House Painting – Contractor or DIY?

[The following is a guest blog post from a Wilmington NC homeowner]

Wilmington NC Interior PaintingWhen it comes to painting the house, the first question is usually: “Does it make sense to do this myself or hire painters to do it for me?” When we bought our first house – a definite fixer-upper – my husband and I did all the painting ourselves. That was when I first learned that “painting” really meant scraping, spackling, priming, taping, AND painting. That was a huge project and it took months to get all the rooms done. The most fun parts were picking the colors and enjoying it when it was all done. Of course this is when we were young, had no kids, and were full of excitement about our new house and all the possibilities.

Now that we have little kids and a more grown-up house here in Wilmington, we hardly ever even ask ourselves if we should do the painting ourselves. How could we spend our precious weekends getting rooms done bit-by-bit while living in the chaos of furniture that’s all moved around, fixtures and artwork taken down and piled up somewhere else, and kids who are trying to get your attention all the while? How much is our time worth to us? Surely it’s worthwhile to hire painters to come in for 2 or 3 days while we’re at work and the kids are at daycare to get the job done. The painters will even move the furniture around for us, take down the fixtures, and put everything back when they’re done. And we still get to do the fun parts of picking the colors and enjoying it when it’s all done.

So for us it’s a no-brainer. Hire a professional painting contractor in Wilmington, NC. One that you can trust with the key to your home or to be respectfully sharing your space while you’re there. One that is neat, polite, and does a great job cleaning up at the end of the day and at the end of the project. Colour Solutions Custom Painting Company is an excellent choice for house painting – interior and exterior. They are professional, efficient, neat, and clean and they do a wonderful job, particularly with specialty finishes. While they’re there, they can even help with drywall repair, small carpentry jobs, and pressure washing if needed.

Contact Colour Solutions today to learn how they can help you save valuable time and money with your house painting project in the Wilmington NC area: 910-686-3067.

How to Prepare Your Home For a Professional Painting Job

If you have made the decision to hire the professionals to paint your home, first of all congratulations! Working with the pros means investing in an outstanding-quality paint job that’s not only guaranteed to impress, but also go the distance and retain its amazing looks. What’s more, it often works out cheaper on the whole to bring in the experts, when compared to stocking up on all you’ll need to tackle the job manually.
But what’s important to remember is that unless otherwise agreed with the painting company, it may be up to you to make sure your home is adequately prepared. Some painting firms will take care of at least some of the prep in accordance with your arrangement, but there are still certain steps you yourself should take ahead of time.
So for those about to welcome the professionals to their homes for an expert paint job of any kind here’s a brief overview of a few important tips for tackling the prep:

So for those about to welcome the professionals to their homes for an expert paint job of any kind here’s a brief overview of a few important tips for tackling the prep:

1 – Wall Hangings

First of all, it’s a good idea to start out by taking anything that may be hanging on the walls to be painted and putting them in a safe place. For obvious reasons, it’s not as if the painters are going to be able to get their job done if there are still mirrors, photos and other decorative bits and pieces all over your walls. So rather than fumbling around and trying to get the job done after the arrival of the painters, take down your decorative features and make sure they’re stored somewhere safe.

2 – Remove Ornaments

The same also goes for any ornaments or free-standing decorative bits and pieces you might have about the place. While there’s always the option of covering them up and indeed your painting team will probably bring protective sheets, it’s still a better idea to move them as far out of harm’s way as possible. Even if it’s simply a case of moving them into another room at the time being, anything you can do to minimize the likelihood of them being damaged is a good thing.

3 – Consider Access and Obstructions

It’s important to remember that the easier it is for your chosen painting team to get the job done, the faster and more efficiently it will be done. Not only this, but faster and easier paint jobs can also be considerably cheaper than those that are unnecessarily challenging. For the mutual benefit of everyone involved therefore, it is a good idea to carefully consider access and any obstructions that could potentially get in the way of the painters. Think about where they will need to walk, where they will need to position their equipment and generally where they will need to work. Move bulky items of furniture out of the way where possible and keep as much of the area to be worked on as possible free of obstructions.

4 – Curtains, Rugs and Throws

Once again, absolutely anything of value that can be moved away from the area to be painted should be moved prior to the painting team’s arrival. This includes any curtains, rugs, throws and soft furnishings in general that could potentially be damaged or destroyed by rogue paint splashes. Professional painters know exactly how to get the job done with minimal mess, but as it’s impossible to rule out accidents, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

5 – Wall Preparation

Be sure to speak to your chosen service provider before they visit your home with regard to whether or not you yourself will be expected to carry out any kind of wall preparations. Generally speaking, it may be up to you to ensure that the surfaces have at least been thoroughly cleaned and dried, prior to the job beginning. This is especially true when it comes to home exteriors, though it’s also perfectly possible that your chosen painting team will offer such services as optional extras. The same also goes for any kind of damage or deterioration of the materials to be painted themselves. If for example you have problems with rotting wood, rusting metal or infestations of any kind, these will need to be addressed prior to the painting going ahead.

6 – Clean the Room

It’s also a very good idea to give the room as a whole a full and deep clean, prior to the new paint being applied. The reason being that the very last thing you want is to allow dust and dirt already in the room to be kicked up into the air and settle on the surface of your once-flawless new paint, before it even had a chance to dry.

7 – Vacate the Area

Again for reasons that are relatively obvious, be sure to plan in advance for the painters and ensure that kids, pets and people in general are kept as far away from the work space as possible. It’s not that they’ll necessarily be put in any kind of danger by the painters – it’s more a case of minimizing the likelihood of messy accidents! You might even be able to arrange for the job to be done and finished while nobody’s home at all!

8 – Ask in Advance

Last but not least, be sure to get in touch with your chosen team of painters as far in advance as possible, in order to ask outright what exactly you need to do by way of prep. This way, you’ll know exactly what to expect when the time comes to get stuck into the painting project, rather than face the prospect of having to run around chaotically at the last minute.

First Impressions with Exterior House Painting

Exterior Painting for First ImpressionsHave you ever heard the expression, “What looks in, looks out”?

When it comes to a home’s exterior, perhaps truer words were never spoken. In addition to the usual question of general curb appeal, when a home’s outside presents a freshly painted and well-kept appearance, chances are the inside is also well maintained.

For homeowners, a clean, crisp exterior paint job can impart feelings of order and aesthetic balance, along with a little pride. This works wonders and can even boost one’s sense of well being! On the other hand, a place with peeling, faded siding and dingy trim, can make a heart sink. Furthermore, anyone considering a home’s appreciation potential or contemplating a future sale, will want to keep the exterior of their residence looking its very best. After all, a home is typically the largest single investment most individuals will ever make and maintaining, updating, and upgrading the property is an ongoing and rewarding process!

How do you feel when you arrive at your “Home Sweet Home”?

At Colour Solutions we can help you discover a variety of ways to put your home’s best foot forward. Sometimes all that’s needed is a quick pressure wash or touch-up paint job on the exterior trim, entryways or steps. Our staff of designers has years of experience in guiding our customers to paint and stain choices that will best suit their needs.

The weather in southeastern North Carolina can be tough on exterior finishes. The heat of summer, heavy rains and wind, salt air, plus the frequent humidity, may generate issues such as mold, mildew, and even accelerate the aging of some paints and stains. If it has been a while since you reviewed what’s available in the way of exterior paint and stain products, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. The team at Colour Solutions is equipped to offer suggestions including which products will perform their best to keep your home’s exterior looking fresh and new for years to come.

To arrange for a free estimate or consultation, just give us a call at 910-686-3067.

Spring is truly just around the corner, which is why now is the perfect opportunity to get your home looking its very best! We look forward to working with you in the future and encourage you to read what our many satisfied customers are saying about our services.

Selling Your Home? It May be Time to Paint

Painting Before Selling Your HomeAnyone considering putting a home on the market may scoff at the idea of investing in a new paint job. After all, won’t the new owners choose their own colors and shouldn’t they be able to see beyond those dingy walls and chipped trim? While these points may be valid, investing in fresh paint, both inside and out, can be much more beneficial than you may think. Designers and home improvement professionals have agreed for some time, that dollar for dollar, painting nets the most bang for the buck! Furthermore, putting your home’s best foot forward by making needed repairs, updates, and applying new paint, will very likely increase its value and allow for a higher asking price.

Improving your home with paint can be as involved as completely painting your home’s exterior, redoing every room with the latest trendy colors or just touching up the trim. If it has been a while since you chose new paint, the experts at Colour Solutions will be happy show you the latest products and colors and steer you in the right direction. They have experience with creating neutral palettes that will compliment the setting and appeal to a broad base of potential homebuyers.

In addition to painting, the Colour Solutions team can also help you get your home “move-in” ready. Here are just a few examples of some of the other home improvement services we offer:

  • Concrete Cleaning – Makes driveways, walkways and patios look new.
  • Drywall repair – Fix those problems before painting!
  • Wallpaper removal – This can be tricky and leave an uneven surface, which is why we’ll be glad to tackle this type of job.
  • Gutter cleaning – Unclogged gutters show that a house has been well maintained.
  • Pressure Washing – Nothing beats it for prepping a home’s exterior prior to painting.
  • Stripping and refinishing doors, floors & other surfaces – The Colour Solutions crew can freshen up tired woodwork.
  • Light Carpentry – We also do small jobs and minor repairs.

Before calling your real estate agent, please call Colour Solutions. We’ll help you spruce up your property so it will list for the maximum asking price! Please give us a call at 910-686-3067.

Exterior Trim – Color Choices and Replacement Options

Home exterior - spring cleaning.Think of your home’s exterior trim as you would an accessory, such as a necktie or scarf. The idea when choosing a paint or stain color is to compliment rather than detract or overpower the general appearance. The architectural style of the home is also a consideration. There are some styles, such as Colonials, Queen Anne Victorians or Arts and Crafts bungalows that follow a suggested color palette for achieving historical accuracy.  See: Classic Paint Colors Ideal for Wilmington NC.

For more traditional residences, a good rule of thumb is to pick a color that contrasts from the whole house color. For example, with homes painted in light shades like crisp white, pale gray, beige, or buttercream yellow, dark choices are popular such as black, cranberry, dark green, or gun metal gray. Another approach is to use trim colors that are either a few shades darker or lighter and in the same color family as the base shade. Earthy tones often look better with another only slightly contrasting natural color. For example, a tranquil moss green or rich beige could handle a trim choice that’s only a few shade variations from the base color.

Unless the neighborhood dictates which colors you may use, the bottom line is that trim color choices are a matter of personal taste. When in doubt, go for dark trim with a light background and light trim for a dark exterior shade. Of course, the designers here at Colour Solutions will also be happy to help guide you in the right direction!

Best Wood for Replacement Trim

When it’s time to freshen up a home’s exterior trim, a homeowner may discover that some of the wood needs replacing. The elements, along with mold, fungi, and mildew can wreak havoc on the thin strips of wood that trim your home.

Builders often prefer southern yellow pine (SYP), cedar, mahogany, and redwood for exterior trim. Although poplar is frequently used for interior trim, it simply can not withstand changeable temperatures and moisture for very long. There are also a wide variety of synthetic trims on the market these days. Before making a selection, it is advised to read reviews and discuss the matter with both a qualified builder and painter.

To maximize the life of the trim, it is advised to always prime it on all 6 sides.

Save time by having the experts at Colour Solutions handle your trim painting for you.  Give us a call today to learn more: 910-686-3067.