House Painting Process

To help our clients understand exactly what they’re getting when they hire Burge Painting Company, we think it’s important to be up-front and transparent about our house painting process. This means everything from the estimate – to the project timeline & requirements – to final walkthrough.

We’ve found that by developing processes, it helps us stay organized and efficient through each step of the project while keeping you, the customer, informed on what’s going on to avoid any unforeseen or poorly communicated surprises along the way.

01 - Estimate

A summary of what to expect from our estimate process

We offer free, no-obligation estimates to all prospective clients. You can book an estimate by calling or texting 267-549-6387, emailing us at [email protected], or submit an estimate request here!

Format

To provide you with our most accurate estimate, we prefer on-site estimates for all painting and home-improvement projects. This allows us to get a first-hand sense of the project scope, condition of surfaces, client expectations, and any other additional details that are not possible to understand based solely on measurements and pictures.

However, if circumstances such as a new home not yet closed on, a lockdown, etc. prevent an on-site estimate, we will perform estimates virtually through pictures and home listings in those scenarios.

Our typical on-site estimate process:

  • Overview & summary walkthrough of project by client
    • This includes expectations of prep, elements being painted (walls, ceiling, trim, doors etc.)
  • Room by room walkthrough by estimator to take measurements, pictures, and develop any additional questions
  • (If applicable) help with colors, recommendations, and communication of additional options

Timeline

We schedule estimates based on your availability. Once the on-site estimate has been performed – we generate our guaranteed estimated within 2-3 days to be delivered by email.

Acceptance

Once an estimate is accepted – we collect a signed estimate and a small deposit to hold your spot on the schedule. The remaining balance is then not due until the project and client walkthrough have been completed.

Scheduling

Your order on the schedule is locked in once deposit is received. At that time, we provide a best guess timeframe (start week) based on prior project estimated timelines. A week before your start week we will lock in a start date & time.

02 - Consultation

We offer ongoing consultation during and after the decision-making process

We offer our consulting help during the decision-making process and after acceptance completely free of charge. These consultations can be done via email or in-person based on preference. Things that we can help with during consultation:

  • Specific color options if a general theme is known
  • Commonly used colors if no theme is known
  • Brands / types of paint based on room or expectations of durability, etc.
  • Additional options to add to project

03 - Project

A typical, process from set-up to clean-up

The week of, we will reach out to confirm exact start day & time, as well as iron out details on method of entry to home (if interior) and If any of the areas that we are painting will need to be used to minimize our impact on day-to-day for the client during the project.

Start

Determine & Communicate Approach

Due to varying surface condition, age of home, and living conditions, no two jobs are the same. Therefore, it’s essential to figure out what strategy works best for the home and the homeowner. Prior to getting underway, we make sure to communicate our plan, timeline expectations, and products that will be used to complete the job.

01

Area Prep & Strategy

Prior to doing any work to your home – the first step is to strategize how to best tackle the project – and prepare our initial workspaces for painting.

  • Walkthrough job & draw up best action plan for job to meet clients’ need.
  • Prepare initial rooms for painting (center furniture, remove wall-hangings, hardware & switch plates) & document original placement of all furniture & pictures
  • Cover floors with drops/paper & belongings with plastic

02

Surface Preparation & Repair

As stated, all Burge Painting projects come with our base HIGH layer of “prep” for all surfaces being painted. Items bundled into our price as standard under the prep umbrella include:

  • Fix major dings, nail holes, & nail pops
  • Repair of major seam cracks (mesh tape) & Peeling joint tape (drywall tape)
  • Prime (spot prime or full coat depending on necessity) water stains / spot stains (i.e. crayon, etc.)
  • Cut out and re-caulk separating baseboard, door frames, and other trim (re-secure if necessary)
  • Pre-sand all surfaces to enhance paint adhesion & remove remnants from prior paint-jobs

03

Paint Ceilings & Paint Trim

Once it’s time to get the paint going – we start with ceilings & trim! We start here to save time and increase the end result as both trim and ceiling lines are more time consuming to paint well after the fact. Additionally, it gives us additional time to fine tune the wall prep while getting painting underway!

  • Depending on application (spray vs. brush/roll) – we do the necessary prep to ensure anything that shouldn’t get paint on it…won’t get paint on it.
    Sand all spackle/putty on ceiling, trim, and wall near ceiling/trim line.
  • (2 coats) on ceiling – sanding & additional prep between coats may be necessary
  • (2 coats) on baseboards – then door/window frames & doors/windows

04

Paint Walls!

Once the ceiling & trim is dry – we move on to the walls. Unless we are spraying an entire new home – we prefer our manual “cut and roll” process to ensure the straightest lines and smoothest transitions from brush to roller.

  • Frog tape (this element is key) all “low” elements of the room (baseboard, chair rail, countertops, etc.)
  • 1st coat on walls (starting with brushing (cutting) in the room then followed by rolling
  • Final inspection for additional required prep before final coat
  • Final coat – cutting in full then rolling – one wall at a time to ensure consistent application and avoiding “picture framing”

05

Wrap-up & Client Walkthrough

Wrap up
The final phase is an obvious but oft-overlooked phase which is the cleanup and resetting of the workspace. Our goal is to leave your house in the manner we entered it in, so that you’d never know we were there aside from a new paint job!

  • Remove all tape, plastic, paper, and drops from the area
  • Vacuum & wipe down the dust from all surfaces
  • Perform any trim touch-ups that may have occurred during the wall painting process (there’s always something!)
  • Reconstruct the room (refer to the “Take Pictures” line of Phase 1)

Start

Determine & Communicate Approach

Due to varying surface condition, building materials, & exposure to elements, no two jobs are the same. It is likely that the exterior of your home was built using a mixture of materials.

Therefore, it’s essential to treat each material using recommended practices & products for the best result. Prior to getting underway, we make sure to communicate our plan, timeline expectations, and products that will be used to complete the job.

01

Power wash / Clean Surfaces

An essential yet overlooked aspect of doing any exterior painting or staining is cleaning the painting surface. One of the primary reasons for a failed or short-lived paint job is applying the products over dirt, chalk, or grime.

  • Professionally power wash entire home
  • Scrub surfaces with brush using appropriate cleaning solution for each material
  • Rinse off cleaning solution & Allow adequate drying time (12+ hrs.)

02

Scrape Loose Paint / Repair Weathered Surfaces

Proper surface prep is another determining factor in whether a paint job will hold up for years to come or fail and need to be redone! Depending on the surface material – we follow different guidelines to make certain all surfaces are paint-ready:

  • Cover ground & plants with drops & plastic to protect surrounding yard from debris
  • Chip any loose paint and power-sand / grind (depending on surface) smooth
    • Previous failed paint/stain jobs may require full paint/topcoat removal
  • Bondo or exterior spackle any major imperfections, holes or rot in surface & sand smooth
  •  Apply exterior caulk to any cracks (where applicable)
  • Re-secure / replace any loose or rotted materials that cannot be salvaged

03

Protect Peripheral Items & Prime Coat / Stain

The importance of selecting & properly applying the appropriate primer or stain cannot be overstated. The primer phase is done to ensure that the finish paint selected adheres consistently and completely to each surface material equally.

  • Tape/protect areas not being painted (windows, casings, gutters, ground, etc.
  • Remove any obstructions (i.e. downspouts, grills, patio furniture, etc.)
  • If painting Spray, Brush, & Spray & back roll (depending on plan) surface with recommended product
  • If staining Apply two coats of stain (allow for 12-24-hour dry time to ensure durability)

04

Finish Coat

Lastly after all prep and priming is complete, we apply a consistent finish coat to your home using only high-quality products and with either a spray or brush application depending on the surface and plan

  • Inspect and perform any last-minute prep
  • Paint consistent coat in full sections to ensure uniform drying
  • (If necessary) Apply protective clear coat to natural wood stain for durability & water resistance

05

Wrap-up & Client Walkthrough

The final phase is an obvious but oft-overlooked phase which is the cleanup and resetting of the workspace. Our goal is to leave your house in the manner we entered it in, so that you’d never know we were there aside from a new paint job!

  • Remove all tape, plastic, paper, and drops from the area
  • Vacuum & sweep any leftover debris from
  • Perform any touch-ups that may be required (there’s always something!)
  • Rehang & put back anything moved or taken down (downspouts, grill, tables. Etc.)

Start

Determine & Communicate Approach

Depending on the surface of your cabinets & the expectations of the finish – we customize our approach to meet your needs. Prior to getting underway, we make sure to communicate our plan & how (if at all) that impacts your lifestyle during the project, timeline expectations, & products that will be used on your cabinets.

01

Day 1: Prepare Workspace & Disassemble Cabinets

Once the floor and countertops are covered, all removable cabinet doors & drawer faces are disassembled and labeled in coordination with their spot on the frame. The hardware is also removed and stored within corresponding cabinet/drawer.

  • Remove cabinet doors / drawer faces and label numerically from left to right.
  • Remove hardware (hinges, knobs, etc.) & store inside corresponding cabinet/drawer spot.
  • Tape frame line to prevent paint from getting on inner walls, shelves, etc.

02

Day 1: Clean/Degrease & Transport Cabinets & Drawers

Due to daily use – cabinets have grime & dirt build-up from being touched. This dirt and grime prevents paint adhesion if not dealt with. Once clean we transport cabinets to our spray booth in Ambler, PA.

  • Degrease doors, drawers, and frame with cleaning solution (TSP/warm water combo) & scotch pad.
  • Set up doors and drawer faces to spray at off-site spray booth.
  • Allow adequate drying time (overnight)

03

Day 2: Sand & Prime (Coat 1)

Once the cleaning solution has dried (usually overnight) – we lightly sand with a low grit paper to remove any rough edges & apply our primer coat to maximize adhesion & durability.

  • Lightly “rough up” all surfaces with 180-220 grit sandpaper to promote adhesion & smooth any raised grain / rough areas (not required on plastic laminate or thermofoil)
  • Wipe down with tack cloth to remove all dust
  • Apply primer (spray doors & drawer faces / brush/roll frame w/ fine nap roller)
  • Allow to cure & harden overnight

04

Day 3: Prep & 1st Coat of Finish (Coat 2)

Once the primer has dried – we have a better view into what areas may require some additional attention. Usually, nail holes and cracks appear more visible in the frame as well as thick wood grain in the doors.

  • Caulk & Putty all unfilled cracks and nail holes in frame
  • Apply lightweight spackle compound to dings & dents
  • (If needed) Spackle wood grain
  • Repeat Phase 3 w/ Finish Paint
    • Lightly sand all surfaces & prep spots and wipe down with tack cloth
    • Apply 1st coat of finish paint
    • Allow to cure & harden overnight

05

Day 4: Finish Coat (Coat 3)

At minimum – all our cabinet projects require a minimum of 3 total coats (1 primer / 2 finish). If this coat does not properly cover – repeat this step until the desired finish is achieved.

  • Lightly sand any remaining rough areas or debris that may have touched the wet paint
  • Wipe down with tack cloth to remove all dust
  • Apply consistent finish coat to enhance paint leveling and coat consistency
  • Allow to cure & harden overnight (darker paints may require additional cure time)

06

Day 5: Reassemble Cabinets & Touch-up

The final phase once the paint has fully cured is to securely return the doors and drawers and reassemble. We can reinstall existing hardware or even install brand new hardware if desired.

  • Safely wrap up doors & drawer faces in bubble wrap and transport back to jobsite
  • One by one – re-install hinges on each door (or install new hinges if required) & hang in corresponding spot
  • Install brand new bumpers on inside of doors and drawers
  • Re-install knobs (or install new knobs if required)
  • Remove all tape, plastic, paper, and drops from the kitchen
  • Vacuum & wipe down the dust from floor & countertops
  • Touch-up any remaining areas near hinges that may need it

04 - Client Sign-off

No job is complete until 100% client satisfaction has been achieved

No paint job is complete without approval from the client. If the homeowner is available, we perform a step-by-step walkthrough of the job according to the estimate – and address any oversights on the slim chance there are any. We make sure not to let anything slip through the cracks or cut any corners.

Let us take on your project!

You’ve seen our process and services – now reach out for a an estimate to tackle that house painting job that you’ve been wanting to do!