Where Sierra Vista sits
The Bureau of Land Management says the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area is 6 miles east of Sierra Vista and holds almost 57,000 acres of public land in Cochise County. Congress designated it on November 18, 1988, and some 40 miles of the upper San Pedro River meander through it.
That's the setting. This page is about a more ordinary project: getting a house, or part of one, painted well. It follows the job from the first phone call to the last touch-up.
The first conversation
When a painter calls you back, expect questions before any talk of price:
- What do you want painted: rooms, the exterior, trim, cabinets, a fence?
- What's on the surfaces now, and is anything peeling, cracked or stained?
- When was it last painted, if you know?
- Are you changing colors?
- Is there a deadline?
The more you can tell them, the more useful the visit will be. Photos of problem spots help.
The estimate visit
A careful painter looks at the job in person before giving a written price. During the visit they'll usually:
- walk every surface to be painted;
- look closely at failing paint, soft wood, cracks and stains;
- measure or estimate areas and heights;
- note access problems, like steep slopes, tight side yards, or tall stairwells;
- ask about colors and sheens;
- talk through the order of work.
This is a good time to point out anything you're unsure about. If you'd like a surface left alone, say so.
How fast paint dries matters
NOAA's engineering weather data for Fort Huachuca/Libby counts, in an average year, about 1 hour with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F and about 305 hours above 67°F. Wet-bulb temperature combines heat and moisture in the air into one reading, and those counts describe that station only.
Muggy air is one of the things that can slow paint drying; on its own, a count like this doesn't tell you about sun or wind on a given wall. What any painter should handle, wherever the job is, is paint drying too quickly. When a coat dries before the painter can blend the next stroke into it, you get lap marks and uneven sheen. Crews deal with it by:
- working one wall at a time, following the shade;
- keeping a wet edge and finishing a full section before stopping;
- avoiding surfaces that are hot to the touch;
- using products and additives the label allows for the conditions.
Ask how they plan the order of walls on your house.
The written proposal
A proposal you can compare should spell out:
- each surface, and anything excluded;
- the preparation for each surface, in plain words;
- primer and finish products, colors, sheens and number of coats;
- repairs and how they're priced;
- how plants, floors, furniture and fixtures are protected;
- start date, duration and payment schedule.
Our pricing guide explains why two proposals can differ so much, and our exterior painting page and interior painting page describe what preparation usually involves.
If the house is older
EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule says anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in homes, childcare facilities and preschools built before 1978 must hold RRP certification, firms included, even sole proprietorships, and their workers must be trained in lead-safe work practices. If your house was built before 1978, ask whether the firm holds RRP certification. The rule and its details are on EPA's site, linked in the card below.
During the job
- Agree on daily start and stop times and where the crew will park and stage.
- Know who the crew lead is and how to reach them.
- Expect surfaces to be cleaned and prepared before color goes on; preparation days can look like slow progress.
- Raise concerns early, while a wall is still easy to correct.
Finishing well
When the crew says they're done, walk every surface with the crew lead in good light. Check edges, corners, behind fixtures and hardware, and the floor or ground below. Agree on touch-ups before final payment, and keep a labeled can of each color and the product names on file. Our sheens guide can help you choose finishes if you haven't yet.