Questions about painting an old house

It depends on your district and on the change. Repainting in the colors already on the house is often treated differently from a new scheme, and some districts review only what is visible from the street. We look up the rule for your address and tell you in writing. The decision is the district's, not ours.

Usually photographs of each elevation, the proposed colors with names and where each goes, a plain description of the repairs and any layer findings. Your district's form decides the exact list.

You are the applicant. We prepare the packet and can submit it with you.

Each district keeps its own calendar, so ask yours. We schedule the crew after the decision, not before.

We can show you the layers the house has worn and what each looked like. Paint fades, yellows and weathers, so we describe what we found and don't promise an exact original.

Houses built before 1978 may have lead in the old layers of paint. The EPA's renovation rule covers paid work that disturbs paint in these houses and in child-occupied buildings built before 1978. On those jobs we give you the EPA pamphlet before work starts, set up plastic containment and signs, scrape wet or with a HEPA vacuum, never dry-sand or burn, and clean up with a HEPA vacuum. Our EPA firm number is listed under Credentials.

The written estimate gives a range of working days and what could move it. Wood repair, drying time and weather decide the pace.

We mark every soft spot at the visit. Sound wood is repaired and kept, and wood past saving is replaced with a matching profile.

Only where the paint is failing. We scrape and sand by hand with a HEPA vacuum. We don't use open flame or heat guns on old houses.

Premium exterior paint. The proposal names the product and the sheen for each surface, and we give you the product data sheet.

The written warranty states what it covers, for how long and what it excludes. Terms, limits and exclusions are in your written warranty.

Many Lowcountry porches keep a pale blue ceiling. We match the one you have, or help you choose one your district accepts.

Yes. We cover plants and walkways, keep a path to your door and sweep up at the end of each day.