The skill of your painter really becomes important when you want your homes exterior surfaces to withstand year after year of harsh Toronto weather. This means that preparation before painting is paramount.

When choosing exterior painters, you want to be sure they have 2 important abilities: the skill and experience to properly prepare all types of exterior surfaces, and, perhaps rarer than the first, the willingness to spend the time doing it!

This is also closely related to the question of how much to pay. When getting several quotes from painters, you will undoubtedly have a range of prices to consider. But you must ask yourself whether the cheapest company is skimping on prepwork; be it by lack of knowledge, or just a hunger to book the job (and increase the price later!).

Paying a little more for a painting contract may get you extra years of longevity on the work, so it really pays to choose the right painters.

While you are outside, it can be quite educational to take a walk around your house and inspect.  After a winter of snow hides all, it is no longer excusable to overlook the important exterior maintenance that a house needs. Sometimes a house siding craves a good power-washing, even if the paint is ok. Are the gutters clear? Clogged eavestroughs and spouts can cause other damage because water sits where it shouldn’t. And if left too long, dirt can become stains on some parts of the house, and washing regularly keeps your home looking new.

Toronto painting companies that do exterior work will certainly offer pressure-washing, since this is often an important first step to exterior painting. If you ask them, painters can even clean your gutters while they have their ladders up. In fact, some of these companies will also be able to handle minor repairs, and even wood replacement if it is needed, as part of a comprehensive paint job.

It is always a good idea to check your home for what exactly it needs, and you can better explain your needs to your painting contractor.

Do your Toronto painters know how to do the right preparation on your house before painting it? This is a quick rundown of the process in video slideshow form. Always make sure that your painters don’t skip steps, or they might compromise the longevity of their work.

Essentially, painters need to make the substrate sound, free of dirt or contamination, without cracks or holes, and dry. This is achieved by various methods, and the skill of a painter really comes down to how they can adapt to the needs of different substrates, and prepare them efficiently and properly. On the example shown here, the window trim was wood and had to be stripped of the old paint because it was not adhering properly, likely because the surfaces were not completely sealed and water could penetrate. It was essential to caulk all cracks so that we would have an unbroken surface sealed against weather. In some areas of this project, the wood was rotted, and we recommended replacement with new trim pieces which were then carefully installed, caulked, primed, and painted for a flawless surface.

Of all the Toronto painting companies, you want to choose exterior painters skilled enough to truly protect your home. Don’t risk it to just anybody, because it can mean a difference of many years in the duration of a painting job.

Exterior painters work as soon as the weather is above about 10′C, and the overnight temperature does not sink below 1′C. The latter is important as paint does not cure properly at lower temperatures, and may cause problems with the durability of a paint finish over time. This means that the exterior painting season starts around early April, and will run until sometime in October.

Its a great idea to have your painting done early in the summer so that you can enjoy the now look of your house, rather than get it done later in time for it to be covered in snow! Your painters will appreciate notice, and will often be willing to give a great deal when you book early. Call your reputable Toronto exterior painters to arrange a quote now, and be assured that your home will be taken care of.

The price is a focal point for most people, and it is tempting to choose a contractor based largely on the price they offer, but the truth is, the quoted cost should not be the most important consideration in hiring painters. A quote is really an estimate of the amount of hours of labour and materials needed to complete a project. The key point is that the amount of work required will vary based on the quality a company delivers; better quality work requires more time, or a higer skill level. In both cases a quote may be higher for the same work, but the end result will be of finer quality. When you obtain several quotes, you must consider that the cheapest quote might overlook details, or worse, be due to a lack of experience from the estimator. Some cheap painting companies will end up asking for more money after the contract is won. If your project demands any significant level of detail, be very careful about the low price quote.

On the other end, a high quote could be unnecessarily inflated. Some high profile painters charge a premium price simply because they are well established and in demand. You will likely get a quality paint job from them, but maybe not the best value. A rule of thumb in the contracting world is to choose the middle quote of three obtained, as they will usually be the most accurate in price, all things considered. But this is not enough; be sure to consider each painting contractor from many parameters other than price, and you will make a much better decision.

All in all, you should take the price with a grain of salt, and weight it against the reputation and credibility of the painters themselves. Don’t compare “apples to oranges.” There are many variables, but some of them most important factors to remember when comparing quotes are:

• The specific details of work included.  “Their price is good, but did they include the doors?”
• Is paint included?
• Are they doing the same level of prep work?
• Are they using the same quality of paint?
• Do they offer equivalent warranty terms?
• What is their reputation and skill level?

Sometimes even simple indications and character judgment can go a long way. Is the quote written clearly and did the estimator address your specific concerns? Were they professional? Did they display respect for your home? Finding the right Toronto painters is not a mystery if you know what to look for.

If you are thinking of painting your house, this is certainly something to consider. Interior painting of an entire home can require a dozen or more gallons of paint, so the unfortunate fact is that it will cost more for a new paint job. Painting contractors don’t have much choice but to continue as usual and hope customers don’t get turned off by the paint bill. One can be tempted to switch to a lower-priced line of paint, but its usually not worth it at any price to compromise the finish. The best thing we can do is just pay the price for the “good stuff”, and that way be sure of the endurance of a painting project. In anycase, if you have a paint job that needs doing, this might be the push you need to get the process going before paint prices rise further.

It is always a good idea to consider some eco-alternatives as a solution. Milk paint is a green product that avoids the issue by using all natural ingredients. Your best bet is to always consult a good painting company for the best advice, as they can make sure there is no wasted or miss-used paint, and your dollar gets well spent.

A good painting company that is experienced in residential repainting will make the painting project run smoothly by doing some important things you might not think painters would necessarily do. They will make a priority list of what rooms to do in what order, so you know when certain rooms will be accessible. Drying time needs to be considered, especially  in bedrooms; they should not be slept in right away, or at least be well ventilated. If any family members have respiratory issues, No-odour (no-voc) paints could be used to help with this, as they allow rooms to be used safely soon after painting as finished.

Painters will be able to set-up a room from the start; meaning they will move furniture to the centre of the room, or out of the room as needed. It is appreciated if clients remove small and fragile items from the work areas. The crew can make recommendations as to how much needs to be packed up, but you don’t need to worry about large items. And furniture will be put back by the end of the day in finished rooms, so that things can be put back, and you can resume normal life.

If you need the whole place painted, but still need to use some of the space for working at home or otherwise, your painting contractors can arrange to paint in 2 stages. For example, they can complete 1 floor entirely before moving to the second. The important thing is to communicate to your painters any such issues so they can accommodate them in terms of timing and logistics of the project. Most are usually glad to work with you, because happy clients are an important element of any paint job.

Painting Toronto Green

Everyone is trying to embrace the new green mindset of recent years, but how many painting contractors really make the effort to be easier on the environment? Here are the things that one such company, ARC Painting, is doing to contribute.

- Paper is outdated, and we try to do as much as possible via other methods to reduce paper usage. This includes training materials, company administration, and marketing. ARC painting uses almost no print media for marketing (we do have business cards, though). Our marketing is done primarily online and by word of mouth. We do not use flyer or mail campaigns. We are proud to only use about a few pounds of paper per year (less than many households).

- We take care to recycle paint properly, and we will even accept leftover paint from customers so that we may dispose of them properly. This involves the process of drying unusable water-based paints, and bringing oil and chemical-based products to the proper depots in Toronto.

- Since we are based in Toronto, we use the TTC as much as possible, and only operate the minimum fleet of crew vehicles (1!). Painters get to and from work sites by public transit, and some even by bicycling.

- We try to concentrate our business in central Toronto, to minimize vehicle emissions. We will actually turn down jobs if they involve too much driving to out of town sites. Besides, we enjoy painting in the city, and spending less time in traffic anyway!

- On jobs, we will consider paint requirements carefully, so we do not buy needlessly. A gallon saved on every other job adds up, and we are proud to have a record of very low paint waste. We also recycle all paints possible, such as white trim and ceiling paint, since many of these can carry over to later jobs. We encourage recycling: If you or someone you know ever needs a partial can of free paint, let us know! We are also a member of www.freecycle.org, a nonprofit movement for the reusing of goods in local communities.

If you want to hire Toronto painters that care about the environment, we would appreciate it, and we can continue painting and spreading the importance of green work practices.

The idea of college students becoming painters is not a new one, but they have in recent decades become much more active, with many organizations and companies offering college-aged painting crews for home-based residential painting. We know they exist, and not in small numbers. But the question is, should you hire one?

Lets think about how they compare to a professional painter. In terms of training, they are lacking. Student businesses are seasonal endeavors, and have a high turnover rate. So their “pros” are often sent into the field with as little as a few days of training when they start painting your house. Understandably, their results are spotty at best.

A professional painting company employs painters with several years of real industry experience. If new people are brought on board, they undergo continuous training for months alongside a qualified painter before allowed to produce on their own. Many painters will go through multi-year apprenticeships to learn their trade. Quite the contrast from your typical “college-pro.”

It is risky not to choose professional painters, because painting well is in truth not simple. Yes, anyone can pick up a brush and manage reasonably well, but the quality of painting work ultimately lies in the quality of preparation, using the right products and application methods, and working efficiently; All of which take time to master.

When hiring a painting company, think twice before being lured by the appealing price point of student painters. They are usually overpriced for what they offer (in fact, some charge the same rates as many professional companies!). Instead, choose Toronto painters with a great reputation, references, and skilled staff. You will get far more value out of your dollar.

A great finish, Toronto exterior painting

There are many older homes with prominent features such as tudor boards and stucco, and still

to this day many of them maintain original wood soffits and fascia. Some of these homes,

though, are in need of exterior restoration, and the touch of skilled Toronto painters.

original woodwork present certain problems: often the older paint is oil and will have failing

layers that need significant scraping. Another obstacle is the size and design of these

buildings; dormer boxes on third stories is more the rule than the exception, and this can

make access for painting work dangerous. Extra-long ladders and harness support systems are

sometimes needed.

Another trend in Forest Hill is to see some older houses being demolished to allow for the

building of some impressive new custom homes. These new custom properties have impressive

finishes of stone and metal as well as traditional features of wood. Many will have premium

roofing materials, and designer landscaping. Exterior painting of these homes requires a

company that understands how to adapt to new home finishes, and can take care of them

properly. Our Toronto painting services are up to date on all custom home materials and custom

painting methods.

Many Forest Hill residents favor Benjamin Moore when asked what type of paint they want us to

use, and they have good reason. It is a great brand, offering some of the best quality paints

and coating technologies on the market. Often we will use the flagship product “Aura“, and it

makes for superb results on our projects. They are also very designer friendly, offering many

interesting colours, and their stores are known for great design resources such as sample

pots, and in-house color consultants. You can get very appealing finishes, including very low

sheen paints that are still durable.

Interior jobs usually demand of painters efficiency in execution, and by using excellent

paints we can achieve great finishes in the least time possible. Sherwin Williams “ProClassic”

is a favorite trim paint of ours for fine home painting, as it allows a very smooth finish

that cures quite hard, making for easy to maintain and stylish trim. Its important to make

sure that your painters are using great products, because this knowledge can make or break

your interior project.