We all know the importance of curb appeal and how property values increase when your community looks fresh and beautiful after painting.
Peeling paint, rotten wood, and rusting wrought iron is a huge turn-off as it all points to the community not being properly maintained. A potential buyer has to decide if they want to be a member of a community that won’t be maintaining and protecting their investment.
Do You Save Money By Waiting for A Little Longer To Paint?
Painting is not cheap, and it’s difficult to spend large amounts of money. So you may think that putting off your HOA’s painting project for a year or two is a good way to stretch your money. After all, the longer you go between paint jobs, the more money you’ll save. Right?
Not so.
If you have faded, cracked and peeling paint considers painting now to save lots of money in the future. The longer surfaces are exposed to the elements, the more repair they’ll need. The extra labor and material cost of your painting project could increase by 15 to 20 percent (or even more), due to the extra preparation and priming it will take to properly restore a surface. Waiting just a few more years of wet winters and hot summers will end up costing you more, not saving you money.
Oftentimes, exposed surfaces are beyond repair and need to be replaced. The additional labor and materials to replace damaged, dry-rot wood or rusted-out wrought iron can increase your project cost by 50% or more depending on the severity of the damage.
Pro Tips On Low-Cost HOA Maintenance
All the experts agree that scheduling inspections every few years to maintain painted surfaces is the best way to protect your community.
Consider pressure washing every few years because the dirt and pollutants that accumulate over the years will attack and degrade the paint film. Power washing alone will add longevity to your paint job.
Also consider having a professional painting company touch up the west and south-facing, sun-exposed areas between painting cycles. These two, low-cost maintenance tips will save your homeowner's association money while keeping your community looking ALLBRiGHT for many years to come!