What should my painting project cost?

I talk to customers regularly who are struggling to find out how much they should budget for their painting project. These are some of my recommendations:

1. Get a professional estimate: Most painters will do a free estimate. (write down what you want done so that you will have consistency with both prices)



2. Define area, number of coats and specific products to be used.



3. Be clear about your priorities and then ask you professional for cost saving strategies. (Remember that quality still counts be clear that it is waisted time or inefficiencies that you are cutting out.)

Some assumptions about pricing that I see regularly.

1. Many customers think the exterior should cost more than the interior, but that is rarely the case. This is because people imagine that they could paint their own interior, but have a harder time imaging themselves tackling their exterior. The truth is that other then heights the interior is much more labor intensive because the details never end.



2. The the price should be the same whether I use one color of ten. Extra colors means extra labor and material and adds up quickly.



3. If you have painted once or twice you can't fully understand all that goes into painting professionally so learn from your painting professional. When you understand the process you can understand where the cost come from.

Happy Painting!

Ethiopia - checking out how they paint

I spent the past three weeks in Ethiopia. Of course I was interested to see how they paint in Ethiopia. I was in Addis Abbaba so it was a big city and not in the country where I'm sure things are quite different.

The first thing I noticed was that there were many advertisements and billboards throughout the city advertising paint. New high rise buildings are going up everywhere. The most common Buildings are UN and government and private housing (apartments). Plaster and stucco abound. It was not until I moved into the Ghion Hotel that I was able to see a painter. He was doing maintenance painting with a five inch brush. Painting walls with a five inch brush patiently and consistently. Dipping into a fresh new bucket of paint. I smiled at my fellow painter and he smiled back with a great big grin. I blurted out, "salaam!" and he smiled even bigger.

I couldn't help falling in love with Ethiopian people. One painter to another joined by a common profession. God bless Ethiopia!

Pros and Cons Pre Finishing the Exterior of your Home

I am a painting contractor who does new construction painting so I would have something to lose by recommending pre-finished siding. As a servant of my customers best interest I need to recommend the processes that are best for my customers. The question I would ask is, what would I want on my house?

First some of the problems that are often associated with pre finished materials. When you use a pre finished product you have to be extremely careful to not damage the finished product as it is transported and installed. It takes commitment and expertise to get it right. It is very important to use an experienced installer.

What are some of the reasons for using pre finished siding?

1. Finishes are applied in a very consistent contorted environment.
   
2. Paint on all four sides of the siding. If you paint bare wood after it is installed you can only paint two sides. If the wood shrinks you will have some bare wood exposed.
   
3. Lumber companies and paint manufactures recommend that siding be painted as soon as it is installed. This can be impractical for the builder because it can take weeks or months to install all of the siding.

To find out more visit the prefinishing company I have worked with...

For those who are still not convinced you have other options. One way is to have the prefinishing company put a one or two coat primer/finish on the siding. (It is important to use a primer that does not need to be coated right away. Many primer will break down very quickly in the elements.) Some of my builders have opted for this option as the best of both worlds.

Final thoughts

My opinion is that it is important to protect the siding as soon as possible and prefinishing is a very valid option worth looking into. I recommend using a siding installation company that has successful experience with prefinshed siding. If you use preprimed siding and trim make sure it is able to handle the elements for the time period that it takes to get the final coats applied.

Value of a Good Paint Job

Your home is most likely the largest investment that you will maintain through out your life. Using quality paint and professional painters can save you in the long run. Here are some reasons to use the best even if you pay a little more.

1. Don't cut corners! It's the corner that get cut that hurt the most. This past year we repainted a project that had only been painted two years earlier by another company. Some one thought they were saving money by cutting corners. The principle is that is costs you now and latter to cut corners.



2. Quality paint is reasonably priced for professional painter. Professional paint companies are able to negotiate good prices for quality paints. Most paint companies make money from their labor not paint. I pass along my prices to the customer. Usually the difference between the price of the good paint and the best paint is only about one hundred or two hundred dollar more to the total price of the job.



3. Frustration! I have several customers who have said, "you are my painter from now on because you give me so much more for the money". They were tired of the frustrations and not getting what they paid for. How much would you pay extra to be able to trust the person who is in your home maintaining your largest investment? I may be ten present more, but I give twenty percent more in customer service and making sure everything we agree to gets accomplished.

Ready Set Paint - Spring is Coming!

This is the time of year that many of us are itching for. The winter thaw. As a painter and home owner looking at spring is a bit like looking up at a nice big wave getting ready to crash in on me. At Shiloh Painting we are gearing up for another busy year. Because of the slow down in the housing market we are gearing up for repaints and new custom homes. That spring/summer to do list keeps getting longer.



How do you know when your exterior is ready for some fresh paint?

1. Check your window sills, overhangs, door casings that contact the groud, for pealing chiping or rot. (these are usually the first areas to have problems)



2. Does your exterior paint look faded of chaulky? Somtimes if you aren't looking close your paint or stain looks like it is in tact but the boards are dry and begin to cup and loose there original shape



3. Gaps - Do you have large gaps in your siding? Culking and then fresh paint will help seal out the elements as well as bugs and pests.



4. If you have a clear toner or sealer on your deck you need to reseal it every couple years depending on the exposure to the sun. (most solid color stain is recomended every six years and semi-transparent every three)

Interview with Building Green TV

Read our interview with Building Green TV

Choosing the Best Paint Products for You

When you begin a painting project there are always a thousand details. Which painter to use? What colors? What is the best paint? It is important to find a professional painter who will work with you to find the best solutions for your needs.

There is no one best paint to use. It is important to match the right paints for the job. Sometimes you may just want to let the painter make those decisions. Other times it does not hurt to dialogue with your painter to be clear about your specific priorities. Each job is unique and has different needs. It is important to trust and respect the painter, but he/she should be willing to explain and teach you about the process.

The right kind of interaction can save you from costly mistakes.

Some of those common questions are:

1. What Products?


2. What Sheen (reflective quality)?


3. Which products has less smell?


4. Which products are better for the environment and indoor air quality?


5. If you have pets or children, which paint will be durable and washable?

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A Home Owner's Headache - Color Selection

So what's the big deal!

Every one who has had to select a paint color knows the pressure of selecting a color you will be happy with when the painter is done. It costs to much to do it twice so it has to be right. You stress and strain to get just the right color. I have some tips from ten years of helping people decide on their color.

1. Start with a color visualizer on your computer and play around. (keep in mind the furniture and pictures you will have in the area). This is nice because most people aren't really clear on which colors work as an accent and the Sherwin William's color visualizer will automatically give you accents to the color you select.
2. Know yourself and what you like. Everyone has certain colors that appeal to them more than others. Sometimes we want to branch out a pick something new, but it is best if you keep that awareness of what you like. I remember my wife telling me that she wanted to do a rose color in our bed room five pink samples latter we decided on a green.
3. Be very careful when selecting colors from small chips. I use the small sample to get colors narrowed down to one color. Even though I'm almost positive you need to do a larger painted sample to make sure that the color is what you pictured. If I sense a real hesitancy from the customer I will tell them we can do the whole wall.
4. If you are using a professional painter don't forget to get everything in writing. I had one customer who said that her previous painter had talked to her about doing a satin finish on the walls and then she ended up with flat. Take your time and get all the details in writing. SAMPLE COLOR LIST
5. Important Items needed are: Color with color brand and Sheen (reflective quality e.g. flat satin, semi-gloss or gloss)
6. There are some projects that I would never want to do with out a professional designer.

Take some risks and have fun!

Shiloh Painting History

Shiloh Painting, Inc. is a young, family-owned business with an Old World heritage going back five generations. In the year 2000, with a dime in his pocket, a prayer, and a great entrepreneurial spirit, Isaac Klepac moved from Kentucky to Western North Carolina and founded the company. He stands on the shoulders of four generations of painters going back to Eastern Europe.
Isaac's great-grandfather, Steven Klepacz (b. 1894), was a Ruthanean (a distinct Eastern European people group) trained in Europe as an artist, painter, and woodworker by his father, Ilia Klepacz. Steven later immigrated to the United States where he owned several paint stores and a contracting business in Cleveland, Ohio.
Steven Klepac, Jr. (b. 1920) entered his father's business upon his return from World War II and specialized in wall covering installation. Upon the retirement of his father, Steven assumed leadership of the business.
Steven's son, Mark Steven Klepac (b. 1950) entered the painting field after attending college. He also attended decorating schools and trained with some of the most talented artisans in Northeastern Ohio. He founded and ran a decorative arts company in the Cleveland area.
Isaac Steven Klepac was born in 1974 and began working with his father at a young age learning every aspect of the painting and decorative arts craft. During college he met and later married his wife, Molly Sullivan, and upon graduation, returned to his roots...the painting business.
Isaac takes great pride in his rich heritage. In 2006 his father moved to North Carolina to encourage and work with his son. Mark Klepac brings over 30 years of expertise in the painting and decorative arts field and will spearhead the Decorative and Faux Finishing division.
Isaac and Molly Klepac have three sons, the oldest bearing the middle name Shiloh from which the company derives its name.
It is with great pleasure that we serve you, the customer, with great care, respect, expertise and excellence that has been faithfully handed down to the fifth generation.
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