Porch, the home network, shares insights to help keep home painting costs down
SEATTLE, Feb. 3, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Porch.com (http://porch.com), the home network for homeowners and home professionals, today shared budget tips for homeowners who are planning a painting project for their home.
Like any home improvement project, knowing where your money is going, and the value of your investment, is a responsible part of home ownership. Whether your home is in desperate need of new exterior or interior paint, or you just want to add a few accent walls, there are real benefits to fresh coat.
"Budgeting for a painting project is somewhat straightforward, much more so than a remodel or an addition, but the costs can still vary widely depending on the square footage, materials, and how much preparation will be required," said Anne Reagan, Editor in Chief for Porch. "Before you do anything, decide whether your project will require hiring a professional or if the DIY method might be right for you, taking into account your true level of commitment to the project."
Exterior vs. Interior
Your budget will be different whether you are painting the exterior of your home or just painting a few rooms inside of your home.
If you're unsure what type of paint to purchase or how to calculate the amount of paint you will need for your home, consult your professional painter or use the Lowe's Paint Calculator to estimate how much you will need.
Exterior
- If your current exterior paint is chipped and peeling, you may need to strip the old paint off and sand. If the old paint is in good condition, you can usually paint right over it. Other steps may need to be taken such as repairing siding and window installments, painting shutters or the garage door, as well as your house doors and trim. Keep in mind that if your home is two stories or higher, there are risks in climbing a ladder and doing repairs from the roof. The overall scope of this project will greatly influence both the costs of materials and labor costs. For most exterior home painting, it's easier to hire a professional painter to do the job for you.
Interior
- The cost to paint the interior of your home will be dependent upon the number of rooms you're looking to paint, the size of the rooms, the level of detail work, the number of repairs and if you have unusual features of the room (like tall ceilings or awkward angles). Many homeowners choose to DIY their interior painting however, hiring a pro may make the job go faster and lead to a higher quality job.
Budget Factors
When planning your painting project, it's important to understand that there may be many factors that will have an impact on your costs. The following should be included in your painting project budget.
Size of room
- Just like with any home improvement project, the size of space that will be painted will directly impact the price. The greater size of the room, the more materials you will need to purchase. Payments toward your hired professional will also be influenced by the size of the room as the bigger the room, the longer it will take a professional to complete the job.
Materials
- When it comes to painting materials, it is always best to find the best quality you can afford. Durability is key to adding value, and less expensive paint is more likely to peel faster or it may have inferior pigments. If you don't have your own painting materials, you'll need to invest in drop cloths, painter's tape, brushes and rollers, not to mention primer, paint or stain. A professional will already own the proper tools and may also have specialty equipment like sanders, paint sprayers and ladders.
Amount of time
- The length of time it requires to complete your painting project will influence your budget, especially if you plan on hiring a painter. A painting professional will be able to provide insight as to whether additional time may be required for prepping or special finishing. His or her service time will depend on the detail of the work along with any additional preparations or drying time.
Additional costs
- Deciding on the method of painting is important in calculating budget costs. Spraying is commonly known to be faster and as a result, more cost effective. Hand brushing is often used when more precision is required and tends to involve less preparation.
- Whichever method you choose, be sure to go over any possible preparation work with your professional. He or she can inform you if there are any HOA rules or whether a certain type of paint is required based on the age of your home, whether the surface is interior or exterior, and whether it needs to stand up to extreme conditions.
For homeowners who decide to hire a professional painter, they can visit Porch's City Pages that will direct them to professionals that their neighbors and friends have used. The links below will take homeowners to Porch's painter specific City Pages.
New York, NY Painters
Los Angeles, CA Painters
Chicago, IL Painters
Dallas, TX Painters
Houston, TX Painters
Philadelphia, PA Painters
Washington, DC Painters
Miami, FL Painters
Atlanta, GA Painters
Boston, MA Painters
San Francisco, CA Painters
Phoenix, AZ Painters
Seattle, WA Painters
Minneapolis, MN Painters
San Diego, CA Painters
Tampa, FL Painters
St. Louis, MO Painters
Baltimore, MD Painters
Denver, CO Painters
Pittsburgh, PA Painters
Charlotte, NC Painters
Portland, OR Painters
San Antonio, TX Painters
Orlando, FL Painters
Sacramento, CA Painters
Cincinnati, OH Painters
Cleveland, OH Painters
Kansas City, MO Painters
Las Vegas, NV Painters
Columbus, OH Painters
Indianapolis, IN Painters
San Jose, CA Painters
Austin, TX Painters
Nashville, TN Painters
Virginia, VA Painters
Providence, RI Painters
Milwaukee, WI Painters
Jacksonville, FL Painters
Memphis, TN Painters
Oklahoma City, OK Painters
Richmond, VA Painters
New Orleans, LA Painters
Hartford, CT Painters
Raleigh, NC Painters
Salt Lake City, UT Painters
Buffalo, NY Painters
Rochester, NY Painters
Tucson, AZ Painters
Honolulu, HI Painters
Tulsa, OK Painters
About Porch
Porch is the home network, free for homeowners and home professionals. With over 3.2 million professionals and over 130 million projects, Porch enables homeowners to make smart home improvement decisions by giving them the information they need to find the right professionals, get inspiration, and manage their home. The Porch App, a first of its kind app available for iOS gives homeowners direct access to a personal Porch Concierge to help find the best professionals for your home. For more information about Porch, visit http://porch.com and to download the Porch App at http://porch.com/app
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