Tag Archives: interior painting San Ramon
Ways to Save on Painting Your Interior When House Painting in San Ramon
Interior house painting in San Ramon can be done economically, especially when you decide to tackle it the DIY way and you have a limited budget.
That’s exactly the reason for DIY house painting — it has to do with costs and expenses. While you want a smooth and almost-professional finish, you also want to cut costs and save money. At first, you may think that achieving both of these things is impossible, but they can be done if you follow the following steps:
- Use fewer colors. It will save you money, time, and effort in making clean lines as well as washing the brushes and rollers. It will also prevent excess unused paint.
- Try refreshing the existing paint, rather than entirely changing the colors. Instead of applying several coats of paint, you only have to apply one coat.
- Do the prepping and cleaning on your own if you plan to hire a painting contractor. The contractor will only have to do the painting part by the time he comes to your property. This will save you money from paying him more.
- Use latex paints, especially if the surface is new and has not been yet painted, or if the existing paint on the surface is latex. It is easier to apply, and dries faster, allowing you to do a much easier clean-up.
- Paint only accents or decorative touches instead of painting the whole room. Paint only the door and window frames, trim and baseboards, railings, and banisters. Or paint only one wall with a different color. It doesn’t use much paint, but still, can completely transform the look of your space.
Paints and Tools
While we understand that you’re looking to save money, remember that when it comes to paints and materials, cutting corners is a no-no. It’s always best to purchase the best quality paints and tools that you can afford.
- It is always wise to buy good quality paints. Sure, you’ll spend less on cheaper paints, but less cost generally means sacrificing quality. Cheaper paints, in the long run, will never last as long as the good quality paints. They may fade, crack or peel easily, and this will lead you to apply a new paint, which means an added dent to your pocket.Good quality paints may cost you a lot more. But since they are more durable and provide better coverage, they will save you time, money, and effort from re-applying them.
- Buy good quality painting tools. These will bring you quality results on your painting job. Cheaper painting tools won’t perform the same and they are highly likely to be unstable (parts might break or fall off while in use). It is absolutely better to buy high-quality painting materials and tools since they are likely meant to be used more than once.
- Never forget to do prep work. No amount of good paint and primer will be able to cover a dirty or flawed surface. Proper preparation on the surface is always the key to a successful painting job. Ready your surface by cleaning, repairing flaws, and priming so that it will be able to receive the topcoat better.
- Always prioritize safety. Don’t risk your own safety or the safety of your family by using improper or incorrect tools, not following safety precautions, or attempting procedures that can attract disaster. Among these include:
- Not wearing the proper gear while prepping, painting, or cleaning up.
- Using plastic instead of canvas drop cloths. Plastic can cause tripping.
- Climbing on an unstable or poor-quality step ladder.
- Stacking stools or chairs on top of each other instead of using a step ladder.
- Not keeping paints, primers, or thinners away from flammable sources (smoke, fireplace, etc.).
If you decide not to go the DIY way and instead choose to hire a contractor, don’t settle for ones who are unlicensed or uninsured — it’s highly likely that their safety record is poor or questionable.
Cost-cutting to a reasonable degree is good, but doing it way too much may sacrifice the quality of your painting job. Buy the best quality paints and materials that you can afford.
There are many ways to save money on your interior house painting in San Ramon. But as long as you purchase high-grade paints and materials, follow safety procedures, and apply these clever tricks to your house painting in San Ramon, you will end up satisfied with the results.
What to Look for in Painting Contractors in San Ramon
There are a lot of things a property owner can do when he or she finally decides that the exterior of their homes needs to be repainted. One is to do the painting job on their own. Another is to hire a contractor to do the work for them. If you want to choose a painting contractor in San Ramon to do the job, and then there are things you should consider before hiring them do the work.
Most property owners see experience as the top factor when choosing a contractor. Indeed, a good contractor in San Ramon should have a decent amount of experience. Because an experienced painting contractor is likely to be professional and do a satisfactory job.
However, just because a company is new doesn’t necessarily mean that they aren’t good at their chosen field. In fact, some budding painters in the industry have proven a lot in their relatively short time in the business. Some newly-established contractors operate legitimately, have the proper licenses, and have already put up a good quality performance, excellent track record and positive recommendations from their clients. These factors should be a good start for them to build up their name and reputation. Besides, other more seasoned contractors won’t be where they are now if they weren’t good way back when they started in the industry.
A good and reputable contractor in San Ramon should also be licensed and insured. These are extremely important considerations when looking for someone to do the job for you. When a company is insured, it gives an indication that it’s a legitimate company — not someone who pretends as a company and whose only goal is to take money from you.
When a contractor is insured it means that if there is an injury in the course of their work, you are not liable for their medical (and sometimes even legal) expenses. An insured contractor also ensures that if the work is not properly completed or damage occurs to the property, the company will insure it on their employers’ behalf.
References are helpful since they enable you to get a sense of contractors’ work ethic and skill level. Since the contractors will be working in and out of your house, it is important to find out if they are honest and trustworthy. Other customers a company has worked with are the best source to speak with to learn if the company has a good reputation, professionalism, and working ethic.
To the average property owner, prices are generally important. You want to have an idea on how much a contractor charges, so getting prices from several painting contractors in San Ramon and adjacent areas is a wise move indeed. It will help you to know if the prices that your preferred company charges are comparable to others of a similar quality. But if they are not, it’s good to ask why. If one contractor’s prices are remarkably higher (or lower) than that of the other contractors, then there is usually a reason why. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you think the price is too high.
A contractor that offers warranties for their work is another mark of a good contractor. A warranty is even more important particularly when the price a company tenders is significantly lower than that of the others. If they do offer a warranty, find out specifically what it covers. It’s also good idea to request them to give you a copy of their warranty prior to hiring them. Because contractors deal their own businesses differently, it’s not safe anymore to assume that any warranty covers all the same things as any other. So it’s best to get the information in writing whenever possible.
A good painting contractor in San Ramon also puts emphasis on safety, workmanship and attention to detail. These are also exactly the things that should be of an issue to a lot of potential clients. If a company otherwise does shoddy, inferior work or uses unsafe practices, then it’s much better not to hire them.
House Painting in San Ramon: Is There a Right Color for Kitchens?
Painting the kitchen may be one of the most demanding parts of house painting in San Ramon. The kitchen is the place where your meals are prepared. Your dining area may be next to the kitchen. It can be a busy room and may experience oil, smoke, or dirt and grime.
Painting the kitchen is both a challenge as well as an opportunity. It is a challenge because it may require you to remove fixtures like faucets, sinks, or countertops. Cabinets and shelves may also need to be removed to facilitate painting. But it’s also an opportunity because you have the chance to turn an otherwise utilitarian space into a more appealing space. Accomplishing this takes getting the right type of paint and colors that will make a difference in the room.
For most high-traffic areas like the kitchen, a glossy finish is recommended. You can choose from eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and glossy. Eggshell paints are generally recommended for most aspects of kitchen painting, while some types of paint finishes are better for accents. All glossy paint types clean easily, although they are not perfect at hiding flaws on the surface.
Now that you have decided about the type of paint finish, your concern will be toward color. So what really is the best color for the kitchen? Well, there’s no fixed answer to that, but will depend on your kitchen as well as your preference. Take a look at some of our color suggestions that can work for your kitchen:
- White – This choice provides brightness to your kitchen. It also helps you to see the food as you prepare it, and is easy to spot spills and food drops. However, a kitchen painted white is more prone to visible dirt so maintenance and cleaning should be done regularly. White is ideal especially for smaller kitchens, as it gives an illusion of space.
- Beige – If you want a bright kitchen but don’t want it all-white, go for beige. Like white, beige is a neutral color and can also give brightness to the space. But unlike white, beige otherwise provides a warm ambience. You can also pair beige with white — for example, paint the walls with beige and paint the kitchen islands and cabinets with white.
- Red – Red is a warm and vibrant color and may stimulate an appetite. If you notice, most fast-food joints and restaurants are painted in red. No wonder red is often used to paint a kitchen. Most people start the day in the kitchen. A vibrant color like red will provide an energizing feeling. Believe or not, the color is very versatile and you can choose a variety of shades from crimson or vermillion to scarlet and maroon.
- Yellow – Like red, yellow is a warm color which gives off vibrancy to the kitchen. Yellow makes people think of sunshine, so a kitchen painted in yellow can make people happy and spirited. It could also whet one’s appetite. Yellow is soothing and can calm the mind. You can use yellow with either gray or white accents in the kitchen.
- Green – Green has the perfect combination of being both energetic and soothing. Green works well with white accents, but can work equally as well with natural accents like ones made of wood. The perfect shades of green for the kitchen will be mint green, olive green, apple green, and lime green. Brighter greens, in particular, are ideal for accents such as kitchen cabinets and shelves.
- Gray – You may be surprised by this, as gray is neutral and generally considered as dull. However the right shade can make a difference in your kitchen. You may want to pair gray with other colors to make it more versatile. It is a great color to build upon and is also good for cabinets and countertops.
These are only a few ideas to help you choose the right kitchen paint. Keep these suggestions in mind as you consider house painting in San Ramon.