A fresh coat of paint on your St. Petersburg rental property’s exterior can get you higher rents, higher property values, and better curb appeal. But before you jump into your first exterior paint job, you’ve got to know a few important things first. These do’s and don’ts will provide the knowledge you need to get the job done correctly and make sure that your rental property will continue to draw quality tenants.
DO take the time to remove the old paint from the rental property’s exterior. The experts at Five Star Painting say that the prep work you do before you start to paint is the most important part of the process. It is essential that you figure out what type of paint your rental currently has and how old it is. The idea behind 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; to illustrate, if 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 to determine which method is advised for your property– considering all its characteristics– 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. Plan to have extra paint because touch-ups, without a doubt, will be needed. If you’re going for more than one coat, then plan to have enough paint to cover the entire surface twice. A good quality exterior paint is also very important. Don’t use cheap paint because peeling or fading happens almost immediately with low-quality paint, and all the effort and hard work will be wasted.
DO seal all surfaces and caulk where necessary, and be sure to apply a primer. The specialists at Five Star Painting recommend this step for exterior surfaces. The reason for this is that the primer will help seal exterior walls, including newly repaired spots. Another characteristic of primers is that it gives the paint something to adhere to.
DON’T rush through the job. Many people want to finish the paint job immediately so they apply a primer or paint an exterior too soon after paint removal. Exterior surfaces need time to dry completely before moving on to the next step, or you’ll put the paint job at risk, making it look blotchy and unprofessional.
DO make all the necessary repairs to the exterior of your rental property before repainting. It may be a simple job such as power washing your siding, but you may also need to sand the entire outside of the house– depending on the conditions and material of the exterior– and then wipe all surfaces down with a cloth. Just the same as painting an interior wall, a clean and dry surface is required before any painting can begin.
DON’T waste both time and money by doing an exterior painting job without the correct knowledge and 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. A botched exterior paint job will end up costing you more than if you paid someone to do it for you from the get-go.
DO get Real Property Management TradeWinds 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 the best people in St. Petersburg who can give quality exterior painting services at a reasonable price. Don’t hesitate to contact us online or give us a ring at 727-400-4722 to know more about what we can do for you.
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