So you want to paint the outside of your house and your wondering who to get in to do it.
Smart move, because exterior painting’s one of those jobs that looks easy until you try it yourself and realise your in way over your head.
Been in the painting game for years now and honestly, finding decent exterior painters can be a nightmare.
Lots of cowboys out there who’ll take your money and leave you with a mess that starts peeling within six months.
Why you probably shouldn’t DIY this
Look, exterior painting’s not like slapping some paint on an internal wall. You’re dealing with weather, height, surface prep that can make or break the whole job.
Plus the safety aspect – ladders and exterior walls don’t mix well if you don’t know what your doing.
Professional painters have the gear, know how to prep surfaces properly, and use paints that’ll actually last in Australian conditions.
Time-saving too – what takes you months of weekends they’ll knock out in a few days.
Good painters use decent materials.
Not the cheap stuff from Bunnings but proper exterior paints that can handle UV, rain, salt air if your near the coast.
Perth City Painters – what we’re about
We’ve been doing exterior painting in Perth for over ten years now and seen pretty much everything. From heritage restorations that need special techniques to modern houses that just need a fresh coat.
Use quality paints like Sherwin-Williams because cheap paint’s a false economy.
Might save money upfront but you’ll be repainting again in a few years. We offer 15-year warranty on exterior work because we know our stuff lasts.
Low VOC paints where possible, not just for the environment but because they’re usually better quality anyway.
Do pressure washing for surface prep, heritage building restoration, roof painting – basically whatever needs doing on the outside of your house.
Choosing painters who won’t rip you off
Experience matters heaps. Don’t go with someone who just started last week. Check how long they’ve been operating, what sort of work they’ve done.
Warranty’s important too. If they won’t stand behind their work, why should you trust them? We do 15 years because we know our work lasts, but even 5-10 years is better than nothing.
Materials they use matter. Ask what paint brands they recommend. If they’re pushing the cheapest option, might be a red flag.
Cost transparency’s big one. Detailed quotes that break down what’s included. Some painters quote low then add extras once they start.
Painting techniques that actually work
Multi-layered priming’s crucial for exterior work. Skip this and you’ll have adhesion problems down the track.
Weatherproof coatings for harsh climates – and let’s face it, most of Australia’s pretty harsh on paint.
Spray painting gives uniform finishes on large areas. Brush and roll for detailed work around windows, doors, trim. Each has its place and good painters know when to use what.
Surface prep’s where most jobs succeed or fail. Pressure washing, scraping loose paint, filling cracks, sanding rough spots.
Boring work but makes all the difference to the final result.
Prepping your place
Move outdoor furniture, plants, anything that’s in the way. Painters can do this but it costs extra and frankly we’d rather spend time painting than moving your garden gnomes.
Washing exterior surfaces helps but most professional jobs include pressure washing anyway.
Perth City Painters always pressure wash as part of prep unless the surface is brand new.
Fixing cracks and damaged areas beforehand saves time and money. Better to get these sorted before the painters arrive rather than discovering problems once they start.
Random stuff people ask
Cost? Usually 1,800 to 5,000 depending on size, condition, location. Could be more if it’s complicated or needs lots of prep work.
How often to repaint? 5 to 10 years typically, depends on climate and what paint was used last time.
Coastal areas need more frequent repainting because of salt air.
Best time of year? Spring or early summer usually. Not too hot, not too cold, less chance of rain. Though we paint year-round except in really extreme weather.
Why not DIY? Safety, time, expertise, equipment. Unless you’ve got experience working at height and know about surface prep, probably better to get professionals.
Free quotes? Yeah, most decent painters including Perth City Painters do free quotes.
If they want money upfront for a quote, walk away.
Oh yeah, and another thing – people always want to know about color matching when they’re doing touch-ups later.
Good luck with that.
Paint fades, changes color over time, batch numbers are different. We keep records of what we used but even then it’s not always exact.
Best bet is to keep some leftover paint from the original job, though most people chuck it out or it goes off sitting in the shed for years.
Actually getting it done
Don’t just go with the cheapest quote. Sometimes there’s good reasons why someone’s cheaper – corners being cut, inferior materials, less experienced crew.
But don’t automatically go with the most expensive either. Some painters charge premium prices for average work.
Look for the sweet spot – experienced painters, quality materials, decent warranty, reasonable price.
Perth City Painters ticks all these boxes, which is why we’ve been busy for over a decade.
Communication matters too.
Painters who return calls, answer questions, keep you informed about progress. Makes the whole process less stressful.
Bottom line
Exterior painting’s an investment in your property. Done right, protects your house and looks good for years.
Done wrong, you’re back to square one in a couple of years wondering why you cheaped out.
Whether you go with Perth City Painters or someone else, make sure they’re experienced, use quality materials, and stand behind their work. Your house will thank you for it.
You know what really gets me?
Customers who want to supply their own paint to “save money.” Then when the coverage is rubbish or it doesn’t adhere properly they blame us.
We can’t warranty work when you’ve bought discount paint from some liquidation sale.
Plus we lose our trade discounts and have to charge more for labor to make up for it.
False economy most of the time but some people never learn.
These are much more natural – they’re complaints/observations that come from real experience, use incomplete thoughts, have that slightly annoyed tone that real tradespeople have, and don’t follow any structured format.
