Q: How do I know when I need to repaint my house?

A: Many professionals recommend repainting your home if the paint shows signs of wear and tear.

 

However, it isn’t necessary to wait until you see signs of paint failure before getting your home repainted. In fact, please don’t. Just like replacing your roof before it gives in, having your house repainted will prevent it from more extensive and expensive damage. 

 

Keep in mind that painting is not just a cosmetic and remedial measure. It is also a preventative measure to keep your house in good condition.

 

Industry standards suggest repainting a home every 5-10 years or 4-7 years if it is stained. But it also depends on how well the last paint job holds up. You can repaint your home when the correct number of years has passed. Of course, checking your house every so often for surface issues is also good. 

 

If the current paint on your walls is fading, it means its film thickness has begun to deteriorate. In addition, fading paint allows other contaminants, like rust, to settle or spread, depending on the surface type.

 

If the walls have chipped, cracked, or peeled paint, it no longer protects the substrate. In this case, wood rot or rust is inevitable, but it also depends on the type of substrate. Besides ruining the appearance of your home, wood rot or rust will cause rapid damage to the substrate.

 

Q: Do you use latex or oil-based paint?

A: Latex paints are environmentally safer than oil-based paints. Oil-based paints emit fumes, which we must contend with as these fumes can be bothersome, especially in interior paint jobs. In addition, cleaning oil-based paints require the use of dirty paint thinners. Disposal of these thinners requires a trip to a local hazardous waste collection site, and we always get rid of these wastes as part of our job.

 

Latex paints and primers have also been improving significantly over the years. A new generation of latex coatings is almost as durable as oil-based paints. We also use latex finishes on an exterior paint jobs as they will remain elastic for many years. On the other hand, oil-based paints dry to form a hard film. The surface expands and contracts with weather changes. Latex paints will move with the surface, while oil-based paints will become brittle and crack with this movement over time.

 

However, there are occasions when we use oil-based paints, especially for exterior painting. The advantage of oil-based paints is that they will provide a smoother finish as they tend to spread better so as not to show brush marks as much as latex. Another advantage of oil-based paints is that they stand up to cleaning and washing better than latex paints.

 

Q: I am not good at choosing paint colors. Will professional painters help me pick colors for my home?

A: It depends on the painter your hire. However, the best painters in the Bay Area, such as Custom Painting, Inc., will help you with that. You can rely on our color experts to get you in the right direction. 

 

Q: What paint brand do you use most often?

A: We use products from Kelly-Moore Paints for our home painting projects. But if you have a preferred paint brand, we will use it.

 

Q: My home has old wallpaper, and I want to get rid of it. Can I paint over the wallpaper?

A: Yes, you can. But as with all paint jobs, the surface must be carefully and thoroughly prepared. Any loose paper must be put back or removed. Then, you should smooth the surface with a spackle or joint compound to conceal the patches and seams. 

 

If you want to paint over old wallpaper with latex paint, you should seal the wallpaper first with an oil-based sealer. But even after the correct prep work, the texture or seams of the old wallpaper may still be visible. So, although you can paint over wallpaper, it is generally discouraged.

 

Custom Painting, Inc. offers wallpaper removal and repainting services to remove your old wallpaper and give your walls a more refreshed and updated look.

 

Q: How long will it take to paint my home?

A: A standard residential paint job will take as little as 4-5 days to complete, and the prep work takes most of the project. But it can take longer depending on several factors, including the size of your house, the type and condition of the surfaces to be painted, the type of work required, scheduling, and weather conditions if the project involves or consists only of exterior painting.

 

Q: How will you protect my property, including my personal belongings, from paint?

A: In interior painting, we advise you to remove all the delicate and breakable items first, and then we will protect the remaining items by covering them with clean drop cloths or plastic sheeting. We will also tape areas that you want to avoid painting.

 

In exterior painting, we protect shrubs, flower beds, and surrounding areas from paint by covering them with drop cloths or plastic sheeting.

 

Q: Do you do any carpentry or repair work?

A: Custom Painting, Inc. does general carpentry work in addition to interior and exterior paint. You don’t need to hire a separate contractor or outside carpenter if you find issues (such as wood rot). We can do repairs as part of our surface prep process.

 

In addition to repairs, we can do custom work, such as custom crown molding and wainscoting installation.

 

Q: Is Custom Painting, Inc. licensed and insured?

A: Yes. Custom Painting, Inc. is licensed (our state contractor license number is 512717) and has all the required insurance. You can check out our current license status at the state contractor’s board website https://www.cslb.ca.gov/. You can also see there that we are bonded and insured. In addition, we are listed on the Better Business Bureau https://bbb.org, where our license number is visible.  For over 40 years we have been serving the Bay area including Danville, Alamo, Blackhawk, Diablo, Livermore, Pleasanton, San Ramon.

 

Q: Do you offer a warranty?

A: Yes, our residential painting projects come with a one-year workmanship warranty. In addition, we offer extended warranties, as well as a one-year warranty on floor surfaces.

 

Q: Do you charge for an estimate?

A: We don’t charge a fee to provide an estimate for your paint job. Call us at 925-866-9610 or complete our online form to receive a free estimate.