If your home’s exterior is looking worn out, chipped, dirty and old you may think that:.
May I just do the painting and save some money?
That makes sense. From a distance paint seems easy. A few buckets, some brushes, a ladder, a free weekend and two and maybe you are finished.
Once in the project, DIY Exterior Painting also includes much more than just applying color to a wall.
There is scraping. Washing. Patching. Caulking. Priming. Protecting plants. Safe access to high areas. Checking the weather. Choosing which paint to use. And also hoping the finish will still look good a year from now.
So what we really look at is not the issue of DIY versus cost. The issue is this:.
DIY outdoor painting does it end up saving you more in terms of cost and does hiring a pro save you from expensive mistakes, waste of time and rework?
It really is that which your home, your skill level, your available time, and how much risk you put up with play into it. We see Do It Yourself projects as a way to save money for some home owners. For many though professional exterior painting is the better financial decision.
Let’s do this like we do in real life, not like a sales pitch.
Why do so many home owners go at it themselves first?
Most people don’t set out to be a house painter.
They go in to see a quote from a painting company that reports back a price which is much higher than expected.
That’s when the topic of DIY comes up.
Home issues may be piling up for you at present. The roof may be a issue. The driveway may have cracked. Interior updates may be what is breaking the budget. Also when you see that exterior painting can cost thousands, doing it yourself seems like the easy way to save money.
Also in many cases that is true.
For small home owners with one story dwellings which is your case you have some painting experience, the right tools and plenty of time do it yourself may really lower your costs.
But at the start many home owners only look at the easy numbers. They look at paint and materials, put that against what the contractors are offering and think the lower price is the way to go.
That is what many people do.
What exactly is included in DIY House Painting.
Applying paint to the siding.
That is a piece of it.
A do it yourself outdoor painting project usually involves pressure washing the outside, going over in with a scraper to remove peeling paint, sanding down rough areas, fixing up damaged spots, filling in cracks, caulk which is put in gaps, priming bare areas, taping off trim, protecting windows, covering up the landscaping, setting out ladders and at that point you may begin to paint.
If you have wood sided homes, old trim, stucco that is cracked and weather damage the prep work is of great importance.
This is what usually goes wrong in a DIY project.
People speed through prep which is a mistake. We find that exterior paint does not do well when applied to a dirty, loose, damp and damaged surface. So a home may look great at first but in the end the finish will peel, bubble and fade out much faster than you think.
That which is supposed to be a money saving project.
What is what professional exterior painting services do.
A professional home exterior painting service is to also charge you for labor, skill, preparation, equipment and reduced risk which you may not have if you were to do it yourself. Also they are investing in quality products and tools which may be better than what you would use at home.
A skilled painting team does that which is required for surface prep, minor repairs, sanding, scraping, caulk application, priming, proper application, clean up, and final inspection. Also they are able to work in various weather conditions, on tricky surfaces, with high walls and at difficult trim lines.
They use better equipment which the average home owner doesn’t have access to. Also they know how to use these tools to best effect.
That’s because for what at first may seem like an easy task of DIY Exterior Painting you won’t know the full issue until you’re in the middle of it. At which point you’ll see that the home has uneven surfaces, large areas of peeling paint, hard to access areas and color compatibility issues.
Professionals have dealt with those issues before.
That doesn’t mean all contractors are great. Some cut corners, rush prep and overcharge. But when you hire the right one, you are buying into more than just paint. You are buying less stress and a greater chance that the result will.
The Upfront Cost: Do It Yourself tends to come off as cheap.
Suppose you look at the first numbers only.
DIY at first is usually to look cheaper.
You will spend on paint, primer, brushes, rollers, trays, drop cloths, painter’s tape, ladders, caulk, repair materials, sanding tools and also may rent a pressure washer or sprayer. As the size of your home and it’s condition increases that list does also.
A home owner may say, “I don’t have to break the bank in which I can put in a few hundred or even a few mill more like a few grand, also that is less then what I’d have to pay a professional.
That is true in many cases.
If what you are after is to reduce out of pocket spending at the time then do it yourself often comes out on top.
Here is what you need to do slow down and ask a better question:.
What is the true cost to you and what risks are you taking?
At times what we see right away is just the tip of the money issue.
DIY Exterior Paint’s True Cost.
This is an issue which most home owners ignore until they have to.
DIY has unexpected extra costs which don’t present in that first shopping trip.
The biggest one is time.
Exterior paint jobs for homes can take far more time than what is expected. What was to be a project for a long weekend ends up stretching out over many weekends in case of weather changes, prep work that is worse that which you expected, or you run out of steam after the first day.
Time is of the essence. If you are out of the office, giving up your weekends and every night you put in to see it through before the rain comes, that has value.
Then also the issue of errors.
Maybe what you’re finding is that the paint isn’t sticking right which is from not cleaning the surface enough. Also you may have skipped the primer in some areas which isn’t right. You may have chosen the wrong finish for the job. Also your spray job isn’t even which is a issue. Ladder placement is a pain and slows things down. Also in the middle of it all you realize the old caulk needs to be removed.
As of now you are buying greater amounts, putting in more time and at times going back to do revisions.
That is where it begins to break the bank.
There we have the issue of safety. We do see that which goes out to ladders, working on roofs, in to hard to reach corners and with tools at height. One accident can turn any Savings into a loss.
When in fact doormat projects pay you back.
Let’s face it, not everything in DIY has to be perfect.
DIY’ing exterior painting can save you money when the project is small and you are realistic about what you can do.
At times it makes sense that your home is single level, the exterior is in good repair, the surfaces are easy to put your hands on and you which to do some of the work yourself or have some tools at home. Also it helps if you are into hands on projects and have the time to do the prep work right.
In such a case do it yourself is a smart budget choice.
Some cases you may be looking to refresh the garage, touch up trim, paint a small part of the siding, or to do a simple exterior refresh that doesn’t require extensive repair. In which case, do it yourself.
The key is honesty.
Not positivity. Not I will work it out somehow. It can’t that hard.
Just honest evaluation.
If for a small scale project and your expectations are low, DIY will save you money.
In the long term you usually get more out of it if you do.
Here we go into the other.
Professional outdoor painting often pays off in the long term for large scale, complex, high risk and easy to mess up projects.
In a home that is two story, has detailed trim, peeling paint, damaged siding, old wood and a great deal of preparation required the chances of do it yourself going well go down.
Professionals in this area usually present better value.
A correct application of paint to the outside of your home will outlast that of a job done in a hurry or with poor preparation. Thus you may go many years between paint jobs. Also you reduce the chance of damage going unnotice and worsening which in turn is covered up by the paint.
This is very important in regards to wood surfaces, trim issues, cracks and moisture prone areas.
Professional work will also see that your home’s exterior look is best and the home value increased. Should you be putting your house on the market, or just want the home looking in top condition at all times, a quality and long lasting exterior finish does make a big difference.
So true that the invoice is high but what we see is the annual cost for the better lasting job is actually low.
That is the reason many home owners which tried do it yourself at first go for professionals the second time.
The Quality is Greater than what most people think.
This is what we see as home owners after the job is done.
A home may be painted but still not look professional.
The color is there but the lines may be off. Also, in the sun the coverage may look weak. The finish may present a roller mark or a drip, it may have missed areas of coverage, rough patches which also may display an uneven shine.
Most of the time people don’t see these issues while in the home. They notice them when they step back out to the street.
That is frustrating which after all that effort.
A professional grade paint job in most cases will appear more uniform, cleaner, and of a better polish. Also it is also that which does better over time as the preparation and application was done right.
That is what I am seeing between the two.
So Which Option Saves More Money?
Here is the straight answer.
DIY is a cheaper option at first. Professional painting pays off in the long run.
If your priority is to spend as little as possible at this time and the home is a simple one then do it yourself which may be the cheaper option.
If what you aim to do is to prevent mistakes, reduce stress, achieve better lasting results and protect your home’s value then professional exterior painting is the better investment.
The which savings you care for is what determines the best option.
Are you on a budget this month?
Are you looking to save money over the next five to ten years?
Those are two very different questions.
A Basic Guide to What to Choose for Your Home.
If you are caught between doing it yourself and hiring a pro, ask these questions:.
- How big is the house?
- How many stories does it have?
- How much prep work is needed?
- Do you already own the tools?
- Are you comfortable on ladders?
- Do you have time for this to do well?
- Do you have experience in fixing issues which come up during prep?
- How tired will you be of it if the results come out average after all that work?
That which we are discussing is more of an issue than people know.
At times DIY isn’t really worth it that when you see the end result you are annoyed each time you pull into the driveway.
What Most Homeowners Regret
Most home owners are regretting it not at all.
They regret underestimating the job.
That is the real issue.
They think it is all just paint, what they don’t realize is that it is also prep, planning, protection, material choice, weather timing, physical labor and finish quality which go into it.
Some regret hiring the cheapest contractor.
Some wish they had done a full exterior when in fact they only did half.
Some look back and wish they had acted sooner at the signs of peeling paint or damaged trim.
The smart play is to not go at it alone or to leave it to the pros.
The smart choice is to go with what works for your home, your budget, and your life.
A Balanced Recommendation
If you have a small scale exterior paint job which is low risk and you are knowledgeable, DIY will save you some money.
If you have a large old multi story which is also in bad shape and very important to the value of your property, it is usually better to go with a professional.
That doesn’t mean you have to break the bank.
You can compare quotes. You can ask what is included. We have that you may question about materials, time frames and warranty. Also you can make sure you are not paying for unnecessary add-ons.
But what we see is not the same.
And in the case of exterior paint work, corners do.
Final Thoughts
DIY as opposed to professional for exterior paint is beyond the issue of cost.
It is a matter of time and skill, safety and stress, durability and if you want the job done right possibly even better.
Yes1Q 0. Do It Yourself may save you money at times.
For a lot of home owners professional DIY Exterior Painting is the way to go as it reduces mistakes, goes the distance and takes off the pressure from you.
If still confused, what we see is that your best move may be to compare what you would pay out of pocket as a do it yourself versus professional estimates and to look beyond the first number which may jump out at you.
At that point the best choice becomes clear.
And if the thought of spending your weekends on ladders, sanding out old paint, watching the weather and waiting for the job to dry is right out for you, that may be that.
FAQs
Is DIY exterior painting really cheaper?
DIY is low in price at the start as you do not pay for labor. But if you make mistakes, require extra materials which also may run out, and the paint job does not last, it may end up being more in the long run.
What is the durability of a do it yourself exterior paint job?
It depends on prep work, paint quality, weather and surface condition. A great do it yourself paint job may last for years but poor preparation usually causes peeling and fading at an early stage.
When do I seek out a professional exterior painter?
For large homes, two story houses, damaged surfaces, tricky trim and any project which is of a safety and long term durability concern hire a professional.
Do I have what it takes to paint my home’s exterior if I’ve never done it before?
In some cases you can do it but in bigger and more complex homes it may not be the best idea. As for small and simple projects, those are a better fit for beginners. Also full exterior jobs usually turn out to be more complex then what the average person thinks.
What do you think is the greatest misstep home owners take when they paint the outside of their homes?
The greatest error is in rushing the preparation stage. Dirty, loose, cracked and unprimed surfaces will see your new paint job fail much sooner.
Does quality exterior paint work add value to a home?
A clean and high quality exterior enhances curb appeal and in turn makes the property to look better maintained which in the end does great for resale and overall appearance.
Is it worth for you to get quotes first?
Yes. Even when you’re into the DIY route we recommend you get a few quotes which will help you out in comparing what is included and if professional work is a better value for your situation.
