Should You Be Painting Your Own House Or Hire A Professional Painter?

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Article kindly provided by Pro Painters Canberra

DIY is profoundly satisfying, and there’s something magical about working all day on a project in your home and being able to stand back and admire the transformation you’ve created.  It feels practical and accomplished, and so it should.  There are some tasks, however, that might be better left to the professionals. So it’s important to think carefully about whether a particular task is one you should attempt yourself or whether to call in the experts. Depending on your experience with projects around the house, you should always be prepared to call in for some help. For instance, if you plan to paint your home exterior, but the area is too large, you should consider reaching out to painters Melbourne based. This way, you will get not only professional help but also speeds things up.

The first thing to consider is how experienced you are at DIY. On a scale of changing a lightbulb to building a skyscraper, painting a property.  It’s important that you’ve at least painted interior walls, to have some experience of brushes and rollers and the hazards of letting your pet cat anywhere near the paint tray while you have a break for a cuppa.  Ideally, you’ll also have painted ceilings, to know the annoyances of working on ladders and the ache in your arms the day after.

If you’re sure that you have a pretty decent level of DIY experience, and that you’re ready to take things up a level, you might want to think about painting the outside of your home.  If things are starting to sound daunting already, it’s probably best to let someone else take on the job, because we still have a way to go.

Even if you have the skill, do you have access to the right equipment?  Many DIY tasks can be carried out perfectly well with improvised or unusual equipment.  If you don’t have the proper tools handy to lever off a dado rail, it’s possible (though very much inadvisable) to use a fish slice or some cutlery.  When it comes to painting the outside of your home, it’s actually very important to use the right kit.  You will need a ladder which is comfortably high enough to reach the very top of your home.  Reaching or stretching are very dangerous when working at height.  You may need face masks or even respirators, depending on the type of paint you’re using.  Research the materials you’re hoping to work with and the area you’ll need to work in.  If you’re sure you can get all the safety equipment you’ll need at a price you’re happy with, you might be ready.  If not, really think carefully. Your health isn’t worth saving a few dollars and you really wont enjoy the house painting process at all.

So, you have the DIY experience to take on this challenge, and you have the equipment you need to keep you safe while you do it?  Great, we’re off to a good start.  The next question is to ask whether you have the time and energy to paint your own home.  Painting is a heavy workout, especially for the back and shoulders.  If you have a two (or more) story home, you are likely to be going up and down high ladders over and over throughout the days it takes you.  Notice the plural there.  Days.  Painting your home will take a long time.  You will also need to have someone else with you for much of that time, holding the ladder and making sure that you’re safe.  The more times you have to stop and start your painting, the more chance there is of an uneven finish.  Using you holiday days to paint your home might be your idea of relaxation, but it isn’t for everyone.

Finally, there’s the question of whether it is worth it to you.  Once you’ve purchased all of the materials and equipment, you may find that the savings involved in painting your mobile home for sale yourself are much more modest than you expect, especially once you remember that you will also want to make sure that you have funds available, just in case you have to get a professional house painter in to fix any unexpected disasters.  If you have the time, fitness, experience and equipment to do the work, you are in a good position to give it a go, but it still might not be worth it.  If you want the pride and satisfaction of doing the job yourself, get going.  We totally understand.  If you’re hoping to save a bit of cash, you might find that it doesn’t go exactly as you’d hoped.

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