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A proper paint job is expensive
Back in 2018, I was contemplating this, and wondering what to do:
So the first thing I did was look at whether I could paint the entire house myself, and the answer was yes. But I would have to rent scaffolding and have people come by to install it, and that scaffolding would need to sit there for a couple of months while I worked on this project full-time. I would also need to buy or rent specialized equipment for painting in bulk. A pressure washer, air compressor, industrial sprayers, et cetera. Then I would need the paint.
I would also need a table saw, and some lumber, and to learn enough carpentry skills to make repairs to the damaged wood I'd surely discover in the prep phase.
And because Oakland, I'd need to bring all this stuff back inside and store it every day, or it would sprout legs and walk off to the nearest encampment.
I reached the point where the list of "ways I could screw this up" grew so long that I couldn't take it seriously any more. I had to admit yet again:
So I called up painters, got estimates, got a schedule, and in October of 2020 someone came by to take color samples and talk about details.
A few weeks later, the work began. First there was the pressure washing, which revealed plenty of ugliness that would need repair from the on-staff carpenter.
Then there was the scraping and the filling, for days after that...
Which revealed new damage. Lots of dry-rot that had to be replaced in little sections.
Then it was several days of primer. More work at the tops of long ladders for these crazy guys.
And finally, it was time to bust out the paint, and the paint accessories.
And time to get rid of that stupid television dish from last century, since we're here.
It really was a lot more work than I could have handled. Four guys working full time with good skills were able to get the job done in less than two weeks, making far less disruption for myself and the tenants.
In the photo below on the left, you can see that damaged corner from the beginning, now repaired with a carefully cut sliver of wood inserted into the gap instead of a big chunk of wood filler, and primed and painted.
As part of the deal, I got aluminum weatherproofing added over the tops of the windows, to slow down the decay, and some other groovy repairs as well.
For a little extra I asked the painters to do some detail work on the gingerbread piece below the edge of the roof. The end result was pretty fancy!
So you're wondering: How much did all this cost, in Oakland moneys? Twenty-two thousand. Yes. In other parts of the country, that kind of money is 20% down for a mortgage that will get you an entire house and the property it sits on, at a reasonable interest rate.
But the thing is, my house is tall and hemmed in, and it's built to withstand earthquakes, and it's a few blocks from jobs that will pay almost 200 grand a year. All the numbers are weird. I often wish that they weren't.
So the first thing I did was look at whether I could paint the entire house myself, and the answer was yes. But I would have to rent scaffolding and have people come by to install it, and that scaffolding would need to sit there for a couple of months while I worked on this project full-time. I would also need to buy or rent specialized equipment for painting in bulk. A pressure washer, air compressor, industrial sprayers, et cetera. Then I would need the paint.
I would also need a table saw, and some lumber, and to learn enough carpentry skills to make repairs to the damaged wood I'd surely discover in the prep phase.
And because Oakland, I'd need to bring all this stuff back inside and store it every day, or it would sprout legs and walk off to the nearest encampment.
I reached the point where the list of "ways I could screw this up" grew so long that I couldn't take it seriously any more. I had to admit yet again:
So I called up painters, got estimates, got a schedule, and in October of 2020 someone came by to take color samples and talk about details.
A few weeks later, the work began. First there was the pressure washing, which revealed plenty of ugliness that would need repair from the on-staff carpenter.
Then there was the scraping and the filling, for days after that...
Which revealed new damage. Lots of dry-rot that had to be replaced in little sections.
Then it was several days of primer. More work at the tops of long ladders for these crazy guys.
And finally, it was time to bust out the paint, and the paint accessories.
And time to get rid of that stupid television dish from last century, since we're here.
It really was a lot more work than I could have handled. Four guys working full time with good skills were able to get the job done in less than two weeks, making far less disruption for myself and the tenants.
In the photo below on the left, you can see that damaged corner from the beginning, now repaired with a carefully cut sliver of wood inserted into the gap instead of a big chunk of wood filler, and primed and painted.
As part of the deal, I got aluminum weatherproofing added over the tops of the windows, to slow down the decay, and some other groovy repairs as well.
For a little extra I asked the painters to do some detail work on the gingerbread piece below the edge of the roof. The end result was pretty fancy!
So you're wondering: How much did all this cost, in Oakland moneys? Twenty-two thousand. Yes. In other parts of the country, that kind of money is 20% down for a mortgage that will get you an entire house and the property it sits on, at a reasonable interest rate.
But the thing is, my house is tall and hemmed in, and it's built to withstand earthquakes, and it's a few blocks from jobs that will pay almost 200 grand a year. All the numbers are weird. I often wish that they weren't.