Exterior painting prepared for Michigan weather, and finished to hold up to it.
Siding, trim, brick, stucco, doors, and shutters across Oakland, Wayne, and Macomb counties. Scoped by substrate and exposure, scheduled around moisture and temperature, and protected down to the landscaping.
For homes where the exterior is an investment, not a chore.
The exteriors we serve range from 1920s brick colonials and Tudors in Birmingham and the Grosse Pointes, where trim, dormers, and detail carry the architecture, to cedar and fiber cement on newer homes in Northville and Oakland Township, to lakefront houses in West Bloomfield and Lake Orion that take weather from every direction.
An exterior repaint is a preparation project first. The finish only lasts as long as what is under it, which is why our walkthrough spends more time on failing paint, caulk, and wood condition than on color.
What we inspect before pricing an exterior.
The estimate is only as good as the inspection behind it. These are the things we check, measure, and talk through on site before anything is priced.
- Substrate: wood, fiber cement, brick, stucco, aluminum, vinyl, or mixed
- Paint failure: peeling, alligatoring, chalking, blistering, and where it is concentrated
- Wood condition: soft spots, rot at sills, fascia, and trim returns
- Caulk and sealant condition at joints, windows, and penetrations
- Exposure: sun, shade, and the side that takes the weather
- Moisture sources: gutters, grading, sprinklers hitting the siding
- Access: height, roof pitches, landscaping, and tight lot lines
- Color: how the home sits against its roof, masonry, and neighbors
Scope that reads like a plan, because it is one.
Substrate-by-substrate scope
Siding, trim, doors, shutters, railings, and masonry are each listed with their own preparation and product.
Property protection plan
Landscaping, hardscape, windows, fixtures, vehicles, and the neighbor's side are protected before cleaning begins.
Cleaning and preparation
Washed, scraped, sanded, feathered, and spot-primed. Failed caulk replaced, not topped.
Weather-aware scheduling
Work is sequenced around moisture and temperature, with holds communicated as they happen.
Premium exterior acrylics
Two finish coats of a premium line matched to the substrate and the exposure.
Final inspection and walkthrough
Every elevation reviewed in daylight, then walked with you before closeout.
Michigan is the second contractor on every exterior job.
Michigan gives exterior paint a hard life: freeze-thaw cycles, wet springs, hot west-facing afternoons, and winters that find every gap in the caulk. The exterior season runs roughly late spring through fall, and the products and the schedule have to respect both temperature and moisture.
We scope by substrate and exposure. Wood siding and trim, fiber cement, brick and masonry, stucco, aluminum, and previously painted surfaces each get a preparation and product specification of their own, and the proposal says which is which.
- Surface moisture checked before coating; wet substrates are not painted
- Application held within the product's temperature window, including overnight lows
- Loose and failing paint removed, edges feathered, bare wood primed
- Rotted or damaged trim flagged for repair before paint hides it
- Caulk joints cut out and replaced where failed, not just topped
- Two finish coats of a premium exterior acrylic for the substrate
Paint hides problems for about one season.
A fresh coat over soft wood, failed caulk, or chalky siding looks good through the fall and fails by the following spring. We prepare for the substrate in front of us, repair or flag what needs repair, and prime bare surfaces so the finish coats bond to something sound.
- Surfaces cleaned and allowed to dry fully
- Failing paint removed and edges feathered smooth
- Bare wood and repairs primed with the right primer for the substrate
- Caulk joints cut out and resealed where failed
- Doors and shutters finished separately for a crisp result
How a typical project runs.
Walkthrough
Every elevation inspected, repairs flagged, color discussed against the house.
Proposal
Scope by substrate, repairs, products, weather plan, schedule, and price.
Selections
Samples on the house in sun and shade, start window confirmed.
Production
Protect, clean, prepare, prime, finish. Weather holds communicated.
Walkthrough
Daylight review of every side, your walkthrough, care guidance, closeout.
Signs your exterior is past a touch-up.
None of these means you need to act this week. All of them mean a walkthrough would tell you something useful.
- Peeling or flaking concentrated on one exposure, usually south or west
- Chalky residue on your hand after touching the siding
- Cracked or missing caulk at windows, corners, and trim joints
- Faded color that no longer matches the trim or the shutters
- Soft or discolored wood at sills, fascia, or trim ends
- A home you plan to list within a year or two
Exterior Painting questions, answered plainly.
When is the best time of year to paint an exterior in Michigan?
Late spring through early fall, when surfaces are dry and temperatures, including overnight lows, stay inside the product's window. Modern premium acrylics extend the season, but moisture and cold nights are what we schedule around, not the calendar alone.
Do you power wash before painting?
Surfaces are cleaned before preparation, using pressure appropriate to the substrate. Old wood siding and masonry are not blasted. Cleaning removes chalk, mildew, and dirt that would otherwise sit under the new paint, and the house dries fully before work continues.
Will you repair rotted wood or damaged trim?
Minor repairs and replacement of damaged trim can be scoped into the project. Larger carpentry is flagged during the walkthrough and either included in the proposal or coordinated so it is finished before paint, never painted over.
Can you paint brick, stucco, or aluminum siding?
Yes, each with its own preparation and product. Brick and masonry need breathable coatings and careful consideration before committing, since painting brick is close to permanent. We will talk through that honestly before you decide.
How do you protect landscaping, windows, and the neighbors' property?
Plantings are tied back and covered, windows and fixtures are masked, hardscape is protected from overspray and drips, and the site is picked up daily. On tight lots in Royal Oak or Huntington Woods, the plan covers the neighbor's side too.
What about homes built before 1978?
Exterior surfaces on pre-1978 homes may contain lead-based paint. Scraping and sanding those surfaces falls under the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, and lead-safe practices are written into the plan when testing shows it applies.
How long does an exterior repaint take?
Most full exterior repaints run from several days to a couple of weeks depending on size, substrate, repairs, and weather. Your proposal includes the schedule, and weather holds are communicated as they happen.
Do you help with exterior color?
Yes. Exterior color is reviewed against your roof, brick, stone, and the neighborhood, with samples on the house in direct sun and in shade, because exterior color reads dramatically lighter outdoors.
Guides for this decision.
When to paint your exterior in Michigan, and what the weather actually requires
Season, temperature, moisture, and the scheduling realities that decide whether an exterior paint job lasts.
Older homesLead paint and homes built before 1978: what RRP means for your project
If your home predates 1978, surfaces may contain lead-based paint. Here is what the rule requires and how it changes a painting project.
HiringTen questions to ask before you hire a painting contractor
The questions that separate a professional outfit from a crew with a van, and what good answers sound like.
Start with a walkthrough, not a sales pitch.
Tell us what you are considering. We will confirm the fit, schedule a walkthrough, and put the whole project in writing before anything is scheduled.