So, it?s time to paint the exterior of your house. This, of course, is one of the many expensive pains to owning a home and one that homeowners have to endure every 6-8 years, depending on your house and siding. Here are a few helpful hints to help you through the process. First, determine if there is any prep work that needs to be done prior to painting. Do you have any rotted siding, window sills, hand railing, or window and door trim? Make sure you take this opportunity to correct this issue prior to painting. Often times paint companies have experience in this field and can provide a quote that includes replacing your siding and trim. However, if your project involves replacing a significant amount of siding you may want to call a siding pro. Make sure the painter or carpenter replacing your siding is using the same style and size you currently have. Second, decide if you want to take this opportunity to change the color of your house. Updating the color can add new spice to your house. When determining what colors to use make sure that they fit into your neighborhood as well as colors that already exist. For instance you already have a roof, plants, landscaping, a foundation, and a driveway present. These all have colors that need to be taken into consideration when trying to compliment your house to its surroundings. Also note that if you are changing your house?s color your price for painting will go up. You may not be able to get away with just 1 or 2 coats to cover your old color. Each coat will cost more money. Third, decide if you want your house hand brushed or sprayed. If you leave it to the paint company to decide you will most likely have it sprayed because it is faster and easier. However, if you have an older house, wood siding, or it has been a while since your last painting you may want to consider asking for a quote that includes painting by hand. The hand brushing application will provide a thicker coat and gets the paint deeper into the wood and crevasses, ensuring that you have protection from water penetration. Keep in mind that hand brushing is more time consuming and will cost more money. Finally, select the paint company to do your exterior work. There is a lot of price variation for large exterior jobs, so shop your job around. However, you shouldn?t always decide based only on price. You need to consider the quality of company and your comfort level with that company. For instance do they ask for a lot of money up front? (they shouldn?t ask for more than one-third of the total price) Do they leave you a professional detailed estimate? (they should) Are they hard to get a hold of on the phone? (if they don?t answer the phone or return messages be careful) Do they have business cards? (if they are running a good business they should) These are all signs to look for to determine whether or not you are getting a professional and someone that will be easy to work with. Good luck on with your exterior painting project!