A fresh coat of paint on your Marina Del Rey rental property’s exterior can get you higher rents, higher property values, and better curb appeal. But before you jump into your first exterior paint job, you’ve got to know a few important things first. We’ve assembled a list of do’s and don’ts that can help you learn what you need to do the job correctly. This ensures that the quality tenants you want for your rental property would remain attracted to it.
DO take the time to remove the old paint from the rental property’s exterior. Five Star Painting, a business that does high-quality painting services, has professionals on their team who say that the prep work you do before you start to paint is the most important part of the process. You’ll want to figure out what type of paint your rental currently has and how old it is. The idea behind this is that any paint dating from 1978 or before has lead in it and can make you sick if you just start scraping away. Another consideration is the building material of the exterior; to illustrate, if your home has asbestos siding, you may need a professional to do the job.
There are several different ways to remove old and peeling paint, from scraping or power washing to chemicals to heat guns. Take the time to determine which method is advised for your property– considering all its characteristics– and buy the right tools to get the job done faster and easier.
DON’T forget to measure carefully to ensure you have enough paint to finish the job properly. Make sure your paint is more than enough for one coat because you will need that extra paint for touch-ups. And if you plan to do more than just one coat, see to it that you have enough to go over the entire surface twice. A good quality exterior paint is also very important. Don’t use cheap paint. Peeling or fading occurs almost instantly with low-quality paint, and the hard work and time you put in will all be wasted.
DO seal all surfaces and caulk where necessary, and do apply a primer. The professionals at Five Star Painting recommend this step for exterior surfaces because the primer will help seal exterior walls, including any newly repaired spots. Another trait of primers is that it will give the paint something to adhere to.
DON’T rush through the job. Sometimes, impatience gets the better of us and we want the job finished right away, so we apply a primer or paint to an exterior too soon after paint removal. Exterior surfaces need time to dry completely before moving on to the next step, or you’ll compromise the paint job. It may end up looking blotchy and unprofessional.
DO make all the necessary repairs to your rental property’s exterior before repainting it. It may be a task that’s as simple as power washing your siding. However, depending on the material and condition of the exterior, you may need to sand the entire outside of the house and wipe all surfaces with a cloth. It’s much like painting an interior wall; you need to have a clean and dry surface before any painting can begin.
DON’T let your time and money go to waste by starting an exterior painting job without the proper knowledge and skills. If you don’t have a lot of time to spare or if you don’t have the experience needed to do the job correctly, think about hiring professionals to do it for you. You’ll spend a lot more to fix a botched exterior paint job than if you just hired someone to do it for you from the start.
DO choose Real Property Management California Coast to do the job for you. Instead of spending all that time and hassle trying to DIY the project, our team of experts has connections with first-rate shops in Marina Del Rey that offer quality exterior painting services at a fair price. Don’t hesitate to contact us online or give us a ring at 310-535-2150 to learn more about what we can do for you.
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