Exterior Painting

Exterior work lives or dies on preparation. Loose paint has to come off, bare wood and bare metal have to be primed, and every gap that lets water behind the surface needs caulking before a topcoat goes near it. Skip that and you are repainting in two years.

I work with the weather rather than against it. If the forecast means the coating will not cure properly, I will say so and move the day rather than put paint on that is going to fail.

What this usually covers

• Siding: wood, fiber cement, aluminium and vinyl trim
• Soffit, fascia, rafter tails and porch ceilings
• Window and door trim, shutters and garage doors
• Decks, railings, stairs and skirting
• Wrought iron fences, gates and handrails, with rust knocked back
• Scraping, sanding and spot-priming bare areas
• Caulking joints and penetrations before painting
• Rust treatment on metal, including posts corroding from inside
• Small repairs found along the way: loose boards, missing siding, popped fasteners

How it is priced

Exterior jobs are quoted after a look at the property, because condition drives the price far more than square footage does. Fences and railings are usually priced per section, which lets you take a long run in stages. Repairs found during prep are quoted before they are done, never added silently.