The new trend with homeowners is to do as much as possible yourself, and with the rising costs of food, adjustable rate mortgages and gasoline, consumers are doing everything they can to save money.
So, it should be no surprise the folks are looking into DIY (do-it-yourself) options.
One way to add value to your home and to brighten things up for Spring Cleaning is to put on a new paint job.
For anyone who has ever painted their own home, well we know it is easier said than done.
This of course, does not mean it is impossible, it can be done, if you take it seriously and follow the proper steps.
Most folks spend a good amount of time picking out that perfect shade of color to give their home a personal tough and a home type feeling.
When professional painters or home supply stores call their paints "house paint" it can be a real turn off.
After all, it is the person's home, not just any old house.
Let me give you a bit of advice about painting; the painting is the easy part.
That may sound funny, but it's true.
The preparation, well that's the key to a perfect paint job.
If you are going to paint your own home, you would be much better off buying a decent pressure washer to assist in the prepping than trying to do it all with a brush and garden hose nozzle.
Still, pressure washing 101 tells us that you have to be careful with high pressure while cleaning all the spider webs from the eaves, or dirt and debris from the rain gutters.
You must do a perfect job there, plus, if you are painting on stucco or wood you need to flush out completely all the crevices.
To prevent chipping of wood or stucco you must remain 1 foot back while pressure washing and you should plan on cleaning each surface 3-times.
Clean it once, brush, rinse and let it dry.
Do this 3-step process three times, along with any sanding, re-surfacing or repairs.
Then you are ready to paint.