Tricks to Save on the Cost of Painting Your Home’s Exterior

When painting your house, the easiest way to save the biggest chunk of money is to do the job yourself. Labour is the most expensive part of the project, so commit to the work and you’ll save big.

Related: 10 Interior Paint Colours You’ll Be Using to Update Your Home in 2019

If you can’t take on the whole project yourself, doing a lot of the prep work – scraping, sanding, minor repairs and trimming back shrubs – before the professional painters arrive will also save you dollars.

Spending upfront on high-quality paint will save you cash in the long run – it lasts a lot longer so you won’t have to repaint as soon.

The best time to repaint your home’s exterior is before you see any signs of wear and tear. Don’t wait until the paint is flaking or peeling, because you’ll spend that much more time (and money) prepping the surface.

Save yourself time and money by skipping the painter’s tape. Instead, get precise with an angled brush around the edges – and have a damp rag handy to wipe away any drips.

Rather than washing out brushes and rollers at the end of each day, tightly wrap them up in plastic grocery or Ziplock bags so as to not to let in any air. They’ll be ready to use again the next day or even a few days later.

Think strategically when it comes to colour choice – deeper colours tend to require more coats, while lighter shades need fewer. If you’re simply replacing the existing colour, one coat should cover it, but if you’re changing it up, that will require more work.

Once you’ve landed on your desired colour, go big and then go home – since this is a big job, buy your paint in bulk. You’ll only have to make one trip to the store and will have everything you need right there to get the job done.

Some parts of your house may need more attention than others – one side gets more sun or might be routinely exposed to driving rain. Don’t wait for the rest of your house to catch up: tackle a section, bit by bit and save by not painting the entire building in one go.