Does It Pay to Buy Cheap?

Doing the Painting Yourself

When an estimate comes in a little higher than you expected, or you want upgrades that put you over budget, you might decide to handle the painting yourself. This is a good decision for small projects, such as a single room. But for multiroom additions, exteriors, rooms that require a lot of prep work, stairs, and kitchen cabinets, it makes sense to pay for a professional painter if your budget allows. The new work you find in major remodeling involves time-consuming preparation, sealing, and priming that, if not done correctly, will make a great remodel look bad. And this is to say nothing of how much time it will take from your weekends and evenings to get the job done.

Buying Cheap Paint

If you are going to do your own painting, don't make it worse by buying cheap paint. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people who have spent thousands of dollars on a bathroom or kitchen addition try to save by using cheap paint. Cheap paint is two-fold mistake: First, it fades and fails quickly, making the room look drab. Second, you'll have to buy more paint to repaint sooner, practically doubling your material costs and the amount you work. Look for paint from quality manufacturers such as Pratt & Lambert or Benjamin Moore, for which you can expect to pay at least $20 per gallon.

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