A fresh coat of paint on your Galveston rental property’s exterior can get you higher rents, higher property values, and better curb appeal. But before you start your first exterior paint job, you’ll need to know some important things. We’ve made a list of do’s and don’ts that will give you what you need to know so you can do the job properly and ensure that quality tenants will keep being drawn to your rental property.
DO take the time to remove the old paint from the rental property’s exterior. Five Star Painting, a company that gives top-tier painting services, have experts that say that the prep work you do before you start to paint is the most important part of the process. You’ll have to figure out what type of paint your rental currently has and how old it is. The basis for this is that any paint dating from 1978 or before has lead in it and can make you sick if you just start scraping away. Another consideration is the building material of the exterior; suppose that your home has asbestos siding, you may need a professional to do the job.
There are several different ways to remove old and peeling paint, from scraping or power washing to chemicals to heat guns. Take the time and study which method is best for your particular property and buy the right tools to get the job done faster and easier.
DON’T forget to measure carefully to ensure you have enough paint to finish the job properly. Make sure to have extra paint for the touch-ups because, no matter how skilled you are, you will always need touch-ups. And if you’re planning to have more than one coat, have enough to be able to paint the entire surface twice. A good quality exterior paint is also very important. Don’t use cheap paint since cheap paint will immediately start peeling or fading, and all the hard work you put in will be wasted.
DO seal all surfaces and caulk where necessary, and do apply a primer. The professionals at Five Star Painting recommend this step for exterior surfaces because the primer will help seal exterior walls, including any newly repaired spots. Another trait of primers is that it will give the paint something to adhere to.
DON’T rush through the job. Sometimes, impatience gets the better of us and we want the job finished right away, so we apply a primer or paint to an exterior too soon after paint removal. Exterior surfaces need time to dry completely before moving on to the next step, or else you’ll jeopardize the paint job. It may result in it looking blotchy and unprofessional.
DO make all the needed repairs to your rental property’s exterior before repainting it. It may be a task that’s as simple as power washing your siding. However, depending on the material and condition of the exterior, you may need to sand the entire outside of the house and wipe all surfaces with a cloth. It’s much like painting an interior wall, you need to have a clean and dry surface before any painting can begin.
DON’T let time and money be wasted by doing an exterior painting job without first getting the right knowledge and acquiring the skills. If you think you don’t have enough experience or time to perform the job well, try hiring professionals to do it for you. You’ll spend a lot more to fix a botched exterior paint job than if you just hired someone to do it for you from the start.
DO choose Real Property Management Prestige to do the job for you. Instead of spending all that time and hassle trying to DIY the project, our team of experts has connections with excellent vendors in Galveston who can render high-quality exterior painting services at a sensible price. Feel free to contact us online or by phone at 281-532-5455. We’ll be glad to answer any of your questions.
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