Exterior and Interior Painting in Scottsdale and the East Valley

The Arizona realities for paint

UV and heat. Sun is the main enemy of paint here. It fades color, chalks the surface and dries out caulk. A coating that looks fine in a mild climate can break down much faster on a south or west wall in Phoenix.

Stucco movement. Hairline cracks open and close with the heat cycle. A flexible elastomeric coating can bridge them. A rigid coat will crack with them.

Monsoon. July to September rain tests every unsealed joint. Fresh caulk at trim, windows and control joints matters as much as the paint.

Surface prep. Dust and chalk are constant in the Valley. Paint over a dirty, chalky wall and it peels. Washing and priming are part of the job, not extras.

HOA design review. Many communities limit body, trim and door colors to a palette. We submit the request with the exact colors before we schedule.

Permits. Painting does not normally require a permit. We still handle HOA paperwork.

Where painting sits in the order of operations

Paint is the seal on the envelope. It is the last exterior trade, and on the inside it comes after drywall and before floors.

Outside:

1. Roof first. Roofers scuff walls and drop debris.
2. Stucco repair next. Patches must cure before color goes on.
3. Windows and doors next. New openings mean cut stucco, new flashing and new trim.
4. Paint last. It goes over cured, finished work in one pass.

Inside:

1. Open walls and drywall first.
2. Paint before floors, because rollers drip and ladders scratch.
3. Floors last, after everything above has stopped dropping dust. See flooring.

If you paint first and do the roof or windows second, you repaint the touched areas. That is the second paint bill a written order of operations is designed to avoid.

How a painting job runs

1. Free assessment. We walk the exterior and any interior rooms, and photograph the condition.
2. Written scope. Surfaces, repairs, prep, system and a plain list of what moves the price.
3. Approvals. HOA color request submitted.
4. Prep. Repairs, washing, caulking, priming and masking.
5. Paint. Two coats of the specified system.
6. Walkthrough. We walk it with you and finish a touch-up pass.

One crew chief is on site daily and is your single point of contact.

What painting costs in the Phoenix area

Most painting projects in the Phoenix area run $8,000 to $15,000, and the number is confirmed at the free assessment. A single-story home with sound stucco sits toward the low end. A two-story with cracked stucco, many colors and heavy trim sits higher. Size, stories, stucco repair and the coating system move the price most. Prep is part of the number, because paint over unrepaired walls does not last. We price after walking the surfaces, never from the street. For details, see exterior painting and interior painting.

When to call

Book the assessment if:

• Color is fading or chalking on your hand when you rub the wall
• Paint is peeling, blistering or cracking
• Caulk at windows and trim is split
• Your HOA has sent a notice
• A roof, stucco or window project is planned and you want paint timed correctly
• You are remodeling inside and want paint in the right place in the sequence

The assessment takes about an hour, costs nothing and you keep the written plan either way.