Proper Prep. Steps & Repair Costs
When looking to repaint your home’s exterior, for any Sachse Texas neighborhood, there are many things to consider, including the quality of the paint, the preparation for the home, and the type of materials used in the repairs. This article will cover the exterior painting process, exterior renovations and repairs, and the main issues to consider when hiring.
While there are many companies that can paint the exterior of your home, understanding the right preparation, having their written process, and ensuring that you can trust that they are following those processes, is ultimately important. Most larger companies use subcontractors exclusively for exterior painting, which encourages the use of cheaper paint (other than what was quoted,) skipping required prep, and covering up small repairs with caulking instead of replacing it as needed.
Be sure that you understand:
Exterior painting should always start with good prep. This part, if done correctly, takes for longer than the actual painting of the home itself.
At VIP Services, we often see chimneys take the brunt of weather damage. Corner boards are commonly rotted or loose, along with siding where the chimney meets the roofline.
As part of our repair process, we install screws into the chimney corner boards to prevent them from loosening over time due to sun exposure. This also helps prevent potential water leaks inside the home. We inspect the roof flashing around the chimney as well, since roof leaks frequently occur in this area. If more extensive repairs are needed, we always discuss them with the homeowner beforehand.
Depending on the chimney height and location (first or second floor), chimney corner board repairs typically range from a few hundred dollars up to $500–$600.
If all of the existing siding must be replaced, costs may range from about $750 for a smaller chimney to $1,500–$2,000 for a taller second-floor chimney. VIP Services uses durable concrete board rather than lower-grade materials. Concrete siding and panels provide the same appearance with greater longevity.
Siding along rooflines frequently gets wet during rainfall. Older Masonite or particle-board siding will often absorb moisture over time and begin to rot from the bottom up anywhere it meets the roofline.
This issue also affects Masonite or particle-board exterior panels installed in 4′ × 8′ sheets. In many cases, we replace lap siding along the roofline with durable concrete or Hardie board that will not rot over time.
Larger 8-foot panels can often be trimmed along the bottom and repaired with concrete board instead of replacing the entire panel, significantly reducing costs. Repairing or replacing siding along a roofline typically runs just a few hundred dollars per side.
Other common exterior repairs include replacing trim boards around windows as well as fascia board and soffit repairs. These problems often occur in homes originally built with Masonite siding or where clogged gutters have forced water into these areas.
Repair costs vary based on location, height, and size of the repair. Replacing a small 3–5 foot section of fascia may cost $75–$100, while larger rotted areas requiring both soffit and fascia repairs may cost approximately $250 or more, including materials.
In Texas, squirrel damage is also very common. Squirrels frequently chew through Masonite, particle board, and real wood.
Hardie board or concrete siding is extremely resistant to this type of damage. Replacing affected areas with these materials helps prevent further entry points into the attic.
Checking gutters should always be part of any repainting process. We often find leaking or rusty gutters that need repair or full replacement.
Gutters sometimes shift over time and need to be rehung to drain properly. These are usually smaller repairs costing a few hundred dollars but can significantly improve the longevity of the surrounding structures.
Gutter screens are also commonly added to prevent debris buildup that can cause gutters to overflow into the overhang.
As part of our process at VIP Services, we also inspect roof vents and spray paint them to match the shingle color. This step is primarily aesthetic but creates a clean, finished look after the home has been painted.
Using a quality paint such as Sherwin-Williams 25-Year SuperPaint should be the minimum standard when painting a home’s exterior. Many companies use 10- or 15-year paint products, which offer only minimal savings compared to longer-lasting paint.
The difference may be as little as $10–$15 per gallon across an average of about 10 gallons for a typical home. While most homes will be repainted before 25 years anyway, higher-quality paint protects the wood from damage for a longer period of time.
Including proper prep work, masking, caulking, and spraying, a typical one-story home of approximately 1,800–2,200 sq ft that is mostly brick with some siding may cost between $2,500–$3,500 depending on prep and priming requirements.
Larger homes with similar brick coverage ranging from 2,500–3,500 sq ft may cost roughly $3,000–$4,000 including paint and prep materials.
Front porches or patio covers would be additional costs added to these ranges.
Painting includes everything that is currently the same color as the main body of the home. This typically includes gutters, overhangs, chimneys, doors, and overhead garage doors.
Optional upgrades include adding a second trim color or painting the front door or shutters a different color. Adding a second trim color across the home may add $1,000 or more, while painting a front door or shutters a different color usually adds only a few hundred dollars.
While there are many issues to consider, we hope this article provides some accurate overall cost to consider when planning to hire a contractor for exterior painting. Quality of installation, process and materials should be the focus of any homeowner’s decision
At VIP Services, we know that there are many companies that can provide similar services, but we often hear that the client’s overall experience was disappointing. After improving our processes for over 20 years, our main focus is client’s overall experience. Having the right employees in place and detailed processes to ensure that every detail is covered, while slowing down to be sure that the planning is correct before we swing, the first hammer, is our primary focus.
Please see our page at VIPServices4u.com for more details on our approach, processes, and guarantees.