Author Topic: $5K to paint my house?  (Read 6255 times)

Zamboni

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$5K to paint my house?
« on: October 13, 2013, 09:04:24 AM »
I bought a house a couple of years ago and the exterior now needs to be painted.  I am kicking myself now because the house is two stories with a steep roof (so siding peaks go up to nearly 3 stories), and if it was a single story I would just paint it myself.

I got three quotes on painting from contractors all rated highly on Angie's list.  The lowest was for 3K but was for a single coat and I don't get the impression that they'll do much more than a quick once over, although it's hard to say.  The highest bid was $5500 and included 2 coats of paint, puttying nail holes (important because I have masonite siding), replacing a few rotten boards, and and rebuilding part of the front porch banister which was unfortunately repaired cheaply by the previous owner and now is rotten.  Unfortunately the masonite needs to be painted very frequently or it will rot.

I can get the siding all replaced with something lower maintenance (hardy plank or vinyl) for about $15K.  I have the money to do that, but I'm torn as hardy plank will still need to be painted periodically.  Vinyl seems like the way to go.  I need to get more vinyl quotes.

If I try to sell it and get something smaller/lower maintenance, then I will have to paint it anyway, so I feel like I'm in a bit of a pickle here.

Thoughts?  Suggestions?

Michread

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Re: $5K to paint my house?
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2013, 10:16:13 AM »
If you're willing to do it yourself, you could rent a lift to do the high sides. Not cheap, but cheaper than paying someone to paint it. 

My dh paints one or two sides of the house at a time rotate sides over a few years. We also have 2 very high sides of our house;  he does it by ladder.

Daleth

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Re: $5K to paint my house?
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2013, 10:22:37 AM »
I would not do vinyl, especially not at 3x the cost of the highest paint job. Vinyl siding tends to lower the value of a house, compared to nicely painted frame; it doesn't age well (unlike wood which you can make look brand spanking new with a paint job); and it is not, as some people think (wish? Hope?) maintenance free.

Left

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Re: $5K to paint my house?
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2013, 11:35:51 AM »
have you tried a paint sprayer before? It might reach that high, im not sure how even it'll be though

MorningCoffee

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Re: $5K to paint my house?
« Reply #4 on: October 13, 2013, 12:48:09 PM »
Can you rent scaffolding? We painted our house this summer and rented scaffolding from Home Depot to do the high parts. Much safer and more steady than a ladder.

We needed 2 coats of paint. It didn't look great after only one coat.

Zamboni

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Re: $5K to paint my house?
« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2013, 03:50:10 PM »
Scaffolding or a lift are good ideas, thanks!  I'm definitely afraid to try a ladder.

One of my friends does one side of his house every year by himself with a paint brush.  I wish I had his discipline (and his ranch-style house!)

2527

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Re: $5K to paint my house?
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2013, 07:15:46 PM »
Paint the ground floor yourself and get a quote for the second floor only?

Zamboni

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Re: $5K to paint my house?
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2013, 09:06:07 PM »
^Good idea as well.  Thanks!

geekette

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Re: $5K to paint my house?
« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2013, 09:43:31 PM »
Hardiplank is SO worth it! 

We used to have our house painted every few years, with extra for rotted masonite.  It cost us <cringes> about 25k to have Home Depot replace all the siding and have it painted with a "lifetime" paint.  That was in early 2007.  The paint still looks great (brand new, to my eyes).  We have had it cleaned with a low pressure power wash twice, but really, I'm impressed. 

SnackDog

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Re: $5K to paint my house?
« Reply #9 on: October 14, 2013, 02:31:20 AM »
If you hire anyone to do the dangerous higher parts, make sure they are bonded and insured and also that your insurance is in order. If they fall and break their back, the law suit will be enormous.  I would not let anyone on a ladder.

Greg

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Re: $5K to paint my house?
« Reply #10 on: October 14, 2013, 08:56:05 AM »
You can get pre-painted Hardi siding, and it comes with a 15 year warranty on the finish.  Vinyl is crap.

Zamboni

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Re: $5K to paint my house?
« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2013, 09:21:20 AM »
Good point on the insurance, and on taking the day or even week off to watch the work being done.  I will definitely do that.

It sounds like the consensus is for either going with Hardiplank or repair/paint what I have.

If I was going to stay here until retirement, then I would definitely just redo the siding.  However, I'm going to downsize in 8-10 years when my children all get off to college.  Most of the siding around here is still masonite, but a few neighbors have redone the siding and the opinions I'm getting is that I won't recoup the cost of that upon resale in that time frame. 

The quandary is then how to decide which contractors will really do a good job repairing and caulking, and which will just fly through with their sprayers leaving me with more rotting in 2-3 years.  Particularly up in one really high spot I have a problem with a gutter not draining properly from what I can see and that's rotting the area under that.

geekette

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Re: $5K to paint my house?
« Reply #12 on: October 14, 2013, 12:53:02 PM »
And then in a few more years go through the whole process again. including taking time off to supervise.  With Hardi, it's once and done, plus a selling point.  Your choice, of course.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!