When To Hire A Painting Pro!

Many homeowners choose to do their own painting for several reasons but mainly because doing it themselves is a huge money saver. However, some jobs may require the help of a professional. Consider these things before deciding if you should go with a pro!

• One room or the whole house? Painting one room is reasonable, however, if you're doing multiple rooms in the house, you may want to hire help. You'll save yourself the time spent moving furniture, prepping walls, and sanding surfaces.
• One or two stories? Painting one story may be reasonable for most homeowners. However, painting two stories will require extension ladders and scaffolding. This is better left to a professional.
• Same color or significant change? Repainting surfaces with a similar color doesn't require much priming and probably only one coat. However, for those significant changes, such as changing from a dark to light shade, it will require two coats at the least, doubling the work.
• House built before the 1978 ban on lead paint? If your house was built before the lead paint ban, you'll want a professional to properly seal off rooms and do required testing and cleanup to minimize exposure to the lead paint.

Be sure to get proposals from several contractors and ask them to include all details in writing, including who will supply the paint – you or the contractor. Lastly, check out paint ratings from Consumer Reports. Some of the inexpensive paints often perform better than those that are more expensive.