3 Huge Tips to Budgeting for an Interior Painting Project
When it’s time to invest in interior painting for your home, the first thing that comes to mind is cost. You know the project is necessary, but you don’t want to break the bank getting it done. If you don’t think you can afford to hire Raleigh house painters, you’ll have to make do yourself. But unless you’re a painter by trade, you might not know exactly how to prepare for this project or the average cost of materials.
If you truly lack confidence in your abilities, you’re better off hiring a Raleigh painting company. Even if this costs a bit more than your budget, you’ll have peace of mind knowing the job will get done properly. If you choose to do it yourself, however, here are three important tips for budgeting your interior painting project.
1. Make those Measurements!
It cannot be stressed enough just how important measurements are for painting. Making accurate room measurements is the only way to ensure that you purchase the right amount of paint – no more, no less. Without this knowledge, you’ll run into one of two problems, both of which will cost you. You’ll either not buy enough paint, in which case you’ll have to venture back out to the store to get more. Or, you’ll buy too much paint, in which case you’ll have wasted money for no reason.
If the can is unopened you can return it, but this also requires another trip to the store. The most cost-effective way to approach your interior painting project is to know exactly what you need and how much of it. This way you can make a single trip to the store and be on your way. Measuring each room will help you determine this. If you have trouble making sense of the math, a store clerk can help you make the conversions.
2. Quality Where it Counts
Budgeting for a painting project requires balance. The materials you need can add up, so you might go for the cheapest, most generic products you can find. Be careful. While you can certainly aim low for certain items, you don’t want to make the mistake of purchasing low-quality paint or brushes. While the base price might be lower, you’ll pay in the long run.
Cheap paint won’t adhere or blend as well as quality paint. This means it might not dry properly or last as long as you’d like. You don’t want to re-do your interior painting project the next year. Likewise, cheap brushes are harder to clean and can make for uneven strokes.
If you want to save money on materials, go for the cheaper rollers, roller trays, and sandpaper. Items like these are necessary for the job but don’t vary as much in quality across brands. This means that it won’t really matter if you buy the generic version, so long as you have enough of what you need.
3. Avoid Waste
Wasted material and time pose the biggest threats to your budget. This is partially due to the fact that waste is hard to quantify. You don’t really think about the time or money you could save by simply using what you have and not neglecting any of it. Brushes and rollers are the worst offenders here. If you don’t properly clean and store these key painting objects, they’ll become useless in no time.
You can purchase cheap roller keepers to store your paint roller heads if you plan on painting again the next day. These airtight capsules prevent the excess paint from drying out. Always clean your brushes thoroughly after use. Different types of cleaner and thinner will work better depending on the type of brush and type of paint you use.
The bottom line here is making careful, informed decisions about what you need and using what you have to the fullest. If you’re painting a room two colors, for instance, know what that process entails. How much of each color will you need? How many brushes, and of what size? Are there additional materials to purchase for this situation?
If you want to handle interior painting yourself but still have doubts, contact Anderson Painting. We offer the highest quality painting service you can find in Raleigh, NC. Our Anderson Painting contractors will answer any questions you have and give you a transparent estimate based on your needs.
