Tag Archive for: exterior painting

Exterior Painting Challenges in Boston, MA

The challenges that face expert painters in Boston, MA are often rather more complex than in other states. Here at United Home Experts, we have identified three areas from which these challenges stem. The first challenge is the closeness of the houses or buildings in this area, making the use of special equipment and experience important. The second and third challenges stem from legislation that guards the historical significance of certain areas and against lead poisoning.x--pictures-mike d photos-2011 website profiles-21 green after

Preserving Architectural History

Boston has been a part of the nation’s history from its original inception as thirteen states to the present day. The evolution and phases of architecture in the country can be seen reflected in various parts of the city. Walking through it is like taking a stroll through time; several properties owned by private individuals have great historic value. Many regulations have been put in place to preserve these national treasures. Of course, this makes painting the exterior of a home in Boston a challenge.

There are historic districts, landmark districts and architectural conservation districts. As long as the home is located in one of these areas, any modification, renovation or exterior work visible to the public must be approved by the commission assigned to the area. There are no pre-approved paint colors, instead of being evaluated on a building-by-building basis. After the work is done, a certificate of suitability must be obtained as proof of having followed the required structures.

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The layout of Boston is cramped compared to other cities. This means that sidewalks often need to be used in order to accomplish an exterior paint job. Permits for this activity must be obtained from the city.

Expanding the home often means adding an additional storey or two. Homes in Boston are typically taller than the typical home in other, more spacious states. Ladders cannot reach high enough to accomplish the job properly, so scaffolding is needed. There are also numerous devices needed by the painters to complete the project safely.

The advantage of employing an experienced contractor like United Home Experts is their people’s familiarity with the whole process. Everything that is required is done, so the job is accomplished smoothly with few or no interruptions or delays.

Lead Consciousness

The Massachusetts Lead Law states that homes built before 1978 should obtain a letter of compliance. This means that the paint used in the home should be lower than the limit set as safe by legislation. Homes that do not meet this criterion should be deleaded. The goal is to provide an environment that is free from the dangers of lead poisoning. Thus, the paint used in newer homes should also pass these standards.

The Expert Contractor Advantage

The people at United Home Experts understand all the peculiarities of the areas their clientele reside in. Its expert painters in Boston, MA have extensive experience in dealing with the challenges brought about by its eclectic architecture, and with the laws that ensure that the city’s historical areas are preserved for generations to come as well as regulations that protect its citizens from lead poisoning. With United Home Experts, exterior painting is in the reliable hands of conscientious expert contractors.

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Exterior Painting Ideas

Article Summary:This article will help when trying to find creative exterior painting ideas and offer advice on planning and preparation for your next exterior painting project.

Creative exterior painting ideas can make or break a project. If you want to liven up the exterior of your home, a new paint job can add both vitality and character, but the colors and treatments you choose need to be well thought out ahead of time. Scheduling painters can be a real challenge, so don’t be faced with making paint selections and applications too quickly just because the painting contractors are due to arrive tomorrow. There are many factors that you should take into account when you’re preparing to paint the exterior of your home, including the colors of your roof and shutters, your house’s architectural style, and the colors of other homes in the neighborhood.

Unless you are planning to renovate the exterior of your home completely, you should consider the parts of your home that will not be painted. If you have brick or stone that will be untouched, the exterior color scheme that you choose should incorporate these natural colors. Also, the shingles of your roof may have specks of color in them, so you may want to consider a color that will highlight these subtleties. Consider buying some home improvement or architectural digest types of magazines so you can review photos which often can unleash your inner muse.

Many homeowners choose to reapply the same color exterior paint when the original coating begins to fade. Don’t completely disregard the opportunity to update your home’s style, however. You may want to pick two or three colors for your home–one will serve as the main color and the other two will be used for accents on trim, shutters, doors, a trellis, and other features that add character to your home.

Exterior Painting Ideas Quick Tips

  • Fit in with the neighborhood but stand out through color combinations
  • Don’t just settle on the previously used colors
  • Pick a few color combinations that go well together
  • Play off specks of paint in the roof or in surrounding brick etc.
  • Use high quality paint that has more interesting color choices
  • Buy a few quarts of paint and test patch areas of your house that won’t be seen easily to be sure you like the colors
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How Much Does it Cost to Paint a House?

In many cases homeowners approach us for help in deciding whether or not to continue painting their house or to replace the x--pictures-booked jobs 2009-santos, westford c ws-before-picture 113siding.  Inevitably one of the first questions is: “How Much Does a Paint job Cost for a home?”  As with any home improvement project the cost of painting a home is subject to many factors, but this article should help you get a general idea of how much it might cost to paint your home.

By far the most accurate way to know what painting your house costs is to request a painting estimate.  However, if you’re not quite ready for that, or you live outside our service region keep reading!

Cost of Painting By House Type and Project Complexity

The table below shows average and approximate painting costs for various size houses and various amounts of prep work, accessibility and levels of project complexity.

Prep Work: The term prep work or preparation work refers to the amount of work needed to prepare the surface of what you are painting to be painted again.  This could include scraping, sanding, caulking, priming, repair/replacing boards, chemically stripping, use of heat gun and of course following the EPA standards for lead paint removal (If applicable).  These approximations can vary based on the items listed above in the section “Factors Influencing the Cost of a Paint job in Massachusetts.”

Amount of Prep Work*/ Complexity of Project

Low-Prep / Basic Job

Mid-Prep / Average Job

High-Prep / Complex Job

Small
House

$2,000 – $4,000$3,000 – $6,000$5,000 – $12,000+*

Medium
House

$3,000 – $7,000$5,000 – $10,000$9,000 – $18,000+*

Large
House

$6,000 – $12,000$5,000 – $18,000$16,000 -$30,000+*

Extra Large
House

$10,000 – $30,000$15,000 – $45,000$25,000 – $70-000+*

*If the prep work is particularly difficult the cost could even exceed these numbers in which case it may be less expensive to just replace the siding.  See the cost of siding replacement.

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Influences on the Cost of a Paint Job

The following are all questions a reputable painting contractor must use to determine the cost of painting your home.

These are head and shoulders the top 2 factors influencing the cost of house painting:

  1. Surface area and square footage being painted
  2. Amount of surface preparation needed (scraping, sanding, priming, caulking, washing)

The following are other factors that will be considered:

  • Type of product being used (latex paint, semi-transparent, solid stain etc.)
  • Height of house
  • Amount of surfaces (complexity)
  • Substrate being painted (wood, masonry, aluminum siding, etc.)
  • Need for replacement of rotted wood
  • Ease of access (It can be very difficult to paint houses in densely populated areas)
  • Removal and reinstallation of fixtures (storm windows, awnings, lights, etc.)
  • Type of staging required
  • Need for extra equipment such as a hydraulic lift
  • Applicable taxes
  • Regional Overhead (in some states the cost to run a business is much higher and will affect the cost of new siding)

Clearly, given the amount of influential factors listed above it is tough to come up with a “ballpark” or “guesstimate.”  It’s impossible to get too specific; however, the painting pricing information listed below should help.

If you live within our service region of Eastern New England:

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