August 12, 2020

Historic House Painters In Chestnut Hill Mount Airy Philadelphia

Are you a proud owner of a historic home? Vintage houses require plenty of attention on the part of homeowners to preserve the antique charm, which makes them even more appealing than modern homes.

Exterior and interior painting projects are considered to be crucial for the preservation of historic houses, requiring in-depth knowledge and special skills for performing such a job. Therefore, homeowners are strongly advised to trust the exterior and interior look of their homes in the hands of trustworthy painting contractors.

There is a multitude of house painters for historic homes in every local area, armed with the necessary experience, equipment, and expertise in this line of work.

The following tips will help you hire the right one.

Look for candidates

Although personal recommendations from trusted friends are believed to be the most effective way of hiring the right painter, these referrals might sometimes end up in a complete disaster. For instance, hiring a residential painting contractor for modern homes isn’t the same as hiring a professional painter for historic houses, with an extensive record of experience.

Apart from asking for personal recommendations, make sure you conduct online research of the painting companies in your local area. Both Yelp and Google are known for providing homeowners with a myriad of objective reviews by previous customers. It’s paramount to look for detailed reviews, where former clients provide a thorough description of the contractor’s performance. Also, remember to check whether the contractor spares time to provide responses to both positive and negative reviews, as it speaks volumes about customer service.

After compiling a shortlist of promising candidates, the following step is to take a detailed look at their websites. The initial thing to check is the company’s portfolio of past projects, all of which stand for their extensive experience in painting vintage homes. It’s important for painting contractors to include close-up shots of their work in order for potential clients to inspect their techniques and intricate details.

Moreover, reputable companies are expected to post progress shots so as to have a better insight into the painting process and the equipment they use. Most contractors include useful information about their employees in the form of images and experience records, which homeowners find incredibly convenient when hiring a provider. Also, trustworthy contractors tend to have their own blogs, where they publish articles that include details of their painting projects. Read more about the benefits of business blogging for marketing purposes.

Ultimately, make sure you pay a visit to the official site of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to check their database of lead paint certified contractors. Since most of the historic houses build before 1978 tend to be painted with lead paint, it’s vital for the company you hire to be certified in working with such paint.

Schedule interviews

After deciding on a particular number of prospective candidates, you’re supposed to schedule interviews in the comfort of your home. In the course of these appointments, you’ll gain a better idea of the painters’ expertise and passion for the job. It’s paramount for the contractor to perform a detailed inspection of your vintage home while informing you about any potential problems and providing useful suggestions.

Furthermore, these professionals are expected to notice minor details that homeowners usually neglect when planning a painting project, such as dampness or paint build-up. Additionally, painters are required to explain the detailed process of handling lead paint, including the techniques for its preservation, which is essential for historic houses.

Ask for a detailed proposal

Another important thing to consider when hiring a painting company is requesting a detailed proposal, which includes every single detail mentioned during the interview. Such a proposal is expected to provide a detailed description of the painting project, including the materials and techniques used in the process. The following link, https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/exterior-painting-tips-and-techniques/, provides insight into some of the most popular exterior painting techniques.

Nevertheless, hiring a painter for historic homes requires in-depth knowledge and the use of special techniques to preserve the exterior lead paint. Since exterior paint is susceptible to constant deterioration, vintage houses are supposed to be attentively inspected for potential paint problems. Contractors are required to employ specific cleaning, scraping, and sanding methods for preparing the house for a fresh coat of paint while preserving the antique look.

Bear in mind that paint removal must be absolutely avoided when painting historic homes unless such a process is required due to severe paint deterioration. Even in such cases, professional painters are required to only remove the visible coat until they find an intact layer by using extremely gentle methods.

Additionally, these quotes should also state the estimated number of hours and material quantity that each contractor plans to spend on the project. Also, you’re supposed to be informed about the hourly rate and material costs in order to perform the necessary budget calculations.

Apart from the above-mentioned details, a thorough proposal is expected to include useful information about property protection during the work process. For example, companies should list the type of protective covers they use while painting, as well as the cleaning methods they employ to prepare the surface for applying water-based or oil-based paint. Make sure the number of paint and primer coats is included as well.