Trim-only jobs
Sometimes the siding is fine but the trim is not. Window frames are cracked and chalky, sills are weathered, the front door has faded, and the corner boards are peeling. A trim-only repaint is a common job, and it's priced very differently from a full exterior, because nearly all of it is brush work. This guide explains what moves the price. We don't publish prices.
The wet months
NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the ALTOONA 3 W station give the city 44.72 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May at 4.41 inches, September at 4.33 inches and June at 4.24 inches; a normal year carries 29.2 days with at least half an inch of precipitation and 9.5 days with at least an inch. NOAA computed the precipitation normals from 25 years of record within 1991–2020. Normal snowfall there is 38.1 inches, a figure NOAA says rests on a shorter record: 11 years within 1991–2020.
Rain and snowmelt sit on sills and run down window frames, which is why trim usually weathers ahead of siding. And because some of the wettest months fall inside the usual painting season, rain days are a real factor in how long a trim job takes.
Measuring the job
Trim is priced by how much there is and how detailed it is, not by wall area.
- Windows. Each one has a sill, an apron, side casings, a head casing, and often sashes and muntins. A divided-light sash takes far longer than a single pane.
- Doors. Front and back doors, both faces if both are being done, plus frames and thresholds.
- Corner boards, fascia, soffits and rake boards. These run long, and fascia and rakes are high.
- Shutters. Painted on or off the house; off is cleaner but adds handling.
A painter will count windows and doors and estimate lengths. Ask for the count in the proposal.
Glazing, sills and caulk
Older wood windows often have glazing putty that has cracked or fallen out. Reglazing is slow, skilled work and is sometimes priced separately. Sills that have checked and split may need filling or epoxy repair. Gaps between casings and siding are caulked; failed caulk is cut out first. Each of these adds time to a window before it's painted.
Rot repair
Sills, the bottoms of casings and door frames near the threshold are where rot shows up first. Small soft spots can be consolidated and filled; larger ones mean replacing a piece. Ask whether the painter does that carpentry and how it's priced.
Doors
A front door is often painted in a higher-gloss enamel than the rest of the trim, sometimes in a different color, and it may come off its hinges for a smoother finish. That adds time and means the opening has to be secured while the door dries. Ask how long the door will be off.
Lead-safe work on older trim
Under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, since April 22, 2010 firms doing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes built before 1978 must hold EPA or state certification and use renovators holding certification who follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. Scraping and sanding window trim is exactly that kind of work on an older house. Containment sheeting under each window, careful cleanup and disposal all add time, and they are part of what a proper bid for a pre-1978 house includes. If your house is that old, ask the painter whether their firm holds that certification.
Scheduling around wet days
Trim has to be dry before primer and paint, and freshly coated sills shouldn't take rain until they've set. A trim job spread over the house can be done a side at a time, so a crew can move to the drier side after a shower. Still, wet stretches add days. Ask how the schedule handles them.
Comparing bids
- How many windows and doors did you count, and which trim runs are included?
- Is reglazing included, or priced per window?
- How will rot repairs be handled?
- What will you do to contain paint chips on a pre-1978 house?
- What finish and color goes on the front door?
See our exterior painting page for prep steps.