Exterior Painting
Three-story multi-family, yellow to slate blue
Full exterior repaint of a three-story multi-family: siding in a deep slate blue, trim, stacked rear porches and stair railings in crisp off-white.
Service
Exterior Painting
Outside, paint is a protective layer before it’s a color. It keeps water out of clapboards and trim through freeze-thaw cycles, wind-driven rain and summer sun. When prep is skipped, the new coat peels with the old one.
We wash, scrape, sand and prime before a drop of finish goes on. That’s what you’re paying for, and it’s what makes the color look right for years instead of one season.
What’s included
- Wood and fiber-cement siding, clapboards and shingles
- Trim, fascia, soffits, window casings and sills
- Porches, columns, railings and exterior stairs
- Exterior doors and garage doors
- Surface washing as the first prep step (part of the job, not an add-on)
- Scraping loose paint, feathering edges, spot-priming bare wood
- Caulking open joints and around windows and trim
What’s not
- Carpentry beyond minor fixes: rotted boards are flagged so you can have them replaced before we paint
- Roofing, gutters and masonry repair
- Decks and fences are quoted case by case
Not sure where your project fits? Call us and ask. We’ll tell you straight.
Our process
How we do exterior painting
- 01
Walkthrough
We walk the whole house with you, note failing paint, soft wood and problem areas, and agree on scope and colors.
- 02
Wash
Surfaces are washed to remove dirt, chalking and mildew so primer and paint can actually bond. Then the house dries.
- 03
Scrape and sand
Loose and peeling paint comes off. Edges are sanded so they don’t telegraph through the new coat.
- 04
Prime and caulk
Bare wood gets primer. Open joints and gaps around trim are caulked to keep water out.
- 05
Paint
Body and trim are brushed and rolled in the right weather. Typically two finish coats on the body.
- 06
Clean up and walk through
Plants, walkways and windows are checked, debris is removed, and we walk the house with you.
Why the finish matters here
Exterior paint fails at the edges first: window sills, bottom clapboards, porch rails, the places water sits. If those spots aren’t scraped back and primed, they peel again by the next spring.
Weather is part of the finish. Paint needs dry wood, temperatures inside the product’s range, and enough time to cure before evening dew. We schedule around that instead of forcing a date.
Exterior Painting projects
All projects
Exterior Painting
Faded farmhouse, back to barn red
Chalky, sun-faded clapboards scraped, primed and repainted in a deep barn red, with every window casing brought back to bright white.
Exterior Painting
Mid-century house, red to charcoal
A mid-century house in the woods taken from barn red to a dark charcoal, with the vertical siding and trim prepped and painted by hand.
Exterior Painting FAQ
When is exterior painting season around Boston?
Roughly late spring through mid-fall. Most exterior paints need dry surfaces and temperatures above their minimum (often around 50°F) through the day and night. Early fall is popular, so it helps to book ahead.
Is power washing included?
Washing the surfaces is the first step of every exterior job we do, because paint doesn’t bond to dirt or mildew. It’s part of the prep, not a separate line item.
What happens if you find rotten wood?
We point it out before we paint over it. Painting over soft wood just hides the problem. You can have it replaced and we’ll prime and paint the new boards.
What happens if it rains?
We don’t paint wet surfaces or with rain on the way. We’ll pause and pick up when conditions are right. That protects the finish you’re paying for.
Do I need to be home?
Not usually. We need access to outdoor outlets and water, and someone to reach by phone. We’ll agree on that during the walkthrough.
Other services
Planning exterior painting?
Tell us what you want painted. We’ll come see it, talk through the details and put an estimate in writing.