Close Article
Interior Painting Tips
One of the easiest and best ways to make your home look better is to paint the
interior of your home. There are a lot of painters out there though, so here
are a few tips to help you narrow down your options:
- Checking references of painters is especially important as it is very easy
for someone to call themselves a painter. Considering that painters do much of
their work without you around, there is no way to know they have done what they
were supposed to until it is too late. If they don't put down primer
everywhere you won't know until there has been damage and discoloration, so be
diligent.
- When checking past work of painters don't just rely on pictures, as the
photos will most likely be of recently completed jobs. Go see some of the work they did some time ago to see how their work holds up.
- Be sure to make the proper preparations, like clearing out the room, or
covering up the furniture to avoid accidents.
- Discuss the best type of paint and finish (flat, semi-gloss, satin) for your project.
Understand the maintenance and cleaning options with each.
- Be clear on what is to be painted, the materials being used, and how it will be
applied. Get it all in writing.
- Make sure the interior painters will take the steps needed to
protect other areas of your home not being painted, like windows.
- Keep in mind that light colors make the room seem bigger and more open,
while darker colors make the room seem smaller.
- Tightly close any left over paint and store in a safe place. If you need to make touch ups down the road,
you'll be thankful you did.
- Make sure to record the manufacturer and ID number of the paint should you need to
purchase more in the future.
Contractors that do this may also provide the following services:
- House Painting
- Wallpapering
- Handyman
Close Article
The Wonders of Painting Your Home for Sale
By Barbara Thorp - Oz Free Real Estate
Let's admit it, whatever our reasons for being attracted to a real estate property for sale, whether they be location, size, price, proximity, etc, etc, whatever they are, it still boils down to one thing: We are still primarily motivated by what we see.
Which is why the paintwork is very crucial when you're considering putting up your home for sale. Indeed, paint spells the difference between a house that gets sold for a winsome price, and one that gets ignored.
Whether you need a major paint job for your home or just some minor touching up, only you can decide. But whatever you do, painting should be approached in a systematic manner.
The Basics in Painting.
If you have rooms that are on the small side, paint them with a lighter colour. Lighter colours make a room look larger. Conversely, dark colours make a room seem smaller.
Before you selecting colours, experiment with small patches of your house first. Colours in samples often translates to a very different appearance on your walls. To save money, time and frustration, buy a small amount of the colour of your choice and apply it to a small part of the wall in question. Let it dry and decide whether it is what you really want. Often, experimenting with colours can lead to spectacular results you didn't plan on. So don't be shy.
Remember to record the mix of the paint on the can so that whenever you need to re-order, you can effortlessly duplicate the right shade of colour.
What to Paint With.
Choosing the right paint depends on the particular area you're painting. Generally, there are two paint types: water based or solvent based.
Go for water-based paints when doing walls and ceilings. They're easy to apply, touch dry in 20 minutes, can usually be re-coated in two hours, and clean up in water.
A semi-gloss or satin finish acrylic, on the other hand, gives a hardy surface in high traffic areas, such as kitchens, family rooms or children's rooms.
Flat or low sheen acrylic or vinyls are better suited for more formal areas like dining rooms, bedrooms and lounge rooms.
For ceilings, try a special ultra flat plastic known as ceiling white that helps mask imperfections. But choose one that doesn't drip.
For areas that need constant cleaning, such as doors, windows and furniture, or walls subjected to frequent dampness, you can't go wrong with solvent-based enamel paint. It gives hard-wearing surfaces a tough finish. Kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms are popular with enamel paint.
At the end of the day, the physical appearance of your home will be the reason a prospective buyer will make an offer. Paint your way to a successful home for sale then.
Barbara writes articles and press releases for http://www.ozfreeonline.com - this piece she made served as an article exclusive for http://realestate.ozfreeonline.com - which offers a comprehensive list of office & commercial real estates, homes for rent or sell and an apartment finder to thousands of properties in Australia.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barbara_Thorp_-_Oz_Free_Real_Estate
Close Article
Better Communication for a Better Paint Job - It�s a Two Way Street
By Michael Fahey
Poor communication is a leading reason for a bad home improvement project. Whether it is missed appointments, late arrivals, or long absences of the contractor, better communication can ease this sometimes painful process.
Painting existing homes can bring with it a lot of extra work which may not be included in the original bid. An experienced contractor will generally do a thorough walkthrough on the job, but cannot determine all the things which may come up. He will then complete a quote which he feels is reasonable and put in extra time for unforeseen prep. He may use ambiguous descriptions to describe prep like �as determined by contractor� or �as needed�. This is a mistake.
The homeowner, on the other hand, sees it a different way. He sees, in most cases, a painted room to perfection (the end result). Where the contractor knows he will cut around switch plates, cable outlet, and other protrusions, the homeowner is expecting all plates to be removed. This �lack of attention� to detail will create concern and start the job off on the wrong foot as the homeowner will likely have doubts about their decision. This lack of communication will create issues on most jobs, and magnify the slightest problem.
Although this seems minor, it does cause problems. On exterior jobs, it is much worse. Chipping paint, rust and other issues must be dealt with. If the contractor does not their proposal in detail with the homeowner, they automatically set HIGHER EXPECTATIONS, especially if the quote is higher than others. Communicating the details of the job is just as important as estimating properly. It can save your company money and minimize concerns of the homeowner by alleviating future problems.
Whether interior or exterior, a detailed walkthrough and explanation of how work will be completed goes a long way to making the job a good one.
Do the following during walk through:
� Use a halogen lamp to expose flaws in the wall which may go undetected.
� If you are matching paint, use a pocket pallet provided by some paint manufacturers, it is easy to use and very professional.
� Make note, of imperfections and how they will be repaired in detail
� Explain how taping will be done, what and where
� Explain set up in each room; who moves furniture, etc
� Focus on eye level flaws, but inspect corners/closets with homeowner
These items may seem basic, but most homeowners will focus on the flaws and most contractors won�t thoroughly explain how they will work.
Once the scope of work is determined, the home owner should be made aware of who will be doing the work and when. If a new crew member is assigned, call them and let them know.
They also should be made aware of who will handle any issues and concerns. Who will inspect the work and handle the completion details. More homeowners express dissatisfaction when the person they deal with only shows up when checks are written.
Explaining this upfront gives the homeowner the belief that you are detail oriented and professional. It makes them feel you are on top of their job.
Although most of this is written �to the contractor�, the homeowner should expect this level of service from their contractor, and should ask these questions anyway. It makes sense to want to know who will be in your home. It is the homeowner�s responsibility to know and to ask.
The bottom line is most rooms professionally painted will look fine when the job is done. Once a room is decorated, and furniture is moved in the flaws won�t be noticeable. As long as the homeowner and contractor were on the same page, both should be satisfied.
Michael Fahey publishes The Trades Journal, http://www.thetradesjournal.com An online guide for homeowners to find contractors.
He has performed renovations and inspections in over 15,000 homes as a licensed general contractor. Information obtained from large pool of feedback from satisfied homeowners and professional contractors.
He completed studies for Oak Ridge National Labs and Pacific Gas & Electric, both of which required recovery of information on customer satisfaction of work performed.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Fahey