What Does a Professional Painter Look for During an Exterior Painting Estimate?

When you schedule an estimate to have your home's exterior painted, you might expect the painter to measure the house, look at the color and five you a price.

A thorough exterior painting estimate should involve much more than that.

At Jr's Lonestar Painting, an estimate is also an opportunity to evaluate the condition of the surfaces we're being asked to paint. That means looking closely for damage, previous paint problems and potential trouble spots that a homeowner may not even realize are there.

For homeowners throughout Sherman, Denison, Pottsboro, Grayson County and the surrounding North Texas and southeastern Oklahoma area, that inspection can be an important first step toward a paint job that's designed to last.

We're Not Just Looking at the Paint

One of the first things we look for is damaged or compromised wood.

Sometimes that means doing something as simple as physically knocking on exterior boards and checking how they feel. Wood that looks fine from a distance may be soft when you touch it.

If a board is soft or begins to deteriorate when it's checked, simply covering it with paint isn't going to solve the problem.

The damaged wood may need to be replaced before painting begins.

This is one reason a detailed estimate matters. The goal isn't simply to determine how many gallons of paint your house needs. It's to understand what needs to happen before painting starts.

Previous Paint Jobs Can Leave Clues

We also look at the work that's already been done to the home.

Are there splatters on the concrete? Overspray on the windows or brick? Is exisiting paint peeling or failing?

We may also find situations where incompatible products have previously been used together, such as latex paint applied improperly over an oil-based coating.

These details help us understand what we're working with and what preparation may be necessary to create a better result this time.

Sometimes We Find Problems Homeowners Didn't Know Existed

Exterior damage isn't always obvious.

During one recent estimate, Jr. inspected a siding wall on the outside of a garage. When he physically checked it, he was able to move the siding significantly with his hand.

The home owner didn't know there was a problem.

Rather than simply painting over it, the recommendation was to remove the compromised siding, inspect the structure behind it and then determine the appropriate repair before installing new siding.

That's an extreme example, but it illustrates why an estimate should include more than measurements.

You want to know what's underneath the paint before you invest in putting new paint over over it.

Those Tiny Cracks in Your Caulking Matter

One of the smallest things we look for can also be one of the most important: thin cracks along exterior wood and trim joints.

Caulking helps seal potential points of water intrusion. That's particularly important in North Texas, where exterior surfaces deal with heat, humidity, rain and significant temperature changes.

Wood naturally expands and contracts as conditions change. Your home also experiences normal movement and settling.

If the caulking doesn't have enough flexibility, it can eventually crack. Once that seal fails, moisture has an opportunity to reach the wood.

That's when a tiny crack can eventually turn into a carpentry repair.

Why We Prime All Six Sides of Replacement Wood

If exterior wood does need to be replaced, there's another step homeowners may never see once the project is finished.

On replacement boards, Jr's Lonestar Painting can prime all six sides of the wood—not just the visible surface.

What does "six sides" mean?

Think about a rectangular board. There's the front and back, two long edges and two ends. Priming all of those surfaces completely surrounds the board with an additional layer of protection before it's installed.

Why go to the extra trouble when no one will ever see the back of the board?

Because water doesn't care which side of the board is visible.

If caulking eventually fails and moisture finds its way behind the finished surface, that primer provides another layer of protection instead of leaving raw wood immediately exposed.

It's a small detail that can make a big difference over the life of an exterior paint job.

A Good Estimate Should Give You Choices

Another thing homeowners may not expect is that there isn't necessarily one "right" painting package for every house.

At Jr's Lonestar Painting, we offer Basic, Better and Best options so homeowners can choose the level of investment that makes sense for their particular property.

For example, someone preparing an investment property for sale may have different priorities than someone painting a forever home they plan to live in for decades.

The preparation standards remain important, but different products, warranties and levels of longevity can provide homeowners with options at different price points.

Our goal isn't to automatically sell every homeowner the most expensive option. It's to explain the differences so you can decide which provides the best value for your situation.

Ready for an Exterior Painting Estimate?

If your home's exterior is fading, peeling or simply ready for an updated look, the first step is finding out what's really going on with the surfaces underneath.

Jr's Lonestar Painting provides professional residential painting services throughout Sherman, Denison, Pottsboro, Grayson County and surrounding communities across Northeast Texas and southeastern Oklahoma.

Want to see what we've been working on? Browse our Resident Painting Projects for examples of completed projects.

Ready to talk about your home? Request a quote from Jr's Lonestar Painting and we'll help you determine what your home needs before the first coat of paint goes on.