The county seat on the Tar
Pitt County describes Greenville as its county seat and largest city, in a county that covers 656 square miles and traces its history to 1760. The city's water comes from the Tar River: Greenville Utilities Commission pumps river water into a 63-million-gallon impoundment basin, where it sits for five days while solids settle before the rest of treatment, with three deep wells supplementing the river.
That's the place. This page is about the products: what goes on which surface of a house, and why a proposal that names products is worth more than one that doesn't.
Primer is not optional paint
Primer does a different job from finish paint. It grips the surface, seals it and gives the topcoat something uniform to hold onto. The right primer depends on what's underneath:
- Bare wood needs a primer that soaks in and seals the grain, or knots and tannin can bleed through light colors.
- New or patched drywall needs a primer that evens out how much paint the paper and the joint compound absorb, or patches will show through as dull spots.
- Water and smoke stains need a stain-blocking primer, or they come back through the finish.
- Glossy old paint needs sanding and often a bonding primer.
- Bare metal needs a rust-inhibiting primer.
Many "paint and primer in one" products are fine over sound, clean, previously painted walls in a similar color. They don't replace a dedicated primer on the surfaces above.
Waterborne or oil-based
Most wall paint today is waterborne. It dries fast, stays flexible and cleans up with water. Oil-based and alkyd products level into a hard, smooth film and are still chosen by some painters for trim, doors and cabinets, though waterborne enamels now do much of that work. Oil-based coatings yellow over time, especially out of direct light, and they need solvent for cleanup. Ask the painter what they plan to use on each surface and why.
Sheen, room by room
Higher sheen is easier to clean and shows every flaw; lower sheen hides flaws and marks more readily. A common pattern is flat on ceilings, a low sheen on living-area walls, satin or semi-gloss in kitchens and bathrooms, and semi-gloss on trim and doors. The paint sheens and finishes guide covers it in more depth.
Outside: the product class matters
Exterior paints are sold in grades within each maker's line. Higher grades generally carry more resin and better pigment, which affects how well a film resists sun and moisture. The grade, more than the brand name, is what to compare between two bids. Stains for wood decks and fences are a separate category with their own rules; see deck and fence staining.
Primer over old lead layers
On a house built before 1978, any coat being sanded or scraped may contain lead. The EPA rule on the card below applies to paid work that disturbs it. Ask whether the painter's firm holds RRP certification, and how the product plan changes if lead-safe prep is needed.
Painting inside a renovation
If painting is part of a bigger renovation, note what North Carolina General Statutes 87-1 says: a general contractor license from the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors is required when the cost of a construction or improvement project is $40,000 or more, and the statute does not name painting. The card below quotes it; we don't apply it to any job.
Product advice on site
A request sent from the contact form is handed to one independent Greenville painter, who can inspect each surface and name products in a written proposal. The pricing guide explains how product choices show up in a price.