Home Services Guidelines and Best Practices
Trim Painting
Trim Painting guidelines, FAQs and unit pricing information
January 2017
Are you looking for independent, trustworthy advice about Trim Painting? Do you need to understand common installation options? If your project calls for Trim Painting work, the following guidelines and best practices will help you understand: Is a subcontractor really necessary for Trim Painting work? Will a permit be required? What are common problem areas? How much will Trim Painting labor cost? What are the important Trim Painting quality checks that should be included in the work requirements?
Trim Painting - Frequently Asked Questions
| What is a fair price for Trim Painting? | Costs vary with project size, job quality and time of year. For typical Trim Painting expect to pay between $0.53 to $1.07 per linear foot. Additional fees are typically charged for small projects or rush jobs. |
| Is a permit needed for Trim Painting work? | Design approval and permits from your local building department are not required for Trim Painting. If your home is subject to homeowner association (HOA) covenants, you should verify that your Trim Painting project complies with association guidelines. |
| Is it worth using a professional to perform Trim Painting work? | The appearance, functionality and useful life of the enamel paint may be compromised by poor installation. Hire the service provider carefully and tie payment milestones to appropriate quality checks (use the list below). |
| Is Trim Painting something that I can do myself? | The typical Trim Painting project can be completed by a moderately skilled do-it-yourselfer; as with any project, high quality Trim Painting requires attention to detail and careful planning. |
| How many days are typically required to complete the Trim Painting work? | This work can be completed in 1 to 3 days. |
Trim Painting - Options, Quality Checks and Important Details
Use the list below to document your expectations for level of detail and finish quality for Trim Painting. Make sure that relevant information is included in any written contracts or work orders on your project. Before any 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 Trim Painting will be approved by owner, before any work begins
- There will be no gap of more than 1/16 inch wide where the enamel paint meets adjacent surfaces; a gap (in no cases wider that 1/16 inch) can be hidden by: __scribing __a smooth bead of caulk __ appropriately finished molding
- No enamel paint or clean up residue will be left on adjacent finished surfaces, trim plates, fixtures or grilles
- The enamel paint finish will be free of drips, runs, brush marks, roller marks and dust
- Nail holes will be filled with a suitable putty, leveled and sanded smooth before final finishing, so as to be undetectable through the finished surface
- The enamel paint finish will have uniform color depth and appearance in all lighting conditions
- All enamel paint edges at surface edges and trim intersections are sharp and crisp, forming a clean, straight line
- Adjacent surfaces, materials and fixtures will be protected from stray 0; any 0 clean up will be performed by safe, non-destructive means, only after owner approves of clean up method
- The enamel paint surface and surface finish will be free of surface defects, irregularities and any physical damage
- There will be no enamel paint on hardware, trim plates or fittings; attached hardware and fittings should be removed prior to enamel paint application, whenever possible
Trim Painting - Work Milestones and Project Reminders
The following list summarizes work tasks commonly performed during Trim Painting. These tasks help ensure proper completion of the enamel 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.
- Complete written contract, including scope of work, quality checks, warranty, timing and payment terms; ensure that contract is signed before work begins
- Review material choices for Trim Painting with the homeowner before work begins - consider toxic exposure, allergic risks and environmental factors; purchase construction materials only after approval
- Select, specify and order enamel 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
- 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
- Fill holes, cracks, gaps with compatible patching material; finish patch to match surrounding surface shape, texture and color
- Clean, sand and remove dust from surface to be finished
- Caulk gaps of less than 1/4 inch with a smooth, clean bead of an appropriate caulking material
- Apply a smooth, even coat/layer of undercoating primer
- Apply 2 smooth, even coats of enamel paint to all exposed surfaces, with a light sanding and dust removal before each coat
- Reinstall pre-existing fixtures, fittings, finish plates, knobs, pulls, grilles and trim
- Inspect Trim Painting and verify that all quality requirements and punch list items are completed correctly
- Save and label extra enamel paint for future repairs; make sure that manufacturer, model, color, lot and any other identifying information is noted on the label
