Paint is made up of 3 main components: solvent, binder, and pigments. There are also several additives for drying, mildew, etc. The 2 most costly are the binder and the pigment. Cheaper paints will use a cheaper binder and less of it. The binder is what makes the paint film. Manufacturers will also use chalk, clay, talc, and other cheap pigments to make the paint cover a surface better. What you end up with is a thin, porous, weak film that is not washable and will not last as long. It is also not a good base to put anything else over.

There are several different types of primer for very specific reasons. Some are bonding, some are sealing, some are for better coverage. The all-in-one paints typically only cover slightly better. They do not take the place of a good bonding or sealing type primer.

In a nutshell, if you disturb lead paint you need to be certified. There are enormous fines for failure to comply. If your house was built before 1978 you could have lead paint. There are test kits available at most paint and hardware stores if you’re unsure.

WE HAVE OPTED OUT OF THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, THEREFORE WE DO NOT WORK ON LEAD PAINT

We do a thorough prep job which includes determining why the paint failed in the first place and how to remedy that in the future. We don’t just scrape and slap on a coat of paint, we power sand all peeling paint and bare wood to get a fresh clean surface for the primer to adhere to. We mask and cover everything as needed, remove lights, door and window hardware, and anything else that is needed. We clean and vacuum daily to ensure a clean environment and only use top quality materials. I have a professional crew that I supervise so I’m on site every day.

If a competing quote is lower by 30% or more it’s a good bet that he’s either off the books or calling his employees “subcontractors” and not paying the proper insurance and taxes.

We have general liability as well as workman’s comp. insurance. Many of the lowball painters only carry liability because they are falsely calling their employees subcontractors.

Workman’s comp. pays an injured employee for his medical bill as well as his time out of work. By claiming employees as subcontractors they can get around the law requiring all employees to be covered. That also means he doesn’t have to pay matching social security, Medicare nor unemployment insurance. All together it adds up to 34%+- of payroll. Unfortunately if one of his subcontractors falls off a ladder or roof and gets injured, he now has the option to sue everyone for huge amounts to pay for it. To add insult to injury, the IRS can also get involved as these subcontractors often don’t pay taxes.

No insurance, no taxes, no background check. You can’t even find out if they’re wanted for any crimes.

Assuming you encounter no moisture issues, a proper 2 coat stain job should last 8-10 years, with paint lasting 10-12 years. Horizontal surfaces last much less. Decks and window sills may need to be redone every 3 or 4 years.