The true cost of painting houses
When considering the true cost of repainting your house, the question must be asked at some point, "is it worth the money?!"
well, It is, if it’s done right!
A true professional house painting contractor, no matter where in the world, has the tools and experience to do it right. At least he/she should. The overall paint job cost is more than the paint.
In most cases, all materials to be used when painting a house must be purchased prior to starting. A large painting company may have a store with stock already in, and sometimes, especially in the case of exterior coating companies, the paint or coating is sometimes specially made up.
What would a painting contractor bring to the job?
Well, normally, they would bring a selection of the following:
* Sandpaper and sanding discs.
* Patching compounds and fillers
* Caulking compounds and mastics
* Tape, paper, plastic, dustsheets
* Primer.
* Paint. (doh!)
*Ladders & access equipment
*Cleaning equipment.
*Safety and protective items.
This is only a starting list. !!! (take a look inside a professional decorators vehicle (with their permission!) and see what they have to carry around with them!)
Additional tools are often needed to apply the paint and these can be expensive, adding to the cost of house painting. Quality tools and materials can amount to 1/3 or more of the contract amount. Professional painters usually use the best brushes and rollers as not only will they give a better finish on the house and be easier for them to use, they will also last longer! Painters and decorators know about a false economy, its a pity that some homeowners who pay "cash in hand" cowboys dont realise that too!
In the case of specialist finishes, the contractor may also bring to the job specialist equipment like spraying machines.
These costs put a great burden on the painter and his/her ability to make a living, after all thats why they are there in the first place, TO EARN MONEY! If you have contracted the painter to do additional items, such as extensive repairs to the outside walls before they can actually get to work painting, then it's going to put the cost up and theres not a lot you can do but get the work done.
Many repairs needed to home exteriors that get put off solely due to cost, and it often shocks the owners when after a few years they decide to get the work done, extensive research has shown the homeowners building exterior defect (for example, a large crack) could have become far worse and would end up costing them even more in the first place!
With ever tighter household budgets these days, it's a difficult balancing act sometimes, but if you look after your house, it will look after you; with benefits that range from living in a cleaner, smarter home, to the simple and proven fact that it will be far easier to sell your house, often at a profit!
Should the decorator have insurance?
In a word, YES!
A small portion of the price a homeowner pays for a professional paint finish on their home, will include a nominal amount for risk and insurance.
There are other also other essential business expenses that a painter has to pay for........
* Public liability insurance
* Tax, income and social security or national insurance (UK)
* Fuel, oil changes, wear and tear on vehicles and equipment.
* Health insurance.
*Employers liability insurance (UK)
*Fees or subscriptions to trade associations.
* Advertising and marketing costs.
* Labourers or assistants wages.
Even from the short list above, it is obvious that the customer has to pay for much more than just the cost of the service
The cost of house painting is always expenses and profit. Expenses are the materials and labour. With profit being a small portion of the actual contract amount, and please homeowners, when you get quotes, yes, its good to get value for money but dont EVER EVER CHOOSE THE CHEAPEST QUOTE as 9 times out of 10, you will live to regret it.
Now that it's been explained where all the money goes, what about experience?
This is truly hard to put a price on it could be suggested. The more experience a painter and decorator has the more detailed the job will be and the higher quality the finish and overall experience of having him or her at the house will be.
Choosing a decorator to repaint the outside walls of your house is a difficult task and fraught with pitfalls. Choose the wrong person and you could be in for a nasty shock.
It may look good when they finish, and they have been paid, but 6 months down the line, it could start looking awful again, with mould appearing, flaky paint and cracks re-opening.
Why?
Becasue the homeowner thought that they were being clever by getting their house painted for next to nothing. All that money saved is money down the drain as the cowboy has his money to spend down the pub or the bookies and youre left with a house thats quite frankly looks bad!
Whats the solution?
Well, as editor, i can only reccomend 2 things.
1) Have NPA International come in and professionally repair, prepare and spray your house with a long life exterior coating which lasts for up to 25 years.....
(although i would say that wouldn't I ?!)
or.....
2) Get a professional painting company to come in and do it properly! Although houses, to be kept in tip top condition, need to be repainted usually at least every 2 years. DONT CHOOSE THE CHEAPEST!
If you plan on hiring a painting contractor, there is more than the price to think about.
Edited by Guy Bell, from an article on the fabulous website www.house-painting-info.com. visit it today!
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