PAINTING YOURSELF VERUS HIRING A PAINTING CONTRACTOR
Not everyone is cut out for house painting. There are a number of factors to take into account before you undertake a painting project. Pushing ahead when you’re not ready is a recipe for aggravation and failure! Small minor painting projects are fairly easy and the only real consideration is time and money. When it comes to bigger projects then you need to consider a lot more.
Your Physical Limitations
Both interior and exterior painting are labor intensive and require considerable physical effort. Exterior painting is, typically, the most demanding. It’s important to consider your physical limitations before undertaking any painting project. Depending on the products you intend using and the height at which you’re painting, it can also be dangerous.
- Are you capable of moving heavy objects alone, like furniture?
- Do you have the coordination and balance to stand on a ladder for long extended periods?
- Do you have foot or leg problems that will make standing for long periods uncomfortable?
- Do you have shoulder or neck problems that make reaching overhead difficult?
Where is Your Head at?
Your mental state is important. Even if you’re physically capable of the work, you may not be mentally ready.
- Are you comfortable with heights? If you have vertigo or a phobia, it’s probably best to pass the job to someone else. Virtually all exterior jobs, and many interior ones, require you to be on a ladder at least some of the time.
- Do you enjoy painting? There’s no shame in hiring someone to do your dirty work, so you can focus on something you like better! Your results will be better if you are passionate about doing the project yourself. If it’s a task you don’t enjoy, it can be tempting to cut corners and procrastinate.
- Are you likely to be distracted? If you have small children, your work from home or sick parents to care for, their demands can take you away from your project, leading to frustrating delays.
Is Time on Your Side?
Consider how much time you really have to devote to the project. We tend to underestimate the time it takes to paint, and we overestimate the time we have available. Most painting projects (especially exterior ones!) take several days to complete. If you work full-time, you may only be able to work on the weekends. Can you live with an unfinished project for awhile? An exterior paint job can take a month or more to complete if you’re only painting part-time; an interior one can take a week.
What Experience Do You Have?
Each property and each house has different assets and challenges. Professional painters with extensive experience have a better understanding of the preparation and products needed to produce lasting results. This doesn’t mean, necessarily, that your first painting job will be a total failure. What it DOES mean is that you’ll need to do some research and learn all you can about your project if you want to achieve a good finish.
In Conclusion
CONTACT DETAILS
ADDRESS: PO BOX 16123, PANORAMA, 7506
CAPE: 021 300 1098 BLOEMFONTEIN: 051 004 0119 DURBAN: 031 100 1164 JOHANNESBURG: 011 568 0712 PORT ELIZABETH: 041 004 0007 PRETORIA: 012 004 0239 POLOKWANE: 015 004 0199
FACSIMILE: 086 650 5033 EMERGENCY CONTACT: 082 509 3022