There are several things a homeowner can do to prepare for house painting projects that will save time and money. Evaluate what the end goal really is and look into the future to consider if more painting will need to be done later. Understand that painting the entire house often makes the most sense and offers a significant benefit. Simply having one room, just the cabinets, only the trim or windows painted does give a clean, fresh look. However, if more of the house needs to be painted, extending the project over time will take longer and be more expensive.

Homeowners who hire professional house painters want a quality outcome. Only doing a partial painting job will make unpainted spaces look dingy when compared to the freshly painted areas. An entire house painting project streamlines the work and will also help the painting contractor deliver the best outcome. Professional painters working on an entire house painting project can produce the end result that clients are after.

In the long run, having the entire house painted at once is one of the most efficient decisions for both the project timeline and the pocketbook.

Planning Ahead for Entire House Painting

Review the current state of the interior or exterior of the house to determine what may be required before house painting. One of the first considerations for older homes is to test for lead paint. This is especially important for homes built before 1978 and the EPA has resources via a Lead Hotline – The National Lead Information Center that may be useful. For a whole-house interior paint job, empty rooms are ideal but when that’s not an option, moving all furniture to the center of the room will help. Also, take the time to remove any pictures or wall hangings. For exterior house painting jobs, this could also mean moving lawn furniture, planters, and other moveable outdoor items. Consider what color or colors are going to be used. If the entire house is painted one color this could also reduce the cost. And when you’re unsure what colors will look great and fit your lifestyle, consult a professional who can suggest sample colors to try first.

Entire House Painting Prep Work

Prep work is a very important step before applying any paint and prepping for the entire house will save significant resources. For interior projects, painters will look to see if any nicks or holes need to be patched, sanding done, nails and screws removed, wallpaper taken down, damaged trim replaced, outlet and light switch covers removed, and more. Interior walls need to be washed to remove dust and dirt. On an exterior project the prep work involves washing the house via a professional pressure washer. For any project, there will be detailed taping required to keep the paint from bleeding to the wrong areas. And covering interior floors and furniture or exterior landscaping and walkways will also be completed. Doing all of this prep work for a whole house painting project produces quicker, less costly results. This is because it can be done in a methodical manner and it can be done one time moving from room to room or section to section. Painting part of the house, by comparison, would require prep work for each application so instead, knock it all out at once!

Save on House Painting Materials

When you call a quality house painting contractor to come out and provide a quote they will measure thoroughly. You’ve probably heard the old expression ‘measure twice, cut once’ and that can be applied to house painting too. Accurate measurements for whole-house painting determine the amount of paint, primer, and other materials necessary to complete the job. We also know that buying in bulk amounts is less expensive. The same truth goes for house painting materials. Purchase more of the type of paint needed for a whole-house project rather than purchasing small amounts for smaller projects. If you’re painting just one room at a time or only the exterior trim for example, in the end, this will be more costly since more house painting maintenance will need to be done as time passes.

Save on House Painting Labor

Crews coming in to complete an entire house painting project have a very efficient process. They will quickly get set up and do the prep work in a systematic order. Similar to an assembly line each professional painter will have a job to do. It will come together like a puzzle and be very organized. Depending on the size of the project, if it takes multiple days to complete, house painting crews know how to clean up between. When this process is done for the entire house, rather than room by room or section by section at different points in time, they can knock out the project very quickly. Keep in mind also that the crew will only have to clean up once rather than cleaning up after each room or section. All of this labor cost equates to less when the entire house is painted.

Painting the entire house at once is a great option for homeowners who need a complete refresh. It’s also common for landlords to paint the entire interior between tenants. Whatever your situation, if you’re looking to paint a room or small section, keep this in mind. You can always request quotes on different project sizes before making a decision. Know that in the long run painting everything at once will leave the space, looking great. Plus it will save time, money, and headaches down the road.