What Is Residential Painting? The Best Guide For Homeowners

Have you ever looked at the walls of your home and thought they could use a fresh coat of paint? Or maybe you’re moving into a new house and want to make it truly feel like your own. Whatever the reason, residential painting is an important aspect of homeownership that can transform the look and feel of your living space.

In Northeast Ohio, Nick Kane of Kane Painting LLC has been a trusted source of residential painting — both exterior and interior — for 18 years. Nick is proud of the family business and the reputation for excellence he has built throughout Northeast Ohio. Exactly what is residential painting and why is it important to hire a contractor with residential painting experience? In this guide, we’ll explore everything homeowners need to know about home painting and how to hire the right contractor.

Professional home painting — whether it’s the walls, ceilings, woodwork, cabinets, siding, or other surfaces inside or outside a home — is an essential part of home maintenance that can improve both the appearance of your living space and your property value.

Just what is residential painting, as done by a professional, and how is it different from DIY painting? More importantly, why should you consider having your home painted by a trusted contractor?

There are advantages to using a professional residential painting contractor. One advantage is that different types of paints and coatings should be used for different rooms, surfaces, and applications. These range from a host of interior wall paints to exterior masonry paint. Because of the wide selection of products on the market and the benefits and nuances of each product, hiring a professional ensures you have the best paint or coating for the job.

Another reason to hire a professional is that with thousands of jobs under their belts, painters such as Kane Painting will deliver a professional result: even application, long-lasting performance, and crisp lines with no bleeding, blisters, or streaks. With professional tools and the skills that come from years of experience, perfect walls, ceilings, and trim are a given when you hire a trusted contractor.

Finally, efficiency and speed are considerations when it comes to the DIY vs. professional contractor question. How much is your time worth? Professional painters like Kane will prep, paint, and clean up in a fraction of the time it takes a homeowner to do the job. Painting contractors also bring all necessary equipment to the job, including professional-grade brushes, rollers, extension poles, sprayers, patching materials, sanders, trays, and more, saving you the time and expense of purchasing these on your own.

If you’ve never hired a professional painter before, you are probably wondering what to expect and why you should hire one. The first and most important step of any interior or exterior residential painting project is painstaking preparation: Removing debris, protecting the area (such as flooring and light fixtures inside or flower beds outdoors) with tarps or drop cloths, moving indoor or outdoor furniture, sanding or scraping old paint if needed, removing dust and dirt, and filling any cracks or holes in the surfaces to be painted. Skimp on any of these steps, and eventually, it will show.

Once prep work is complete, professional painters will apply a primer if one is needed, followed by multiple coats of paint using professional-grade brushes and rollers or sprayers, depending on the surface and the contractor’s preference. This ensures an even and smooth application.

After all painting is complete, your professional painter will perform touch-ups where necessary, then, if needed, apply protective coatings like sealant or varnish if stains were used.

Finally, a good professional interior painting contractor like Kane Painting will clean up, leaving your home as good as (or better than) they found it and perform an inspection with you to make sure their work meets or exceeds your expectations.

When it comes to residential painting services, it’s important to do your research and find the right company for the job. Local companies are often a good choice as they understand the climate and specific needs of homes in the area. Look for experienced painters who can provide references or examples of their work.

Consider getting multiple quotes from different companies before making a final decision. Make sure that each quote includes details such as the type of paint being used and how many coats will be applied. After you have several quotes, ask for past customer references.

It’s also important to ask about any prep work that will be done before painting begins, such as sanding or priming. Be sure all prep work and cleanup work is included in the estimate.

Finally, don’t forget about warranties or guarantees offered by the company on their workmanship or materials used. Ask about these, and about the contractor’s certifications and insurance. With proper research and consideration, finding a reliable residential painter can result in a beautiful home transformation.