Hi Ana. After just having this work completed last Fall, I would be asking a few questions such as:

How much more will it cost if it needs two coats of paint?
(most jobs will require two coats)

May I have a guarantee in writing?

We paid over 7K (East Coast) for our trim and the front of the house painted and a few boards replaced with Azek. It is February and the paint job is peeling. The contractor says we must have a moisture problem, not that he did not prepare the surface correctly.

Get three estimates to compare.

We went with Consumer Report's recommended paints, but there are a lot of good paints out there. Ask what brand he recommends? Good luck!

Wow...You really need to table that quote and call in at least two other qualified painting contractors.

I'm an interior specialist, but I've been around those exterior guys long enough to know how the exterior pro's work.

1. Powerwashing a wood sided house would be my first concern. Now, that could be his terminology for a garden hose force spray..you'll have to ask him. House cleaners do not require powerwashers to remove dirt, just a simple rinse with a garden hose force is all that's required.Powerwashing a wood sided house should only be done by trained professionals who know what pressure and spray tips to use.

What about Mold & Mildew? What's being done to remove that if any exists?

2. Are the peeled areas going to be feather sanded prior to priming? Bridging paint over peeled areas usually results in paint failure within months after curing.

3. Why not remove all the old caulking and replace it with modern technology caulk?

4. Some paints like BM will cover well IF the base is similar in color and in sound condition. If it's chalky, porous and worn looking, your house needs a mimimum of spot priming and two coats and the ideal is one coat of primer and two coats of paint. I would get an estimate on primer and two coats.

5. Do you like semi-gloss on your door? Have you seen one in the bright daylight? Have you seen a Satin one? Something for you to decide, not your painter.

Brands? If it were my house, and it's wood framed, I'd choose Duration by SW; MoorGard N103 by BM or Fortis by ICI.

Any of those brands are going to increase the costs because they are all three very high quality paints.

DO NOT ALLOW YOUR PAINTER TO APPLY CONTRACTOR GRADE PAINT ON YOUR HOUSE!

Michael

Thank you very much Janet400 and Michael! I now have a better picture of what to expect.

Michael, what is modern caulk technology?

Also, most of the contractors use SW superpaint. Is this okay? Or is this a contractor grade paint? :-) I'm still waiting for their revised quote in using the Duration SW.

SuperPaint is a good paint. But, it all depends on the preparation of the wood siding how well any paint will perform.

Modern caulk is the elastomeric caulks available today. BM offers the best IMO. The lifetime urethane 465 would be ideal for your job.

Michael