq. ft. He couldn't find a color matched brick for the addition but did find the same texture hence the outside painting. All of the estimates were within 10% of each other. He was shocked at the prices. His wife and her girlfriend painted the inside for a heck of a lot less but he had to bite the bullet on the outside.

[Rick Potter]

Like Mitch said. I did all the wood on my house with two coats of primer and two coats of paint. It is very important to caulk all loose areas so they won't rot.

Just last week, my neighbor had his house painted. I had to bite my tongue. The guy just sprayed one coat of paint on everything. It might last a few years before peeling. No sanding, no prep.

Rick Potter

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

It's time to get the exterior of my house painted. Does anyone have any thoughts on the questions I should ask the painters as I get estimates?
Thanks
Dennis

I used a guy names VIDAL painting from hunterdon Cty NJ Vidal's number is 908-310-8130. You can use my name.
He did my house. They did a Fabulous job.
It's a monster size 250 year old beast of a building with a ton of additions over the last two centuries creating lots of complex lines.
I showed him what I had done on one wall with my Porter Cable Paint Grinder - smooth as a baby's bottom not a stitch of old paint - ans told him that's what I expected all over.
And you know that's exactly what he gave me and for a lousy $6.5 Gees.
Every body else wanted $15- $25

[Jason Roehl]

From a painter with 14 years of experience (me), I've found that with the economy being down like it is right now, suddenly everyone is a painter and/or handyman...and they tend to be quite a bit cheaper than everyone else, too.