painting house with palm tree in the way

How long does it take to paint a house exterior and should I attempt it myself?

One of the most common questions we get asked over the years we have been painting houses is “how long will the job take?”.

Well you may be surprised that having one of our teams paint the exterior of your home doesn’t take that long, in fact in most cases we are “in and out” in the space of only a few days.

Why do people ask us?

As a homeowner myself, having workmen around can sometimes be a bit of a nuisance and an invasion of privacy.

Whether it is having a new roof, having someone lay a new patio or in our case, a team of 2 or 3 people painting the outside of your house, it is still an interruption to your day, we realise this, and we do our utmost to minimise disruption.

We have been applying paint to homes up and down the UK since 1986 and in that time we have met thousands of home owners and have been able to canvass their opinion and this is what we have found so far.

Here is some information about having your home exterior painted

A question we get asked is how long will it take to paint my house exterior?

Longer than you think!

If it’s that time of year (yet again) to have the house exterior painted don’t despair because with a bit of though, some good research, and the ability to communicate to your contractor EXACTLY what you are looking for, the whole thing should run like clockwork.

Shouldn’t it?!

painting brickwork

5 Factors that could delay your house painting job

There are many things that, given the best will in the world, may delay the work, so here are a few things that can slow a house painting job down:

  1. The “great” British weather! This is perhaps the most obvious factor. If it is pouring with rain, a decorator cannot paint, obviously. Saying that, as our coatings are weatherproof, we can start work after a rain shower, whereas your local painter has to go home. The wind is also a factor and especially if using spray paints like we do.
  2. Not communicating with your contractor: You need to tell him or her EXACTLY what you want. So if the rear needs re-rendering (for example) that needs to be agreed before any work starts. Any painting job that requires extra preparation such as fixing cracks and other repairs, this will slow a job, however you should be reassured that the work will be done properly, stay away from anyone who rushes a job. Get it in writing before work starts.
  3. Not working WITH your painter: It is annoying for us when we arrive at a house to paint and the walls have trellis and climbing plants up them, benches and plants stuck right up against the wall, huge piles of firewood logs down the side we are supposed to paint, and so on. When you agree to have work done on the house, help the contractor and indirectly help in speeding up the work by preparing the house for the workmen to arrive. Remove everything that is up against or leaning against the house, you would be surprised how much time this saves.
  4. Obstructing the work in progress: You would also be surprised how many people agree to have workmen around, and then follow them around all day “checking” to see if they are doing it right, standing underneath ladders, allowing pets and kids to run around. This can be dangerous. Let the men get on with their work and if you have any questions, wait until they are on break to ask them. Any professional contractor will be only to happy to answer your questions.
  5. The SIZE of your home: It goes without saying that the size of your home, as well as it’s current state of repair, is a factor to consider if having your home painted. As a rule, if your home needs completely re-rendering before painting, add a week on to any timescale.

So considering the above, how long will it take to paint a house?

Here is a rough guide to how long it will take to paint your house.

Add extra time if you are having decorators around during Autumn or winter as short daylight hours means the job will take longer.

This is also assuming you have at least some skill and experience in carrying out this type of work.

  • Terraced house, front and back. Allow about 3 days or 4 days for a 3 story terraced house.
  • Front ONLY of house: 1 to 2 days.
  • 3 bed Semi detached house: Allow 4 days.
  • 3 story house (2 sides): Allow 3 to 4 days
  • 5 or 6 bed detached house: Allow 5 to 8 days.
  • Commercial premises: Contact us for advice.
  • Large pub or small hotel: Usually 2 weeks as we often do these in off-season times.
  • Bungalow: 3 to 5 days depending on condition.
  • Cottage: Between 3 and 5 days.

5 Factors that speed up the decorating process.

  • Having a written specification of work to be done, including the final price. (We do this)
  • Making sure the “work area” is free of obstructions for the men.
  • Having a property that has been looked after with no major defects. If there are problems, our surveyor would point them out to you, explain what has happened, and calculate a price to rectify the bad areas.
  • Having enough manpower. A good contractor will know how many extra people they need to do the job and companies like ourselves plan this advance so we get the job done quicker.
  • Be open and friendly to your contractor! It is THEM who are doing YOU a favour, so work with them. Discuss what you want done in detail, allow them space to get on with the job, and the final point…
  • Make sure they get plenty of tea! You would be surprised the effect that can have. A motivated and refreshed decorator will do the job in half the time, so please make sure you get the kettle on. We like biscuits too.

Keep your builder warm this winter with a nice cup of tea!

Making the mistake of doing it yourself

If you are a daredevil, over confident or just a plain skinflint, and you decide to paint the house yourself, regardless of how much DIY you have done over the years, it is highly likely that the finished job will NOT look good, nor will it last, all because you wanted to save money.

These are often the people who pay £20,000 for a car and then try and service it themselves to save money.

You often find them on the hard shoulder of the M6.

In addition, someone who paints houses for a job, will take no more than a week as they are focused on getting it done and getting paid.

If you try to do this, unless you are not afraid of heights and are physically fit, it could take you far longer than you ever though possible, provided you haven’t already fallen off the ladder or splashed paint over the your neighbours brand new Audi.

paint splatted on a car
Image (C) thosefunnypictures.com

How much would it cost to get your house painted?

That depends on the quality of company that you choose to quite you.

Do not EVER choose the cheapest quote and never ever take on a tradesman who says he can start next week.

Most good decorators have a waiting list.

If he or she does not have a waiting list then there would be a very good, or bad in reality, reason for that.

The cost also depends on how large your house is, by square meterage of wall surface area, plus any other jobs you want doing, like rendering, damp proofing, or new guttering etc, and budget accordingly.

NOW is the time to get your house painted!

Having workmen around need not be a chore, or hassle and if approached correctly can be a pain free and hassle free occasion.

Just imagine the pride you will feel after your home has been painted, in less than a week, and looks fabulous.

Having our teams apply a weatherproof exterior wall coating, our durable paint system, also means that the week of minor interruption you had, will not be repeated now for THE NEXT 20 YEARS.

Having us do the work, with the correct tools, training and experiencer, is a darn site safer and less hassle than attempting to paint your own house.

To find out more, click contact and let’s talk….

Alex

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