Peeling is a symptom
Paint peels for a reason, and the reason sets the price. A house with scattered peeling at the window sills is a different job from one where paint lifts in sheets from whole walls. Before comparing bids, it helps to know which you have and why.
How far the failure goes
Painters tend to sort a peeling exterior into rough classes:
- Spot failure: small patches, often at sills, trim joints and the lower edges of boards. The spots are scraped, sanded, primed and repainted, then the whole surface is coated.
- Widespread peeling: large areas on one or more sides, with much more scraping, more primer, and often more sanding to blend the edges.
- Failure to bare wood everywhere: the old layers have lost their grip. Full removal may be the only lasting fix, by heavy scraping, sanding, heat or chemical strippers. This is the slowest and costliest route.
Ask the painter which class each side falls into and what that means for the scope.
Find the water first
Peeling down to bare wood almost always traces back to moisture. Common sources are overflowing gutters, leaks around windows and roof edges, bathrooms or kitchens without good exhaust on the other side of the wall, and siding that sits too close to the ground. If the source isn't fixed, new paint fails in the same places. A good proposal notes what the painter saw and whether anything should be repaired by another trade first.
Wheeling/Ohio County figures
NOAA's engineering weather data for Wheeling/Ohio County, near Wheeling lists a 50-year basic wind speed of 90 mph (3-second gust at 33 feet), a 100-year rainfall rate of 2.7 inches per hour and about 41 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year.
Those are the station's engineering values. In general terms, wind-driven rain gets into failed joints, and each freeze-thaw cycle can push trapped water outward under old paint, lifting more of it. That's why painters deal first with the edges where water enters.
Scraping and feathering
Scraping removes paint that's loose; it doesn't remove paint that's sound. After scraping, the edges of the remaining paint are sanded or feathered so they don't show through as ridges. How far the painter goes with feathering shows in the final look and in the price. Ask to see a sample section if you're unsure what you're paying for.
Repairing the wood
Soft sills, rotted trim and split siding should be repaired or replaced, with new wood primed on all faces where possible. Ask whether repairs are in the base price, priced per piece, or charged on a time basis, and who does them.
Primer, caulk and coats
Bare wood gets primer, ideally soon after it's exposed. Some painters use a bonding or oil-based primer on old weathered surfaces; ask which and why. Joints that should be sealed are caulked after priming, and finish coats follow. Our exterior painting page goes through each.
Old paint and containment
A peeling exterior sheds chips the moment scraping starts. Under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, 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 the painter whether the firm holds RRP certification and how chips will be collected from the ground, gutters and nearby surfaces. Ground sheeting, careful scraping and daily cleanup add time, and they belong in the price.
Access
Peeling high on gables and under eaves still has to be reached for scraping, which may take longer than painting the same area. Ask what ladders, staging or lifts the job needs.
Comparing bids on a peeling house
- How is each side classed: spot, widespread, or full removal?
- What removal method is planned?
- What moisture problems did the painter note?
- Repairs: included, per piece, or on time?
- Primer type and number of coats?
- Containment and cleanup steps?
The pricing guide has the general list.