When the paint is coming off in sheets
A house whose paint is peeling down to bare wood, or lifting in layers, is a different job from a routine repaint. The visible problem is the paint, but the work is in getting the surface back to something new paint can hold, safely and thoroughly. That's what drives the price, more than the color or the size of the house. This guide goes through it. We don't publish prices.
Why it's peeling
Paint usually peels because of moisture behind it, too many old layers that have lost their grip, or paint applied over a surface that wasn't clean or sound. Ask the painter what they think is causing it on your house. If it's water, such as a leaking gutter, a missing drip edge over a window, or a wall that doesn't dry out, that should be fixed first, or the new paint will follow the old.
Lead and the federal rule
EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule requires anyone paid to do work that disturbs painted surfaces in homes built before 1978 to hold EPA lead-safe certification and use trained workers; in general it does not apply to homeowners working on their own pre-1978 homes. EPA lists Alabama among the states that run their own EPA-authorized programs.
On a house built before 1978, scraping and sanding peeling paint is squarely the kind of work the rule covers. Lead-safe practice means plastic sheeting on the ground under every wall being worked, limits on how paint is removed, misting to keep dust down, daily cleanup and careful disposal. These steps take time and materials and are part of an honest bid. Ask the painter how they handle each one, and you can ask whether the firm holds the EPA lead-safe certification the rule requires.
How much comes off
Scraping only loose paint and feathering the edges is the usual approach. Where paint is failing over most of a wall, a painter may propose removing more of it, which is slower. Ask what the bid assumes for each side of the house and what happens if more lets go once scraping begins.
Wood repair
Long-term peeling often leaves soft or rotted spots on sills, the bottoms of corner boards, trim and siding near the ground. Those are filled with an exterior wood filler, or the piece is replaced. Ask whether minor repairs are included and how larger ones are priced.
Primer and caulk
Bare wood and weathered patches need a primer chosen for exterior wood, often an oil-based or stain-blocking product where tannins or old stains bleed through. Joints get new flexible caulk once they're primed. Ask which primer and caulk the painter uses and whether priming covers every bare spot or the whole house.
Cold nights and scheduling
NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for Anniston Metropolitan Airport average 51.9 nights a year with a low of 32 °F or below. Primers, caulks and paints each have a minimum temperature on their labels, and some need it held for hours after application. A night at or below freezing soon after a coat goes on can spoil it. Ask how the painter checks the overnight forecast against the label before each coat, and how cold-weather delays affect the price.
Coats and products
After priming, most peeling exteriors get two finish coats. Ask which product line, and whether it's the same on body and trim. Our exterior painting page explains products and coats.
Questions for the bid
- What do you think is causing the peeling?
- How will you handle lead-safe scraping and cleanup?
- How much scraping does the price assume, and what if more paint comes off?
- Which primer, which caulk, and how many finish coats?
- How do you schedule around cold nights?
Our pricing guide sets out the general factors behind any painting price.