Ask Angi: Exterior Painting – 41NBC News

Askangi

Lots of homeowners are looking at ways to freshen up their homes after spending so much time indoors this past year, and many are taking on exterior painting as a major home project. In this week’s Ask Angi segment Bailey Carson discusses what to look for when hiring a painter and how to know when it’s time to call in a pro.

Repainting the outside of your home is a great way to improve curb appeal and give your home a true facelift, you should plan on having a few pros come to your home to give you an estimate in person so they can take into account how many coats your walls may need as well as nail pops, water stains or dents they’ll need to work around.

Also, find out who will be doing the work and who is liable if someone gets injured during the project. Make sure they have worker’s comp insurance and liability insurance so you’re not stuck covering the costs if something goes wrong. If your home was built before 1978 it likely has some lead paint on its walls, and if so, your pro will need to be EPA lead-safe certified before disturbing any walls, window sills or doors. The pro you hire should bring this up on their own since the fine for non-certified painters can be hefty, and if they don’t bring this up when providing an estimate it might be worth finding a new pro to do the job.

Don’t be afraid to ask for pictures of recent, similar projects from pros as well as references. Call and ask former clients about their experience with the painter, including whether they completed the project on time and on budget and how easy it was to work with them.

Do you have questions about your home projects or home care business? Tweet your question using #AskingAngi.