Touching up problem spots around windows with a paintbrush or repainting the damaged section of an exterior wall is not as labour-intensive as painting an entire house. If you’ve wanted to update your home’s exterior for a while now, you might be thinking that it would make a great summer do-it-yourself project. But some homes are easier to paint than others. Should you hire a pro to paint your house?
Hire a pro if the house is 1½ or more stories.
If the house is more than one story, it’s probably best to hire a painting professional. Especially if the grade (slant of the ground) around the house is not flat on all four sides, combined with a tall house, it could make it challenging to place the ladder so that it’s level and then use it safely while painting above your head.
Hire a pro if the colour is lighter.
If the colour you’ve chosen is lighter than the existing colour of the exterior walls, you will most likely need two coats. Even when using one-coat paint, the darker shade can bleed through. If you know this might be problematic for you, a professional painter will apply as many coats as necessary to get the job done.
Hire a pro if the numbers don’t add up.
Each one of your DIY projects requires different tools and materials. However, if you don’t have everything you’ll need to paint your house exterior, costs can quickly add up. When you have to rent or buy equipment and prep work materials such as tarps, the right type of ladder, lifts, scaffolding, sprayers, paint brushes and rollers, caulking, primer, paint, etc. it might be more economical to hire a pro.
Hire a pro if you don’t have the skills.
If you don’t have at least 80% of the necessary skills for exterior house painting, it could take longer than you originally anticipated or become more trouble than it’s worth. When there are paint drips, lumps, ripples, and roller marks from over-spraying, over-brushing, or using other pieces of equipment incorrectly, the result can be a poor paint job you have to live with or do over.
Hire a pro if prep work puts a damper on your enthusiasm.
Prep work for an exterior paint job can take just as long as the time it takes to do the actual painting. You don’t want to apply new paint to dirty and/or damaged walls. Exterior walls need to be cleaned and patched; caulking applied around door trim and windows; areas of wood rot replaced or repaired. If the thought of prepping your home’s exterior takes away your enthusiasm for your DIY painting project, hire someone to paint your house for you.
Hire a pro if the design is too intricate.
DIY exterior house painting where exterior walls are straight and the design and style of the home have basic shapes and lines will be easier than painting a house with a more complex design. For example, painting a French Country home with multiple rooflines and shutters or a Queen Anne style house with turrets will require specialized techniques and superior equipment handling.
