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Prep

Compare three bids, line by line.

Three painting bids can differ by ten thousand dollars and still look alike on the page. The difference is almost always prep, and most bids don’t say what theirs is. Ours does.

Haint Blue / Prep, spelled out
A brush dipped into a can of white paint

On every estimate.

01
Wash

Low-pressure wash and mildew treatment, dry 24–48 hours.

every job
✓
02
Scrape and sand

All loose paint removed, edges feathered.

every job
✓
03
Wood repair

Rot cut out and replaced or epoxied, priced separately.

as found
✓
04
Spot prime

Every bare wood spot primed with an exterior primer.

every job
✓
05
Caulk

Joints and gaps, never over rot or across moving joints.

every job
✓
06
Two finish coats

Named product, named sheen.

every job
✓
07
Lead-safe setup

On every pre-1978 home.

when required
✓

Ask every bidder

  1. Which product, exactly, and how many coats?
  2. Is the house washed, and how long does it dry?
  3. How is loose paint removed, and is the house lead-safe certified?
  4. What happens if you find rot?
  5. Who will be on the ladder, your crew or a subcontractor?

Read on.

ExteriorsExteriorsPrices.LeadLead-safeQuestion three.HumiditySalt & humidityWhy prep matters here.

Get an estimate that names everything.

Free estimate
A Yeti Trades Co. portfolio site

The painting contractor’s site, built in seven days.

Sixteen pages: a Charleston color library, lead-safe practices for pre-1978 houses, the city’s BAR color-change process, and prep written so a homeowner can compare three bids.

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