Porches and exteriors
Back porches, steps and trim, done while it is dry
A back porch takes the weather from every direction. We scrape, wash, prime bare wood and caulk the joints before the first coat, because paint on wet or loose wood does not last a winter.
Porch decks, railings, posts and stair treads
Window and door trim, soffits and fascia
Scraping with a HEPA vacuum on older paint
Bare wood primed; joints caulked; two finish coats
Our year
When each kind of work happens
Outside work waits for dry wood and mild days. Inside work fills the rest of the year. Your estimate gives the dates for your building.
Porches and exterior trim
Scraping, priming and painting, on dry days.
May to Oct
Unit repaints
Between leases, busiest when leases turn over.
May to Sep
Stairs and halls
Quieter in winter, when the building is closed up.
Nov to Apr
Plaster and ceiling repair
Any time the unit is dry.
all year
Buildings with balconies
Painted brick and balcony railings
Some small buildings have painted brick, metal balconies or a front stoop. We wash, prime and paint what is painted, and we do not seal or paint brick that is not already painted. Tuckpointing is a mason's job, and we will tell you when that has to come first.
Questions
About exterior work
What temperature do you paint outside in?
When the wood is dry and the day is warm enough for the paint to cure. The paint's own data sheet sets the limit, and we tell you if the week's forecast moves your dates.
What happens if it rains?
We stop and move the day. You are told by text the evening before, and the estimate says how a rain delay is handled.
Do you work from ladders or scaffold?
Ladders on a porch and steps, with a second person footing it. A tall gable needs scaffold or a lift, and the estimate says which.
Is my building covered by the pre-1978 lead rule?
Many Chicago two-flats, three-flats and courtyard buildings were built before 1978. EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule covers paid work that disturbs paint in homes and child-occupied buildings built before 1978. Tell us the year when you text; our firm number is in the footer.
Send the porch.
A photo of the whole porch and a close one of the worst board is enough to start.