Incredibly, it won’t be long until the worst of the winter weather gives way to the most inspiring season of the year. Decorating during winter is never a bad idea, but the spring never fails to inspire DIYers to get busy with their paint brushes.

From Chevy Chase MD to Washington DC and everywhere else besides, the annual home improvement frenzy is about to begin once again. But what many fail to realize is that in some cases…quite a lot, in fact…it can actually be cheaper to hire help.

On the surface, hiring professional painters to save money seems like a nonsensical concept. In reality, it’s not quite as farfetched as it seems. When you think about all the tools and equipment you need to paint your home, DIY painting costs can quickly escalate. Plus, you don’t get access to the same trade-only deals on paints and consumables as the pros.

To put things into context, here’s a rundown of just a few of the tools and accessories you’ll need to paint your home (and paint it well):

Paints and Primers

The highest quality paints and primers on the market can be surprisingly expensive. Cutting corners on quality is the biggest mistake you can make, as you’re setting yourself up for guaranteed disappointment. It can also be tricky to work out exactly how much you need, resulting in you buying too much and wasting money.

Cloths and Covers

You’ll also need a decent contingency of covers to protect your floors, fixtures, furniture and so on. Drop cloths aren’t particularly cheap – at least if you go for those that actually offer a decent amount of protection. Far too many ‘protective’ cloths available right now allow paint to seep directly through and into/onto whatever you were trying to protect.

Brushes, Rollers, Pads etc.

There isn’t a paint application device on the market worldwide that can do it all.  Instead, you need a relatively extensive arsenal of paint brushes, rollers, pads and specialist tools to paint every corner of your interiors. Prices range from the sublime to the ridiculous, but low-grade painting tools are an absolute nightmare to work with. If you’re out to create a result to be proud of, you’ll want to set your sights on the top-shelf tools you can trust.

A Good Ladder

You’ll probably find that you spend a surprising amount of time halfway up a ladder while painting your home. As a result, the importance of investing in a comprehensively safe and sturdy ladder cannot be overemphasized. Health and safety should be your top priority from start to finish – never take chances with substandard accessories.

Personal Protective Equipment

Speaking of which, there’s a reason you’ll never see a reputable professional painter tackling a job without the necessary PPE. Depending on the task you’re taking care of at the time, you’ll need the right safety gear to keep you safe. Goggles, masks, gloves and so on – all essential for the safety conscious decorator.

Painters’ Tape

Not particularly expensive, but actually using painters’ tape properly is a different story entirely. It’s not quite as easy as it looks, and you also need to know exactly when to remove it to create a perfect line. Don’t make the mistake of picking up bargain basement painters’ tape to save money – it’ll cause you more problems than can imagine.

Hole Filler and Sandpaper

Chances are, you’ll also come across a variety of holes and imperfections in the surfaces you intend to paint. At which point, they’ll need repairing with an appropriate filler and sanding down to a flawless finish with the right type of sandpaper. Again, these are not the most expensive painting provisions, but can be tricky to work with at the best of times.

Ask the Experts…

Of course, the list above is anything but exhaustive. You’ll also need all the tools necessary to remove light fittings and fixtures, take as many decorations off your walls as possible and perhaps dismantle anything that needs removing from the immediate vicinity.

Put the pieces together and you could well be looking at an outgoing that exceeds the costs of a professional painting job.

At Homm CPS, we take pride in offering a comprehensive range of flexible and affordable home painting services to suit all budgets. We also provide 100% free, no-obligation consultations and quotations for customers across the region.

Whether ready to go ahead or simply considering the available options, we’d be happy to hear from you. Call Homm CPS anytime for more information, or drop us an e-mail and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.