No matter what you want to do, there’s a DIY (do it yourself) video/blog/wiki article made to walk you through it, right? While it may be true that you could make everything into a DIY project, it doesn’t mean that you should. This absolutely holds true for home painting projects.
Take it from us – your expert Asheville house painters – we’ve seen (and fixed) some pretty major Pinterest fails. That’s why we’ve put together a basic guide to help you figure out when to hire help versus when to roll up the sleeves yourself!
Time
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing to hire or DIY is time. How long will the entire project take from start to finish? We recommend sitting down and making a well thought out estimation. For a complete list of preparation tasks, check out our blog on Paint Prep 101. Don’t forget to also include the time it takes to:
- Gather materials
- Prepare the room (drop cloths, tape, moving furniture, etc.)
- Prepare surfaces (sanding, patching/texturing/caulking as needed)
- Dry before applying a second coat
- Re-assemble the room after completion
Our Asheville house painters typically recommend hiring help with anything that would take you longer than a 2-day weekend to complete by yourself. Time is precious – spend yours on the people and activities you want to make lasting memories with. Let the pros handle the rest.
Safety
Safety is also an extremely important consideration. Typically, you will find more dangerous elements surrounding exterior painting projects versus interior. However, both can present challenges. If your project is exterior, some safety hazards could include:
- The slope of the ground and/or landscaping obstacles that could affect safe ladder placement
- Second story projects pose significant fall risks (exterior AND interior)
- Wind, rain and other elements
- Complex surface repairs/preparations
There are safety hazards involved in interior projects, as well. Some of those to consider include:
- Exposure to fumes
- If the walls had been previously painted prior to 1978 you could be dealing with lead paint
- Slick or uneven surfaces posing fall risks
- Chemical solvents and paints can cause skin and eye irritation
Quality
One of the main reasons to paint (or re-paint) an area of your home is to improve its appearance. The complexity of the project area can make the finished product look unfinished if it’s not treated correctly. Just how complex is your project? Some of the more complicated elements of a home include:
- Maintaining the integrity of a well-protected exterior
- Preserving the fine details of historical design elements
- Consistent, smooth coverage with a high sheen finish
- Properly prepared surfaces in areas that require repairs
- Perfect edges and borders with trim work, chair rails and accent work
Bottom line – the more complicated the project, the wiser it is to get professional help for high-quality results.
Residential Painters in Asheville
D.A.B. Painting can help you with any project – big or little! The best part is that your home will look like a million bucks (but at a fraction of that cost). Save the DIY for a Halloween costume while we take care of your scary walls.
Get in touch with us today to talk about your next painting project and get a FREE estimate.
