So you have decided to repaint some rooms in your home or business, Regardless if you do it yourself, or hire a professional team like Service Pro, there are a few steps you have to take to get the rooms ready.
Get everything out of the way. Painting around furniture makes a job much more difficult than it should be. Get all the smaller stuff out of the room, and bigger items like couches and beds, move to the center of the room. Find something to cover any items left in the room, you don’t want any paint splatter or dust on your valuable furniture.
Remove any switch plates and electrical outlet covers. You want to get the paint in behind those areas as well.
Put something over your floors, tarps, plastic, something to protect the surface underneath.
Dust and clean the walls. A clean surface is essential for a good finish. Using a vaccuum or towel should do the trick for dust. Any grease or grime needs to be removed as well.
Scrape and remove any cracked or flaked paint. Now is also a good time to fill in any holes or sand down any imperfections
If you are not sure what color you want to use, most quality paint shops will also allow you to get little sample paints. Take a few samples, and paint a couple of small test areas on your wall. It is amazing how different a paint can look in the light of your room, as opposed to just a color swatch in the store.
And before you paint, protect any wall sconces or adjoining surfaces with painters tape.
Taking the time to properly prepare a room, will lead to much better end results!
So the holiday season is fast approaching, and you have guests coming, and parties to plan for. Now is the time to get it your home ready!
First, make up a list of the tasks you want to complete. Give every member of the family a list of chores to be done. If you have some larger tasks that you will pay a professional to complete, like painting a room or cleaning a carpet, don’t wait till the last minute to schedule their services!
Focus on the main areas. It is already December, now is not the time to start on that major renovation that can’t possibly be done in time! Just take care of the areas your guests will actually see and use.
Prepare for house guests. If they are staying overnight, get their space ready ahead of time. Fresh sheets, clean towels, a few scented candles, goes a long way.
Set the Table. Get out those nice dishes and place settings, and make your dining room table look fabulous! Nothing looks nicer or more inviting than a holiday themed dining room.And remember to relax. the holidays can be a stressful time, but you should also enjoy them as well! Nothing feels more inviting than a host with a large smile on their face!
Those old cabinets in your kitchen, at one time they looked great, and were in style, but really need an update now… Usually people put off this project, because the cost of replacing your kitchen cabinets can be astronomical!
But there is another solution – repaint everything instead! With a fresh coat of paint, and some new hardware, those “old” cabinets, can look brand spanking new! And cost wise, this comes in far lower than replacing everything. And if you also repaint the kitchen itself, Voila! A dramatic change!
While you are at it, the interiors of the cabinets can be reconfigured as well:
new shelving systems
slides
spice racks
shelf liners
Lazy Susans
etc.
Sometimes, all it takes is a little imagination, and a fresh coat of paint, and that kitchen will look great again!
It’s that time of year again, summer is already winding down, and it is time to get the kids ready for school here in the Grand Rapids area. One project to tackle every year, is getting the kids rooms ready for the new grade or school they may be attending. As they get older, their tastes and needs change. For younger children, a fresh coat of paint in a bright color can create a fun environment for them to be in, and get into the “school habits”. For middle school students, changing the pastel pink or blue from their childhood bedroom walls to bolder colors is a common request. For high school and college students, the bedroom becomes a personal retreat where they can express themselves and feel more like adults.
But now is the time to get started. We can help guide you through some of the considerations:
Establishing a good space for study. The right configuration of the room is key here!
Inspire their creativity – the right colors make a difference!
And make it age appropriate! They don’t stay little forever!
As winter hits the Grand Rapids area, one question that comes up over and over, every year, Is winter a good time to paint the interior?
When you have experienced painters on the job, painting the interior in winter can be the perfect time!
A few reasons why:
It gives you time and money to complete other projects in the summer. Summer can be a very busy time, with plenty of outdoor projects and activities to complete. Why not get some of the inside projects out of the way? This leaves you time to schedule other projects for the summer months!
Generally at this time of year, at least after the holiday season, there are less visitors and “foot traffic” in most homes. The kids are in school all day, and less visiting relatives getting in the way of the projects!
No humidity. Paint actually dries better in cooler weather, and when there is no humidity.
Painting Contractors (like us!) are less busy. When spring hits, our schedule can fill up very quickly with exterior projects!
Here are a few tips that you should take into consideration when considering a winter painting project.
Proper ventilation. One drawback to painting in the winter, is making sure the paint fumes are properly ventilated. A good contractor will have the right tools and knowledge to do this right.
Along these lines, it is also best to use either a “Low VOC paint” or “No VOC paint” (“VOC” stands for “Volatile Organic Compound”) VOCs are found in many building materials and are partially responsible for that new paint smell.
Maintaining the correct temperature. While lower temps and lower humidity are better for painting, you don’t want the temperature of a room to be too low when you paint… Make sure you can keep the room at 60 degrees or higher.
Great interior painting takes years of experience and attention to detail. When considering a winter paint project, turn to people who know how to work efficiently, quietly and cleanly. Service Pro Painting can tackle your project with as little disruption as possible to your daily routine.
Give us a call at (616) 295-3885, we’d be happy to answer all of your questions!
It’s November in Grand Rapids, family holidays are around the corner, snow and cold weather are on their way! However, your living room could use a new paint job to liven up your home for the holidays… Do you do it yourself, or hire a professional?
Every year, homeowners hire professional contractors to complete home renovations. Whether it is busy lives, or just a lack of expertise and equipment, hiring a professional painter to do the job just makes sense. But how do you know if you need to hire a professional painter, and what should I watch out for?
You can start by asking yourself these questions.
Are any of the surfaces up high? Tall ceilings and large staircases often require climbing a ladder.
Are you willing to move large furniture? You must be able to lift and move large pieces of furniture to prep a room for painting.
Do you have the time? If you work full-time, it may take several days to complete a painting project.
Painters in the Grand Rapids area can be found anywhere… But the really good painters in Grand Rapids are few and far between.
Here are a few tips that you should take into consideration when hiring a Grand Rapids House Painter or a Painting Contractor (or any trade for that matter!).
Contact trusted sources. Grand Rapids is a fairly big city and the odds are pretty good that someone you know has, at one time or another hired a painter from the Grand Rapids area.
Use contractors review websites such as angieslist.com to read reviews on potential panters and contractors.
How long has the contractor been painting? Its important that they are experienced, and only use seasoned, professionally trained house painters.
Do they have a portfolio of previous home painting works? if they have no references, or previous paint jobs to show you…
Are they Insured? Accidents can happen, make sure your contractor is covered!
Do they offer a written guarantee? Don’t deal with anybody that won’t put the contract in writing.
If all else fails, check out the portfolio on our website! Service Pro Painters are painters who have been painting in Grand Rapids area for over 12 years. We are renowned for our great service, quality, and building long lasting relationships.
Give us a call at (616) 295-3885, we’d be happy to answer all of your questions!
