Property Pros: Painting Made Simple

This is a new sponsored column by Jim Muldoon, a Northern Virginia native, Arlington resident and one of the real estate and remodeling experts at Legacy Home Improvement Consultants. Legacy HIC is your source for all real estate and home improvement needs. Please email with any questions or topics you would like covered.

A project that gets a great bang for its buck is painting. Sounds boring, but there is a reason why every Realtor frequently makes that suggestion when getting your home ready to sell. Painting is very affordable and a freshly painted house is exactly that, fresh! It’s the equivalent to the new car smell, but for houses, and you can make dreary, dated rooms more welcoming.

A lot of people get stuck at stage one: deciding which paint, finish, and color.

The quality of paint is critical. Before you run over to Home Depot check out Potomac Paint or Sherwin Williams stores. The paint is a little more expensive, but it will cover well and ultimately look better. Your painter will appreciate it and should be able to extend a discount from either of those stores.

When it comes to finish, I would definitely consult your painter because a room’s function and lighting play a factor. High gloss and semi-gloss are more durable and absorb less moisture than other sheens, making them easier to clean.

Glossy sheens reflect light instead of absorbing it, so imperfections in drywall will stand out the most. You see this paint used on trim mostly for that reason and its durability.

Satin and eggshell are mediums that hide imperfections better and can handle some moisture. That makes these sheens more common in bathrooms and kitchens. Flat and matte cover great and hide imperfections well. The majority of ceilings and walls use this finish.

Finding a paint color can be overwhelming, so I suggest picking a shade that is trending. Grays and beiges on walls provide an amazing neutral look that won’t leave you feeling like you are at the doctor’s office. Ceilings and trim are still best painted white and I don’t see that changing any time soon. Keep in mind different paint companies use different names for the same colors, so make sure you get the paint code so your painter does not get confused. For example, Agreeable Gray is SW-7029 and Manchester Tan (below) is HC-81, which are two of my favorites. If you are pregnant, have an infant, or sensitive to smell, use Zero-VOC paint.

A good way to prep your rooms is to take pictures off the walls and move furniture into the middle of the room. Have your painters touch up the walls before the painting and caulk where necessary after. On average, houses cost $3,500-$5,000 and will take a week to finish.

If you have any questions about material selection or your renovations in general email me at [email protected] and I will get into more detail with you. Remember to shoot me questions that you would like for me to cover in future articles. Your real estate is one of your best assets. Let the Property Pros help you get more informed.

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