Home Services Guidelines and Best Practices
Exterior Trim Painting
Exterior Trim Painting guidelines, FAQs and unit pricing information
January 2017
Are you looking for independent, trustworthy advice about Exterior Trim Painting? Do you need to understand common installation options? If your project calls for Exterior Trim Painting work, the following guidelines and best practices will help you understand: Is a subcontractor really necessary for Exterior Trim Painting work? Will a permit be required? What are common problem areas? How much will Exterior Trim Painting labor cost? What are the important Exterior Trim Painting quality checks that should be included in the work requirements?
Exterior Trim Painting - Frequently Asked Questions
| What is a fair price for Exterior Trim Painting? | Costs vary with project size, job quality and time of year. For typical Exterior Trim Painting expect to pay between $1.15 to $1.47 per linear foot. Additional fees are typically charged for small projects or rush jobs. |
| Is a permit needed for Exterior Trim Painting work? | Design approval and permits from your local building authority are usually not required for Exterior Trim Painting. If your home is subject to homeowner association covenants, you should verify that the Exterior Trim Painting complies with association guidelines. |
| Is it worth using a professional to perform Exterior Trim Painting work? | The appearance, useful life and required maintenance for the trim paint may be affected by poor installation techniques and inexperience. To minimize risks with Exterior Trim Painting, hire service providers carefully and always tie payment milestones to appropriate quality checks (use the list below). |
| Is Exterior Trim Painting something that I can do myself? | Most of the Exterior Trim Painting project can be completed by a moderately experienced do-it-yourselfer; as with any project, high quality Exterior Trim Painting requires attention to detail and careful planning. |
| How many days are typically required to complete the Exterior Trim Painting work? | This work can be completed in 1 to 2 days. |
Exterior Trim Painting - Options, Quality Checks and Important Details
Use the list below to document your expectations for level of detail and finish quality for Exterior Trim Painting. Make sure that relevant information is included in any written contracts or work orders on your project. Before any Exterior Trim Painting work begins, review the checklist with the service provider. Tie payments to satisfactory completion of this checklist.
- The layout, location, style and finish appearance of ALL materials used in Exterior Trim Painting will be approved by owner, before any work begins
- No exterior trim or clean up residue will be left on adjacent finished surfaces, trim plates, fixtures or grilles
- All visible exterior trim surfaces will have a consistent texture and uniform sheen
- The exterior trim finish will have uniform color depth and appearance in all lighting conditions
- All exterior trim edges at surface edges and trim intersections are sharp and crisp, forming a clean, straight line
- The exterior trim surface and surface finish will be free of surface defects, irregularities and any physical damage
- There will be no trim paint on hardware, trim plates or fittings; attached hardware and fittings should be removed prior to trim paint application, whenever possible
Exterior Trim Painting - Work Milestones and Project Reminders
The following list summarizes work tasks commonly performed during Exterior Trim Painting. These tasks help ensure proper completion of the trim paint work and compliance with common manufacturer and vendor warranty requirements. Make sure that either you or your service provider takes responsibility for each of these tasks. All service provider task responsiblities should be clearly called out in the written contract or work orders.
- Review written list of work to be completed; review quality requirements and payment terms before work begins
- Select, specify and order trim paint; verify that type, grade, finish, size, color, any options, and quantity are clearly identified in the order; make sure that delivery date, terms and damage provisions are included in the order
- Confirm date (and time) for project start with subcontractor - one week and two days prior to project start
- Review material choices for Exterior Trim Painting with the homeowner before work begins - consider toxic exposure, allergic risks and environmental factors; purchase construction materials only after approval
- Prepare area for safe, efficient work; move items that restrict work access or are vulnerable to damage; cover and protect items that cannot be moved
- Carefully remove fixtures, fittings, finish plates, grilles, knobs, pulls and trim that will be reinstalled later; label and safely store these items for later use
- Inspect installation quality and verify proper operation for trim paint using the Quality Checklist on this page; create a punch list of final tasks that must be completed prior to final payment
- Reinstall pre-existing fixtures, fittings, finish plates, knobs, pulls, grilles and trim
- Submit final payment in exchange for signed lien release; final payment amount should be adjusted for excess material to be returned and tasks not performed; pay with a check to ensure expense can be verified for tax purposes
