Have you ever walked through your neighborhood and said to yourself, “Oh, I love that fence!” or, “That house could use more landscaping,” or even, “Why on Earth would they pick that color?!” Us, too. You might not have realized it before, but these features of a house have actually been coined as a phrase: curb appeal. Here are some ideas on how to add curb appeal to your home (within a budget).

how to add curb appeal to home

What is “Curb Appeal?”

Curb appeal is the initial impression or the description of the feeling you get as you glance at a house, take in its appearance, and maybe even imagine what it might be like to live there and what you would do differently, if it were your own. With curb appeal, the options are endless and fun to imagine as you cruise past the neighbors and take it all in.

If you’re a homeowner on the market, understanding why it’s something that should be on your radar has never been more important.

What Are Some Ways to Add Curb Appeal to My Home? 30+ Ideas!

Adding curb appeal to your home can be as expensive or inexpensive as you want it to be.

Here are a few of the improvements you can make to your home, all depending on how far you wish to take your renovations:

  1. Trim the hedges. No one likes an overgrown bush!
  2. Have a seating area. Patio empty? Throw a pretty Adirondack chair out front!
  3. Add new house numbers.
  4. Re-paint your house number on your curb.
  5. Trim your trees. Especially if you’re in a coastal area – those palms need tending!
  6. Add flower boxes under your windows.
  7. Paint your front door.
  8. Stain your fence a new color.
  9. Add lights to your walkway or driveway.
  10. Create symmetry in your plant and furniture décor.
  11. Add a container garden for more variety.
  12. Add shutters.
  13. Clean out or replace gutters.
  14. Check and fix up rust spots.
  15. Add a sculpture to your yard.
  16. Add potted plants or cacti.
  17. Add a bird bath.
  18. Power wash your driveway and sidewalks.
  19. De-weed your lawn and walkway.
  20. Upgrade or replace railings that have deteriorated.
  21. Add outdoor light fixtures, such as lamps.
  22. Hide you’re a/c unit with a fence.
  23. Add a seasonal wreath to your door.
  24. Add a bench to your patio with cute cushions.
  25. Put a catchy welcome mat at your door.
  26. Hang artwork or a sign with a welcoming quote.
  27. Put up your garbage bins – in garage or behind a fence is ideal!
  28. Paint door trim.
  29. Refresh window panes.
  30. Hang a bird feeder from your tree or place one in your lawn!
  31. Plant flowers along your walkway.
  32. Install a new door knocker that adds flare.
  33. Tile your doorstep.
  34. Upgrade the mailbox – there are tons of fun options out there!
  35. Have your roof professionally cleaned.

boost curb appeal

How to Improve On Your Home

First step: Take a walk around your house with fresh eyes. Try to look at your home as a neighbor or passing stranger might. What is outdated? What needs to be mended? Are there any major projects you’ve been putting off that would help your house reach its full potential for potential buyers?

Second: take into account what your budget is for these kinds of fixes. Some are as cheap as simple yard work, while others can cost hundreds. It’s up to you how much effort you’re willing to put in, but there are plenty of crafty approaches to managing your curb appeal without breaking the bank.

Third: make a plan of attack and get to work. Decide what you can and can’t live without doing and create a plan for obtaining materials, deciding days of dedicated labor time and watch as your masterpiece unfolds.

Our Favorite Home Improvements

With all of this being said, there are a few options from the list above that we highly recommend, all with one common denominator: paint.

Paint is the most aesthetically pleasing and effective way to dress up your home's appearance – inside and out – and achieve results that provide prospective buyers and neighbors alike with the wow-factor you want!

If nothing else, we strongly suggest recruiting professional help for all your painting needs.

home improvement ideas

What Color Should I Paint My House?

Deciding what color you want to paint your house, window, trim, or any other feature of your home is almost as important as deciding to paint itself. Choosing an unappealing or distracting color could be worse than not painting at all.

Below are a few recommended tones and palette trending that you can use to freshen up the exterior of your house:

Whatever tone you end up going with, we strongly recommend hiring a trained professional that has experience rather than attempting to re-paint without any prior experience.

Painting Is the Ultimate ROI When Renovating Your House

Painting your home will always add curb appeal and more value. It may be an initial investment with a pricey cost up front, but the return is worth the initial spend. On average, repainting nets a 152% return on investment.

Even if you don’t want to paint the exterior of your home, picking a weekend to repaint even one room of your house holds high ROI for your listing. Repainting interior walls increases home value by an average of 5% and nets an ROI of 107%.

Painting is always a good idea if you notice any of these signs before listing:

Curb appeal is the instant upgrade to your home’s first impression that could be the problem solver to a long and tedious journey in selling your home.

Painting your home’s exterior is a big home improvement project to take on, but a fresh coat of exterior paint can easily upgrade your home’s curb appeal. To get the best possible paint job for your home, there are specific preparation steps homeowners should take before applying the first stroke of paint. Whether it’s a DIY project or handled by professional painters, prep must be done properly to get the job done right. Here's how to prep your house for exterior painting.

How to Prep the Exterior of Your House for Painting

Exterior painting can seem like an overwhelming project, but it's really not intrusive, at all. And, with a little preparation on your end, you can make for an even smoother time.

Here's how to prepare:

colorado home exterior

Choose a Day With the Right Weather

Although Colorado's weather can be somewhat unpredictable, consider keeping a close eye on the weather forecast on the days leading up to your paint job.

There are a variety of reasons why you shouldn't paint in the rain, the moisture will start to blister, ruining any work started. Moreover, rain can present difficult and dangerous working conditions. So, pick a day where there is no precipitation in sight.

It is also recommended to avoid painting in the direct sun to prevent fading and cracks. Homeowners should paint the west-facing side of their home in the morning and the east later in the day.

Temperature is also an important consideration when painting your home. Most paints work best in temperatures between 60° and 85°F with little to no wind. Painting in windy conditions can cause it to dry too quickly, resulting in cracking, and peeling. You’ll also want to choose a day with humidity ranging from 40% to 70%.

pressure washing home exterior

Clean Your Home’s Exterior With a Pressure Washer

Before you start painting, you want to make sure you’re painting on a clean and smooth surface.

This will ensure you get the best coverage possible. Pressure washing your home will remove any dirt, residue, and peeling paint from the surface, ensuring it doesn’t get painted over with the new coat of paint.

Scrape Away Loose Paint and Repair Damaged Surfaces

It’s important to inspect the exterior of your home entirely and repair anything that appears to be damaged.

With a scraping tool, remove paint that appears to be flaking, also known as “loose paint.” If you find cracks and holes around doors and windows, you can use a spackle knife and apply filler or caulk. Once dry, lightly sand the surface using sanding paper or a sanding block to get a smooth surface.

Protect Your Lawns, Gardens, and Decks

The last thing you want to do is get paint somewhere it wasn’t meant to go. While we do provide tarps and drop cloths, there are some additional things you may want to do.

When painting a home’s exterior, there is a high risk of getting paint on bushes, flowerbeds, lawns, and other outdoor structures which is why we recommend using drop cloths to cover and protect anything that might get paint on it.

Additionally, cover and confine anything that might get in the way to prevent anything from rubbing against fresh paint.

Prime Before Painting

Priming the surface of your exterior will provide a more consistent look to the paint job by providing an adhesive surface.

Failing to prime your exterior before slapping on fresh paint can result in peeling paint, especially in areas with high humidity and moisture. Additionally, cleaning can be more difficult because paint can easily fade when wiped or cleaned.

Choose the Right Paint

Choosing the right paint doesn’t end with choosing a color.

There are many types of paint and each is designed for different surfaces and is available in a variety of finishes.

You’ll want to choose a paint that is durable and can withstand different weather conditions. Additionally, you’ll want to consider drying times and clean-up when making this choice.

Enamel vs. Latex

What differentiates enamel paint and latex paint is the paint’s base. Enamel paint is typically oil-based, while latex is water-based.

Enamel paint is recommended for hard and shell-like surfaces and does a good job at air drying. They generally come in a gloss or satin finish and take an average of six to eight hours to dry with a cure time of 8 to 24 hours. It’s important to note that using enamel paint comes with a difficult process that involves the use of solvents.

On the other hand, latex paint is more malleable and works best for surfaces that might expand. It's also beneficial to use latex paint for locations where flexibility and movement are required. Latex paints come in matte, flat, eggshell, and satin finishes and have a drying time ranging from one hour to two days. This type of paint is also known to be more environmentally friendly by producing fewer odors and toxic fumes.

Acrylic

Acrylic paint is another type of paint recommended for exterior paint jobs. This type of paint is known to have the highest durability and can resist harsh weather conditions over significant periods. It is also more resistant to fading, meaning you won't need to worry about repainting so often.

painting home exterior

What to Expect From Our Professional Painters

Painting your exteriors takes a lot of planning, so it might be optimal for you to hire an outside expert for the job.

A professional painter can offer expert advice on color and finishes, they’ll also have the high-quality tools and equipment they need to do the job right. This includes drop cloths and other protective materials. Additionally, professional painters will take care of any mess that comes with the job. This includes removing paint brushes, rollers, drop cloths, and cleaning up any drip or drops of paint.

Colorado Painting: Denver’s Best Painting Contractors Since 1983

Painting your exterior is a big task. Not only can it be costly, but it also requires a tremendous amount of effort and labor. This is a job you want to get right the first time.

Our team of painting contractors at Colorado Painting has over 39 years of interior and exterior painting experience, we can help you choose the right paint for your home and will work until you are satisfied.

Before we come out, we'll give you some reminders about how to prep your house for exterior painting.

Contact us today for a free quote. You can trust Colorado Painting to get the job right.

So, you’ve decided that some part of your home needs a fresh coat of paint, or maybe you’d like to change up the paint colors. No matter whether it is an interior or exterior paint job, working with an experienced and qualified professional painter will ensure that you’ll get a high-quality paint job. However, there are so many professional painters around, and if you haven’t done a project like this before, you may be concerned about hiring the right painter or making sure that you don’t overpay. To help you decide what you should focus on when hiring a professional painter, we’ve created our own hiring a painter checklist down below.

checklist for hiring a painter

Hiring a Painter

Here's our checklist for hiring a painter.

Considering all the options that we’ve listed below will help you know what to expect. It will also help you ask the right questions when choosing to hire a professional painter – either for your commercial or residential needs.

Read Online Reviews and Asking Friends

The first step in our hiring a painter checklist is compiling a relatively small shortlist of painters that you’d consider working with. A general rule of thumb is to have about 3-4 painters or painting companies you’d be willing to work with.

There are a variety of ways to conduct research to figure out which professional painters are best for you and your project.

One great way is to ask any friends or neighbors that have had a paint job done recently for who they worked with and if they recommend that company. Getting a positive recommendation from somebody you trust can be a very helpful way to help you to decide which painter to hire.

Another way is to utilize search engines such as Google, Better Business Bureau, Facebook, or Angie’s List. It’s important to read customer reviews, as these are a lot more honest than a company’s description of their services. A good thing to keep track of when reading customer reviews is if there are any recurring things, either positive or negative. If many customers say that this painter is unprofessional, lazy, and did a poor quality job, that’s probably pretty accurate. On the other hand, if there are a bunch of five-star reviews describing the painter’s professionalism, quality, and communication, you can feel confident they’d be a pretty good option.

Obtain Estimates & Meet the Pros

Now that you’ve narrowed down your options to a couple of professionals, it’s time to reach out to them to schedule estimates. Most painting contractors will want to meet in person so they can see the project and use that to give you a proper estimate. Additionally, meeting your potential painters will help you get a good feel for who they are and how they communicate. Both of these factors are things that you should also consider when deciding who to hire.

A quality estimate should contain the following things:

A good estimator will take the time to learn your needs, will want to walk the entire area and get a full understanding of the project, and will also make thoughtful suggestions.

hiring a professional painter

Communicate Your Expectations

The third part of our hiring a painter checklist may be the most important. We know it’s cliche, but the saying “communication is key” is completely accurate. It’s very important to be upfront and honest with your potential painters about your expectations. This is especially true for issues or expectations such as if you’ve got a tight deadline, want to use a certain type of paint or go for a specific look, or have specific physical issues like uneven surfaces or sensitive materials.

Since you’re the one who’s paying for their services, there genuinely isn’t a question too stupid or detail too small. A good painter should take the time to listen to your desires, thoughtfully answer any questions you may have, and do so in a way that doesn’t belittle or embarrass you.

Don’t Hire on Price Alone

Obviously, the price will ultimately be a factor in your decision on which painter to hire. However, it shouldn’t be the only thing you consider when making your final decision. On one hand, going with the cheapest company might be a poor decision if they’re going to do less coats than you were hoping for, use worse paint quality, or if the cheapest company isn’t properly licensed and insured. On the flip side, going with the most expensive company doesn’t always mean that you’ll be getting the best product- in fact, sometimes the cheapest option might be the highest quality!

Ultimately, your decision on who to hire should be based on a few different things. Online reviews, friend/family recommendations, quality of work, communication, and the thoroughness of the company should all play into your final decision. Additionally, it’s ok to consider your emotions and who you enjoyed getting to meet and communicate with.

Failing to consider the above options and choosing to hire based on price alone is a risky strategy. You should want to consider multiple aspects to ensure you’re going with the professional painter you trust to meet your desires for your project.

Obtain a Complete & Accurate Contract

Congratulations, you’ve made your decision on which painter you’re going to use!

You did your research, got estimates, communicated your expectations, and weighed a variety of factors to make your final decision.

Now, there’s just one more step: obtaining a complete and accurate contract.

Before work starts, you will want to get a complete contract from your chosen professional painter.

hiring a painter

We’ve highlighted the most important things to make sure are in a contract below:

And that's it – that's our official hiring a painter checklist!

Looking for a quality, licensed, insured painting company in the Denver area?

Here at Colorado Painting, we’d be honored to earn your business and work with you on either your residential or commercial painting project.

We’ve been Denver’s best painting contractors for almost 40 years. We pride ourselves on delivering high-quality work, being locally owned and operated, having a great reputation, and having a high level of experience.

We also include an automatic service guarantee for every project we do.

Please feel free to reach out to get a free estimate today!

At Colorado Commercial & Residential Painting, we know the ins and outs of commercial painting. We can help complete your next project with our team of high-quality painters that deliver nothing but the best. Whether it's a restaurant, office space, healthcare facility, strip mall, government building, retail, lobby, or other exterior or interior job, you can trust that it will be done right the first time. We are a Denver commercial painting company that believes that quality blended with excellent service is the foundation of success.

Our award-winning company has completed a wide array of commercial painting projects in the Denver area since 1983 and complete painting projects such as:

No matter where in Denver you're located, your business is our business.

As professional painters, we will make it our priority to make sure your commercial building reflects the quality of service or product you provide.

We are experts, we are locals, we are efficient, and we are dedicated to your complete satisfaction.

denver commercial painting project

Commercial Painting in the Denver Area

Some areas of Denver are more commercial than others, so when we say "Denver" we mean all surrounding areas, too.

Our Denver commercial painting services include places like:

If your business is anywhere close to Denver, you can expect our commercial painting experts to keep your building looking its absolute best – inside and out.

commercial exterior painting

What to Look For in a Commercial Painting Company

There are a lot of "painting companies" in the Denver area that don't necessarily focus on commercial painting projects until an opportunity comes up and they're in over their heads. We've seen it and most of the time, we've had to redo their work.

There are a few things you should keep in mind when you're looking for a Denver commercial painting company that any professional, legitimate painting company should be prepared and willing to share with you.

Fully Licensed and Insured

What type of liability coverage does the painting company carry? Do they cover all of their employees' Workers' Compensation Insurance? You can ask for their licensing and insurance information at any time. What kind of safety policies do they have in place, to comply with federal, state, and local regulations?

Case Studies/Examples of Related Projects

Do they have any past work examples they can show you? Have they done commercial buildings like yours in the past? What do those businesses have to say about their experience working with this painting company? Can they provide any images or further details?

Open and Frequent Communication

Each painting company you talk to should establish a point of contact, from whom you receive all updates, at least every day of the project (if not more frequent). They should be available for all questions, concerns, or comments you may have at any point during the painting project.

Reviews/Testimonials

What do Google, Facebook, and other online platforms say about this commercial painting company? When you type in "Denver commercial painting company" do they appear in the search results? Does their location? Do their reviews? This speaks volumes about their work.

Products/Paints

What kinds of products do they carry? Do they have different options for you to choose from depending on your needs, budget, and code/regulations?

commercial interior painting

What to Expect From Colorado Commercial & Residential Painting

We hold ourselves to the highest of expectations, so we expect you to hold us to that, as well. Here's what you can expect from us, with any painting project – no matter the size.

Fully Licensed and Insured

Our bondable company carries comprehensive insurance including:

Our insurance protection is just one of our many ways of saying that we are fully committed to providing a clean and safe work site for all our employees, customers, and their clientele.

Case Studies/Examples of Related Projects

We pride ourselves on the wide variety of Denver commercial paint projects we've done around the Denver area. We've got quite the resume of different projects that you can look into. We're also happy to share further details on relevant projects upon meeting with you. Until then, you can also see some of our commercial projects in our blog.

Open and Frequent Communication

No amount of communication is too much. After all, this is your building, you deserve to know what's going on at any given point. We'll make sure you know who you can talk to, when, and how, at all times. We're available to respond to any questions, concerns, or comments promptly.

Reviews/Testimonials

We have over 100 Google Reviews, with a 5-star rating. You can also check out our long list of reviews here, which we update frequently.

Experienced Team of Professionals

We know all of our team members by name and stand by their work. With commercial paint projects, we typically have 30 professionals with solid experience, to get the job done right (the first time).

Products/Paints

We have a variety of brands and different paints to match your needs.

In addition to performing interior commercial painting, we offer electrostatic painting and the application of specialty finishes, such as the application of Scuffmaster/Zolatone type products.

We also install a variety of wall covering products including:

Detailed Process

The painting process includes:

Colorado Commercial & Residential Painting is also an EPA, lead-safe company that properly repairs lead remediation issues on commercial properties built prior to 1978.

When you choose Colorado Commercial & Residential Painting for your Commercial Building Complex, Office, Homeowner Association, or Multi-Family Painting needs, you can count on your project being completed properly, safely, on time, and within budget!

Call today for your FREE estimate at (303) 574-1740!

Commercial Painting

Time for a fresh coat of paint for your home? Maybe you’d like to boost your home’s curb appeal or renew an old, deteriorating coat of point. If you’re looking to change the exterior of your home, you should make sure it’s being done at the correct time ... but when is the best time to paint the house exterior?

best time to paint house exterior

The Best Time to Paint the Exterior of Your House

When applying a fresh coat of paint to the exterior of your home, the weather needs to be taken into serious consideration.

The general rule of thumb is that it needs to be about 40 degrees outside to allow the paint to cure. The temperature also needs to stay above freezing at night.

Most paints can only be used above 35 or 40 degrees. Painting a home when the temperature is too low outside can lead to:

Lower temperatures introduce a variety of issues to paint chemically. Water-based paints are capable of freezing if the temperature is too low. Low temperatures in oil-based paints can increase viscosity and make them more difficult to apply.

Most paints are made to be used only within a certain temperature threshold. Using the paint within these parameters allows the paint to cure properly and avoid any aforementioned problems.

avoid rain when painting home exterior

Avoid Precipitation

Colorado is famous for its peculiar and unpredictable weather. It seems to snow, hail, or rain at nature’s leisure.

Painting during the colder months increases the chance for these sorts of weather. Any sort of precipitation can introduce problems when painting a home’s exterior.

If it rains while your home is being painted, the paint can potentially wash off if not dried fully. It’s also not ideal to paint when the surface is wet, as the paint won’t stick properly.

Hail and snow also introduce similar effects. In short, don’t paint the exterior of your home when it’s wet outside. 

Can It Be Too Hot Outside?

Occasionally, when the temperature gets too high, it can have the same damaging effects on exterior paint.

Though the bitter cold presents a much larger problem, a rogue heatwave can also cause damage.

So When’s The Best Time?

Painting professionals like those at Colorado Commercial & Residential Painting say that the best time to paint your home’s exterior is between late April and early October. Painting during these months decreases the chances of the aforementioned negative effects.

The window starts in late April to avoid any of the precipitation common with the spring months. The National Weather Service reported that Colorado received well below normal proportions of rain in the spring of 2020.

If that pattern is likely to continue into 2021, painting the exterior of your home during the spring months becomes an even better idea.

After May, the mid-summer months are the best time to paint your home. There is low precipitation, high temperature, and plenty of sunshine. All of these combined allow the paint to dry and cure exactly as intended.

The window to paint ends in early October, as that is when temperatures begin to drop and precipitation becomes more likely. It’s during this time that temperatures begin to fall to below-freezing at night.

Painting your home during this window, from late April to early October, will lead to the best results. Doing so reduces the risks associated with exterior paint.

Weather Varies

Colorado weather is weird. It’s possible to be in a sunny, warm Arvada and then drive twenty minutes to a cold, rainy Wheat Ridge. Anytime you begin taking on an outdoor painting project, checking the local weather should be the very first step. 

Don’t be taken by surprise when a rainstorm hits in the middle of July and ruins a paint job. Avoid the situation altogether.

exterior residential painting

How to Get Started On an Exterior Painting Project

As stated above, the first step is checking the weather.

If the local weather calls for clear skies, no precipitation, and relatively high temperature, you should be able to get started on the exterior painting.

But there are several important steps to take before ever touching a brush to your home.

By taking all these steps you decrease the likelihood of eventual damage to the paint.

Buying the Right Paint

When painting the exterior of your home, the type of paint you use is just as important as the method in which you use it.

The consensus is that latex-based paints are optimal for outdoor projects. This is for several reasons. Latex paints dry quicker, expand easier, and are easier to clean and fix.

There are also many types of finishes to consider. These include satin, flat, and gloss: all have different pros and cons.

Hiring a Professional Exterior Painter

Painting the exterior of a home is a huge project, specifically for an individual. It can include work on tall ladders, long days in the sun, and the possibility of making a giant mess. It can even be dangerous. 

It’s possible to put all of the work in yourself and end up with a paint job that you’re not too happy with.

If painting the exterior of your home sounds like a job that’s too big to take on yourself, don’t be worried. There’s a reason companies dedicate themselves to perfecting this craft. These companies will do all of the work that you are unable to do, and it often results in a better paint job. 

For example, Colorado Commercial & Residential Painting has been serving the Denver-metro area for over 38 years. We will take on your exterior painting project and help you avoid altogether the headache that accompanies painting your home. We are currently providing services in:

If you’re living in one of these areas and are looking to start and painting project, contact us for a free quote. We will work with you to plan the best time to paint the house exterior.

Home Sweet Home Painting

Your home sweet home painting is one of your most precious assets, and at Colorado Commercial Residential Painting, we want to help you make it look top notch. We have 35+ years of solid work experience beneath our belts, as well as a mission statement to bring customer satisfaction by treating others the way we want to be treated ("The Golden Rule"), doing what we say we're going to do (and a little more), and exceeding our customer's value expectations. If you chose to include us in your home makeover, you can guarantee that you will be happy with the final product!

 

We only use the industries best products and proper application techniques.  We also focus on "Taking the Pain out of Painting" with our proven systems and reputation.  Please check out our reviews and exceptional customer testimonials.  Referrals are the greatest form of flattery and our customers love to refer us to their friends and neighbors.  If you have any questions on your upcoming project, or just want to learn more about the painting process please give us a call.  We are here to help you in any way we can!

Call us today for your free estimate (303) 574-1740!

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