The parts of a raised house nobody photographs
An elevated home has a second set of surfaces most houses don't: the stairs and landings that reach the doors, the walkways between them, and the screening that encloses the space underneath. They're close to the ground, catch splash, and take foot traffic. Painting and staining them is a job of its own, often priced separately from the walls above. This guide covers what drives that price in Slidell. It gives no figures.
What Slidell's code says
Slidell's Unified Development Code has standards for elevated residences, and both cards below quote them. The code says door openings above ground level must be reached by a walkway connecting to the main stairs or by an independent landing and stairs, with the primary entry landing and stairs connected by an accessible path from the parking area or driveway. It also requires the space beneath the home to be enclosed or screened, and allows screening materials that include wood or cement siding, veneer panel systems, and wood or vinyl lattice panels.
We print those as written. For painting, the practical point is that an elevated house will have stairs, landings and screening, and each material needs its own treatment.
Screening: lattice, siding or panels
- Wood lattice is the slowest surface to paint: every crossing strip has edges, and the openings make rolling impossible. Spraying with back-brushing is usual, and some owners stain instead.
- Vinyl lattice usually isn't painted; ask before anyone quotes it.
- Wood or cement siding below the house is painted much like the walls above, but closer to the ground it may need more cleaning and scraping.
- Veneer panels depend on the product; ask what the maker allows.
Stairs and landings
Treads and landings take traffic and water. Painters price them by the number of steps, the size of the landings and how many railings and balusters they have. Choices:
1. a penetrating deck stain on wood treads, which wears gradually; 2. a porch and floor enamel, which gives color but can wear through on the most-used steps; 3. a textured or slip-resistant additive on any painted walking surface.
Our deck and fence staining page compares stains with film-forming finishes.
Access and the walkways
Painting the underside of a landing or the upper part of a tall stair stringer can need ladders set on the ground below, and painting screening often means working in a tight space under the house. Ask how the painter will reach each part and what they'll need moved.
Cleaning and repairs
Mildew, dirt and splash collect low on a raised house. Washing and drying come first. Look for loose treads, wobbly railings, split lattice and soft wood at the bottoms of posts. Painters may handle small fixes; structural repairs belong with a carpenter. Get repairs listed separately.
Coatings and color
Many owners match screening and stair trim to the house body or trim color so the raised part reads as one design. A light color shows dirt; a dark one can hide it but fades. Ask for product names and sheens by surface. The exterior painting page covers the rest of the outside job.
A Slidell proposal for the lower level
Make sure it lists each stair run, landing and walkway, the railings and balusters, the screening material and area, cleaning, repairs, products for walking surfaces and for screening, and how long each part will be off limits while it dries. The pricing guide explains how scope and condition shape the price.