When we schedule your kickoff meeting, our goal may be to begin work that same day. However, the crew assigned to your home may still be finishing another project.

Exterior projects do not always finish on an exact schedule. Weather, unexpected repairs, additional preparation, or other jobsite conditions can cause a project to take longer than originally anticipated. Because of this, your project may occasionally begin 1–2 days after the kickoff meeting.

We will keep you informed of the crew’s status and communicate any changes to your anticipated start date.

Reviewing Your Estimate at the Kickoff Meeting

Although you may have already received a detailed written estimate from us, we always review the estimate in person at the kickoff meeting before work gets underway.

We will go through the estimate line by line with you and the crew so everyone has the same understanding of the work being performed. This gives us an opportunity to:

• Confirm the areas and surfaces being painted
• Confirm colors and where each color will be used
• Review repairs and preparation included in the estimate
• Discuss any optional or excluded items
• Answer any last-minute questions
• Identify any changes that may have occurred since the original estimate
• Make any necessary last-minute adjustments to the scope of work

Even with a detailed estimate, we believe this face-to-face review is important. Homes and circumstances can change between the day an estimate is prepared and the day work begins, and written descriptions can occasionally be interpreted differently.

The kickoff meeting gives you, our crew, and our office one final opportunity to confirm exactly what is—and is not—included before the project gets underway.

Pressure washing is an important part of preparing many exterior surfaces for painting.

The primary purpose of pressure washing is to remove light dirt, dust, loose debris, and surface contamination before painting.

Pressure washing is not intended to strip all of the existing paint from your home. However, paint that is already loose, peeling, or failing may come off during the washing process.

Some homeowners are surprised to learn that pressure washing may not completely remove:

• Spider webs
• Embedded dirt
• Deep stains
• Certain organic materials
• Debris trapped in textured surfaces

Spider webs can also reappear very quickly. In some cases, spiders begin rebuilding webs overnight after the house has been washed.

We generally avoid using soaps, detergents, or chemical cleaners unless there is a specific reason they are needed.

Our philosophy is simple: the fewer unnecessary chemicals introduced to the surface, the less chance there is of creating adhesion or coating issues later.

Your final color selection should be completed by the time we hold the project kickoff meeting.

At the kickoff meeting, the crew will confirm the colors being used on the home so the correct materials can be purchased and the project can move forward without unnecessary delays.

Always Test New Colors on Your Home

If you are changing colors, we strongly recommend purchasing a paint sample and applying it directly to your home before making your final decision.

A color can look very different on your house than it does on:

• A paper color swatch
• A paint fan deck
• A computer screen
• A phone
• Another home

Sunlight, shade, surrounding landscaping, roofing colors, brick, stone, and other materials can dramatically affect how a color appears.

Look at your sample at several different times of the day before making your final decision.

Once you approve a color and we apply it to the home, changing the color would require additional paint and labor and would therefore be considered additional work.

Changing from a dark exterior color to a very light color—especially white or off-white—can require additional material and labor to achieve proper coverage.

Over the years, we have found that when making a significant dark-to-light color change, applying a coat of primer is often a more economical and effective approach than applying multiple additional coats of finish paint.

Primer typically dries white, creating a much lighter and more uniform base for the new finish color. This is especially helpful when the final color is white, off-white, or another very light color. Instead of trying to hide a dark existing color with multiple coats of more expensive finish paint, the primer helps establish the lighter base before the finish coat is applied.

Why You May See a Primer Contingency on Your Estimate

We understand that homeowners sometimes change their color selections after receiving their original estimate—even right up until the project begins.

Because we may not know your final color when the estimate is prepared, we automatically provide a contingency price on the estimate for primer when we believe a significant color change could potentially require it.

This does not mean you will automatically be charged for primer.

At the kickoff meeting, we will confirm your final colors and determine whether primer is actually necessary. If your color selection does not require the additional primer, the contingency does not apply. If primer is needed, you will already know the cost rather than being surprised by an unexpected additional charge after the project has started.

Our goal is to anticipate potential costs upfront and give you as complete and accurate a picture of your project as possible.

Caulking serves two primary purposes:

1. Helping prevent moisture from entering appropriate joints and seams.
2. Improving the finished appearance of the home.

The Caulk We Use Matters

For our exterior painting projects, we use Sherwin-Williams® Sher-MAX™ caulk, a premium, professional-grade caulking product and one of Sherwin-Williams' top-tier options for common residential applications.

Just as the quality of the paint matters, we believe the quality of the caulking and other preparation materials matters as well. Using a quality caulk provides better flexibility, adhesion, and long-term performance than lower-grade alternatives.

Not Every Gap Should Be Caulked

It is important to understand that not every visible gap on the exterior of a home should necessarily be filled with caulk.

For example, some small gaps beneath trim boards may not provide a pathway for water intrusion and, depending on the construction of the home, may not require caulking at all.

Existing caulking that is still properly adhered and in good condition may also continue to perform as intended. However, as part of our preparation process, we commonly re-caulk appropriate seams, joints, nail areas, and other locations where caulking is needed.

Caulking may also be used in certain areas primarily to create a smoother, cleaner finished appearance.

Our painters use their experience and judgment to determine where caulking is beneficial, where it is necessary, and where it should not be applied. The goal isn't simply to put caulk into every visible gap—it's to use the right product in the right places.

There has been a long-standing debate in the painting industry over whether exterior paint should be applied with a sprayer or primarily by brush and roller.

We don't have a need to get into that argument.

Different painting contractors have different preferences, techniques, equipment, and processes. Our focus is on the method that has consistently worked for us and produced great results for our customers over many years.

Why We Use Professional Airless Sprayers

For most exterior surfaces, we primarily apply paint using professional airless spray equipment.

A sprayer allows an experienced painter to apply paint efficiently and uniformly across large exterior surfaces. The amount of paint being applied is controlled through several factors, including:

• Spray tip size
• Paint pressure
• Distance from the surface
• Speed of application
• Overlapping spray patterns
• The type and condition of the surface
• The specific coating being applied

Our painters use the appropriate equipment, tip size, and application technique to apply the proper amount of coating to the surface.

Brushes and rollers are still important tools and are used throughout our projects wherever the surface, situation, or application requires them.

Does Brush & Roll Automatically Mean a Better Paint Job?

We don't believe the application tool by itself determines the quality or longevity of an exterior paint job.

A contractor may tell you that brushing and rolling is superior to spraying. Another contractor may tell you the opposite. Rather than getting caught up in that debate, we encourage homeowners to consider a much more important question:

How long is the painting company willing to stand behind its work?

If one application method automatically produced a substantially longer-lasting paint job, you would expect companies using that method exclusively to routinely offer substantially longer warranties because of it. In our experience, that is generally not what homeowners find when comparing painting contractors.

There are many factors that contribute to the longevity of an exterior paint job, including surface preparation, repairs, caulking, coating quality, proper application, weather conditions, workmanship, and the condition of the underlying materials.

The application method is only one part of the overall process.

Our spraying methods have worked successfully for us for many years, and we are confident enough in our complete exterior painting process to back qualifying projects with our 5-Year Hassle-Free Transferable Exterior Painting Warranty.

When comparing painting companies, don't just ask how they put the paint on.

Ask how long they're willing to stand behind it.

Certain exterior materials have deep textures, pores, grooves, or irregular surfaces that may require additional application techniques.

Surfaces that may require back rolling include:

• Stucco
• T1-11 siding
• Brick
• Shake siding
• Heavily textured siding
• Other porous masonry or wood surfaces

Back rolling involves rolling the coating into the surface immediately after it has been sprayed.

This helps work the paint deeper into grooves, pores, and textured areas that may not receive complete penetration from spraying alone.

Whether back rolling is necessary depends on the surface and the coating being applied.

If your project includes painting the actual window sash—not simply the trim around the window—and your home has storm windows, the storm windows may need to be removed.

Older storm windows can become brittle, corroded, bent, or difficult to remove after many years.

Because of this, there is always some risk of damage when removing or reinstalling storm windows that are already in poor condition.

Home Pros Painting cannot be responsible for damage caused by the failure of deteriorated storm windows during normal removal or reinstallation.

If a storm window is in such poor condition that it cannot reasonably be removed and reinstalled, replacement may be the better option.

Painting Aluminum Storm Windows

Storm windows are typically made from aluminum and are not normally included in standard exterior painting.

Painting aluminum properly requires additional preparation and primer.

In many situations, the labor and materials required to properly paint older storm windows can approach the cost of simply replacing them.

We are happy to discuss the options with you if this situation applies to your home.

If your project includes painting operable window sashes, please check the windows before painting begins.

Make sure each window that is supposed to operate can:

• Open
• Close
• Move properly
• Lock or latch normally

Older windows are sometimes already painted shut, swollen, stuck, or otherwise difficult to operate before our painters arrive.

Checking them beforehand helps establish their existing condition.

After the painting is completed, we also recommend opening and closing the windows again to confirm that they remain operational.

If one of our painters accidentally causes an operating window to stick during painting, we want to know so we can address it.

Before and during the project, our painters may notice existing damage around the exterior of your home.

Examples may include:

• Torn window screens
• Dented gutters
• Damaged downspouts
• Broken storm windows
• Damaged storm doors
• Broken or cracked glass
• Cracked shutters
• Leaking water spigots

Whenever possible, the painters will bring these items to your attention.

If you are not home, the crew will photograph the condition and send the information to our office so it can be communicated to you by text or email.

Documenting pre-existing damage helps everyone clearly understand the condition of the home before and during the project.

One of the most difficult parts of estimating an exterior painting project is identifying every area of hidden or developing wood rot before work begins.

We do our best to identify visible repairs during the original estimate. However, the full condition of the home often becomes easier to see after:

• Pressure washing
• Scraping
• Removing loose paint
• Inspecting trim more closely
• Beginning preparation work

Occasionally, our painters will discover damaged or deteriorated areas that were not visible during the original estimate.

When this happens, we will bring the issue to your attention and discuss the available options.

There can also be areas that are not clearly good or bad. In these situations, we would rather show you what we found and allow you to participate in the decision.

Our goal is not to sell unnecessary repairs. Our goal is to make sure you understand what we are seeing before the area is covered with paint.

You ultimately decide which additional repairs you would like us to complete.

Additional repairs outside the original scope of work will not be performed without your approval.

Good communication is one of the most important parts of a successful painting project.

During your project, conditions may occasionally change. Weather may affect the schedule, additional repairs may be discovered, or questions may arise once preparation begins.

When something important comes up, our goal is to communicate it clearly so you understand:

• What we found
• Why it matters
• What options are available
• Whether additional work is recommended
• Whether there will be an additional cost

We want you to understand what is happening to your home throughout the project.

Our goal is simple: properly prepare your home, apply quality coatings using professional techniques, communicate clearly, and leave you with an exterior paint job you can feel good about.

Exterior painting is a construction process, and every home presents different conditions. By establishing expectations before the project begins, we can minimize surprises and create a smoother experience for everyone.

If you have questions at any point during your project, please ask. We would much rather answer a question than have you wondering why something is being done a particular way.