Is It Time?
It is certainly true of human nature that we often tend to put off home maintenance and repair projects until it is absolutely necessary. You may be debating whether it’s time to repaint your OBX home. Maybe you’ve seen signs of peeling paint, faded color, or cracked/missing caulk. These are all signs that your home is ready for a new paint job.
Why Now – Can’t It Wait?
The workforce on the OBX has been greatly diminished since COVID. There simply is not enough affordable housing to accommodate the number of laborers needed to maintain the rental properties here. As the rental seasons get longer, there is less time to complete major projects. If you have any projects for the off-season, it's best not to wait.
Some Things to Consider
Color: Maybe it's time to change colors. If you’re looking for a dramatic change, nothing can affect the appearance of your home quite like a fresh paint job. Maybe your house doesn’t really match the surrounding homes on your street – or even with the colors of its natural surroundings.
Curb Appeal and Home Value: Curb appeal is very important in a competitive vacation rental market. When a prospective vacation guest is looking at comparable properties, how does your house compare? A fresh coat of paint can make your house look newer and nicer than its competitors on the rental market. Studies have shown that a fresh coat of paint can actually increase the value of your home. A nice, clean paint job can also complement your home’s features while making undesirable features less noticeable. The right paint color and sheen can make a dark house appear lighter or a small room look more spacious.
Protection: Your home’s exterior paint is the first line of defense against nature. Failing paint or caulk can lead to water infiltration, wood rot, and insect infestation. If your house has peeling paint or cracked (missing) caulk, you don’t want to wait.
Identify Necessary Repairs and Hidden Damage: Many times, wood rot and insect damage are hidden to the naked eye. When a house is prepped for exterior painting, the first thing we do is pressure wash. Next, we scrape and sand peeling paint and inspect all caulk. During the preparation stage, it’s not uncommon for us to find rotten trim and siding, or even termite damage. These problems if left unabated can be extremely time-consuming and expensive to repair.
