When the last paint job did not last.
We get called out to fix other painters' work more than you would think. Here is how we assess it, what it costs, and when the honest answer is that it has to come off.
Painter Hotline repairs and repaints failed paint jobs across Colorado. Failures are nearly always caused by one of four skipped steps: no washing, no scraping to a sound edge, no primer on bare substrate, or uncaulked joints letting water behind the film. We assess whether the existing coating can be feathered and recoated or has to be removed, provide the finding in writing, and will not coat a surface that is going to fail again. Call 720-208-5645.
What we usually find
When somebody calls us about a paint job that failed, the diagnosis is almost always one of four things, and none of them is the brand of paint that was used.
- It was never washed. Coating applied over chalk, dust or mildew has nothing to grip. It lets go in sheets, usually within two years.
- Nothing was scraped. New paint over a failing layer fails with it. The new film is only as attached as the one underneath it.
- Bare substrate was never primed. Blistering and peeling, typically low on the wall where moisture collects.
- Joints were never caulked. Water gets behind the film, freezes, expands and lifts it. Dozens of cycles a winter in Colorado.
Can it be recoated, or does it have to come off?
This is the question that determines the cost, and it cannot be answered from a description. We look at three things:
| What we check | Recoat | Remove first |
|---|---|---|
| Adhesion | Film is tight across most of the surface | Lifts easily over large areas |
| Extent | Isolated patches | Widespread across whole elevations |
| Cause | Surface-level, no moisture source | Active water intrusion behind the film |
Where a coating can be feathered, spot-primed and recoated, we do that, because it is cheaper and it works. Where it cannot, removal is the only honest answer, and we will say so even though it makes our number larger.
The arithmetic of doing it twice
Two bids on the same house. The cheap one at $6,000 skips the wash, the scrape and the primer. The thorough one at $9,500 does all three.
For about eighteen months they look identical. Then the cheap job starts lifting. Now the next painter has to remove the failed coating before doing the work properly, which costs more than painting bare siding would have.
You have paid $6,000, plus roughly $2,000 in removal, plus $9,500 for the real job. The $3,500 you saved cost you about $8,000.
That is not a scare story. It is the most common way homeowners lose money on painting, and it is never obvious at the moment of decision.
If you are still inside a warranty
Before calling us, call them. A workmanship warranty that gets honored is the cheapest outcome available to you, and some companies do honor them. If the number is disconnected or the answer is that fading is not covered when the issue is peeling, then you know where you stand.
We will document what we find in writing either way, which is useful whether you are pursuing a warranty claim, an insurance claim after a storm, or just want to understand what happened.
What we will not do
We will not paint over a surface that is going to fail again, even if you ask us to and even if it would be the easy sale. If the honest answer is that the siding needs carpentry, or that the wall is taking water from a roof detail, you will hear that instead of a quote.
About repairing failed paint
Can you paint over a failing paint job?
Sometimes. Where the film is still tight across most of the surface and the failure is isolated, it can be feathered, spot-primed and recoated. Where it lifts easily over large areas, or there is active water intrusion behind it, removal is the only honest answer.
How much does it cost to fix a bad paint job?
More than painting a sound surface, because removal is harder than application. That is the entire argument for doing it correctly the first time: a cheap job plus removal plus the real job costs substantially more than the thorough bid would have.
How do I know if my paint job was done badly?
Early peeling is the clearest sign, particularly in sheets or low on the wall. Rub a sunny wall: heavy chalking within a few years suggests a low-grade product. Paint lifting at joints usually means caulking was skipped.
Should I contact the original painter first?
Yes, if they are still reachable and you are inside a workmanship warranty. A warranty that gets honored is the cheapest outcome available to you. We will document what we find in writing either way.
Will you tell me honestly if it is not a paint problem?
Yes. If a roof detail, failed flashing or a sprinkler is putting water behind the coating, no paint job will survive it. You will hear that rather than get a quote.
Do you document findings for an insurance claim?
Yes. If storm damage is involved we will photograph and describe what we see so you have something concrete for the adjuster.
Tell us about the project
Photos and the year your building went up usually get you a written number within a day. If yours really needs a visit, we will tell you.
Prefer to talk it through? 720-208-5645