Hire a professional,he or she will answer all your questions.
Repainting an 1890 Victorian in Boston (wowee!)
Help! I need some advice before I shell out the big $$$$. I hope to sell the house in 4 years with the little guy is out of High School. So... :whistling2:I need a paint that will look good now, and hopefully still look good 4 years from now. So, a couple questions:
1) Should I wait 'till I'm closer to my sell date? There are some pretty good chips right now, but it is not a total mess......
2) Spray or brush?
3) are darker colors more expensive than light due to more pigment?
4) what brand of paint?
5) I want to go from a light gray-blue with a white trim to a deep blue with an amber trim. Do I need two coats instead of 1 if I am going darker instead of lighter?
6) What do I need to know that I don't even know to ask?
7) deck paint suggestions?
Help on any or all of these questions would be sooo welcome.
Thanks!
1) Should I wait 'till I'm closer to my sell date? There are some pretty good chips right now, but it is not a total mess......
2) Spray or brush?
3) are darker colors more expensive than light due to more pigment?
4) what brand of paint?
5) I want to go from a light gray-blue with a white trim to a deep blue with an amber trim. Do I need two coats instead of 1 if I am going darker instead of lighter?
6) What do I need to know that I don't even know to ask?
7) deck paint suggestions?
Help on any or all of these questions would be sooo welcome.
Thanks!
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
I would have to agree with ChrisN on this These are alot of questions that you really need to call a pro about because these questions could take up a whole thread lol.
But I do have a question for you though on the quality of your paint......Unless your a young man and really enjoy painting, go ahead and use the cheap stuff if you want to paint it twice in four years but I tell you one thing You will spend three times the labor on getting that cheap crap off before you put the good stuff on and if you have ever painted a victorian style house its all the detail that makes painting one of these homes 3 to 4 times the norm if it is a real victorian. If its an actual victorian I would treat it with the utmost respect that it deserves just because of the time it took the real craftsman to construct and handmake alot of the details that went into the building of these magnificent homes.
I would do some historic research of the home and have the actual paint anilyzed and matched to the original colors. Take your time with this jewel and use the 4 years to restore it to its original state. If your looking for a quick cosmetic job it will be discovered when it comes down to the sale of it and will actually bring the value down when it is discovered that the whole exterior of the house will have to be restored. It could, depending on the size, devalue the home well into the 5 figure range
So like I said I have to agree with ChrisN and get a consult on this Victorian Jewel and you may even get some help from your local historical society
and congratulations!!!
But I do have a question for you though on the quality of your paint......Unless your a young man and really enjoy painting, go ahead and use the cheap stuff if you want to paint it twice in four years but I tell you one thing You will spend three times the labor on getting that cheap crap off before you put the good stuff on and if you have ever painted a victorian style house its all the detail that makes painting one of these homes 3 to 4 times the norm if it is a real victorian. If its an actual victorian I would treat it with the utmost respect that it deserves just because of the time it took the real craftsman to construct and handmake alot of the details that went into the building of these magnificent homes.
I would do some historic research of the home and have the actual paint anilyzed and matched to the original colors. Take your time with this jewel and use the 4 years to restore it to its original state. If your looking for a quick cosmetic job it will be discovered when it comes down to the sale of it and will actually bring the value down when it is discovered that the whole exterior of the house will have to be restored. It could, depending on the size, devalue the home well into the 5 figure range
So like I said I have to agree with ChrisN and get a consult on this Victorian Jewel and you may even get some help from your local historical society
and congratulations!!!
Thanks, Arthur. I'm going to take my time with this and really do it right. I have to say, my predecessor here did not have the same approach and someone before him put aluminum siding all over the darned thing! Ouch. So... much work ahead.
best and thanks for that thoughtful reply,
cs
best and thanks for that thoughtful reply,
cs
I absolutely love the vistorian style homes and have done a few of them myself. Some of the handmade details of the dental moldings and scroll works are remarkable. its a shame when I see owners take on the repainting themselves and take the double handled scrapers and literally carve these huge scratches in the face of these soft woods that they used for the siding and details back then. Maybe Im a little crazy but things like this is our heritage and should be preserved some of the best craftsman from around the world worked on these 1700 - 1800 era homes and you would be amazed of what you could possibly find out about them.....
You will be dealing with lead based paint. If you strip it off yourself and someone gets sick from it you will be living in a new "Big" house.
Sometimes by doing things yourself costs more than an arm and a leg. I would like to help, but do not want to lend generic advice on a custom project. Also, do not want people hounding me if something went wrong with your lack of painting skills. Not meant to be mean, just practical.
Sometimes by doing things yourself costs more than an arm and a leg. I would like to help, but do not want to lend generic advice on a custom project. Also, do not want people hounding me if something went wrong with your lack of painting skills. Not meant to be mean, just practical.
Just to clarify here...
I have always planned to hire a professional. Here I am just looking for some starter tips so that I know what I'm talking about once I do. Though I do most projects myself, painting a 3-story house is over my skill set, no kidding!
I have always planned to hire a professional. Here I am just looking for some starter tips so that I know what I'm talking about once I do. Though I do most projects myself, painting a 3-story house is over my skill set, no kidding!
Help! I need some advice before I shell out the big $$$$. I hope to sell the house in 4 years with the little guy is out of High School. So... :whistling2:I need a paint that will look good now, and hopefully still look good 4 years from now. So, a couple questions:
1) Should I wait 'till I'm closer to my sell date? There are some pretty good chips right now, but it is not a total mess.
The longer you wait, the more problems can arise. If you have it coated properly and washed once a year as everyone should, it will look fresh still.
2) Spray or brush?
A combination of both will have to be used as with every job has variables that come up.
3) Are darker colors more expensive than light due to more pigment?
The deeper the base the more expensive, but its only like a couple bucks different.
4) what brand of paint?
Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, Mythic, SunShield just stay away from huge box stores or hardware stores.
5) I want to go from a light gray-blue with a white trim to a deep blue with an amber trim. Do I need two coats instead of 1 if I am going darker instead of lighter?
This is a no brainer. Do not try to save money because the cheap cuts will cut your price costs initially, but also your own throat because it will come back to bite you in the hind parts. This is a old house and needs the wood conditioned after you remove as much as the old coats as possible. Prime, 1st coat and 2nd coat. Everything needs to be caulked. Every last crack with a good 50 year caulk....This is a generic response from me, but to just give you an idea.
6) What do I need to know that I don't even know to ask?
That there is no substitute for the genuine article. Do not hire a handy person. Hire a professional. That also does not mean to hire just any Paint contractor either. Your project seems to have a lot of variables. Especially at the age it is.
7) deck paint suggestions?
Actually if you can send pictures for your decks and of your entire house on every side will be the only way to shoot you a reliable mapping of your project. I do not know where you are located, but if you can get me some pics and your desired outcome I can shoot you over a detailed estimate for you to use when interviewing your contractors. I will get it very detailed and probably scare off the weekend trunk slamming warriors.
Always ask for a completion cause(that is subject to weather ofcoarse) that has a stipulated penalty if not completed on time.
Also ask for a written labor waranty.
Hope this helps a bit... Here is my email:
[email protected]
Thanks so much. That's all very helpful. I'll get together some pics and send them along to your email.
Right now there are renters in the house and I won't be there for a couple weeks or so, and plan to move back in some time in August, I think. I will send now just a basic shot from the street. Interior dimension is 3300 sq ft.
Wish you were in Boston, since you sound like the kind of person I would like to work with.
best,
cs
Right now there are renters in the house and I won't be there for a couple weeks or so, and plan to move back in some time in August, I think. I will send now just a basic shot from the street. Interior dimension is 3300 sq ft.
Wish you were in Boston, since you sound like the kind of person I would like to work with.
best,
cs
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
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