Exterior Painting Services...   OUR STEPS TO PROTECT & BEAUTIFY YOUR HOME'S EXTERIOR 1. Soft Power Washing Wash all dirty areas of the entire home including brick and vinyl siding with environmentally-friendly detergents and mildicides. Avoid damage to your exterior or force water into your home. Delicate areas (i.e.. windows and doors) or difficult areas (i.e. gutters) are cleaned by hand. Decks, stairs, walks, driveways cleaned when contracted. 2. Carpentry Since the climate in this area promotes the decay of wood, we offer quality carpentry to replace trim, windows, doors, siding, railings, decks, etc. Any rotted wood listed on the contract will be replaced with similar wood. New wood is primed on all sides prior to installation to deter it from rotting again. Any other areas found rotten will be brought to your attention and replaced upon your approval. 3. Preparation This is the most important (and sometimes most expensive) step. Ever wonder why estimates vary so greatly? Look at the preparation you will be contracting for. Caulk cracks that have been caulked previously Areas that are typically caulked: trim around window frames, door frames, etc. Fill in where caulk is missing or cracked. Removing and replacing caulk done only when specially contracted... Level 1 Loose paint must be removed with a scraper until a firm edge is reached. Glossy surfaces are scuffed. Sanding is not included in this level. This is the bare minimum preparation that needs to be done for the your home paint job to last 2-4 years with one finish coat. Note: This level is recommended only if aesthetics are not critical, or you don’t need the job to last as long (guaranteed for one year). Examples: outbuildings, rentals, re-selling). Level 2 Sand rough edges. Use a combination of heavy duty power sanders and hand sanding. Note: This does not leave the surface completely smooth, but makes the edges much less apparent. We spend more time sanding the first floor areas and high profile sections than we do with the second floor areas. This level is done on 75% of the homes we do. Prime all bare wood with a primer All bare wood needs to be sealed and protected. Primers, since they penetrate the wood, allow the finish coat to adhere and last longer. Repair glazing when contracted where old is missing or loose. Note: Glazing is the product that holds in the glass and weatherproofs your windows. Sound glazing reduces your heating and cooling bill. 4. Painting Finally the finish coat(s) of paint is applied as contracted. Protect any non-painted surfaces against splatters and drips. Protect your plants and sidewalks. It is so much easier to protect than it is to clean up a mess afterwards. Paint is usually applied by brush and roller but also can be done by high or low pressure sprayers, depending on the type of job and contract. Note: Two coats of paint are highly recommended. Two coats more than double the life expectancy and costs only a fraction more since the preparation is already done. Two coats also looks and covers better. 5. Clean-up We pride ourselves in keeping your home clean. Perform daily and upon completion of the job. All trash (paint cans, paint chips, old rags, caulking, etc.) hauled away. Plant beds are cleaned and paint chips removed. Touch up paint is labeled and left. Outdoor fixtures and furniture are replaced. 6. Inspection The foreman inspects the work during the painting process. During the last phase, he does a final inspection. You are invited to check the job to ensure all contracted areas are painted properly. Final touch-ups are noted on a ‘punch list’ and are completed before the crew leaves. 7. Finally You will be sent a Customer Comment Card and your Warranty card.