Questions sellers and agents ask before they call
How long before my listing date should I call?
As soon as you have a date. Front Door often fits a short notice. Whole House needs about a month on the calendar in spring.
Can you paint with furniture still in the house?
Yes. We move furniture to the middle of the room and cover it. An empty house is faster and costs less to prepare, so tell us which you have.
Do I need to be there?
No. Many sellers have already moved. Tell us how to get in and we text a photo at the end of each working day. You or your agent walk the punch list with our crew lead.
How are the colors chosen?
We bring three neutrals to the walk-through and choose one with you, or one for the walls and one for the trim. The goal is the buyers' taste, not a bold statement.
What does the written price include?
The rooms and surfaces, repairs, coats, products and sheens, number of colors, clean-up, the schedule, the deposit and the balance. Anything not written on it is not in the price.
What if you find repairs?
Small patches and caulking are in the price. Soft wood, water stains and anything bigger are quoted before we touch them, so the price you sign is the price you pay.
Does a house built before 1978 need special handling?
Yes. Homes built before 1978 may have lead in old paint. The EPA's renovation, repair and painting rule applies to paid work that disturbs paint in these homes, and the firm must be EPA certified for it. Tell us the year at the walk-through. If the home is covered, we set up containment, don't dry-sand paint, clean with a HEPA vacuum and give you the EPA's lead pamphlet before work starts. The firm number is in the footer, and this work adds time to the schedule.
What about Austin heat and rain?
In summer, exterior work starts at sunrise and stops before the afternoon heat. Rain pauses the exterior and the crew moves inside. We tell you the same day if weather moves a date.
How and when do I pay?
A deposit holds the dates and the balance is due when you sign off the punch list. The invoice goes to the seller, with a copy to the agent if the seller says yes.
Can the listing agent be our contact?
Yes, if the seller says so in writing. We keep the seller on every price and every change.
Do I need approval for an exterior color?
Some neighborhoods with an HOA ask. Check before you choose an exterior color and send us the approval. Repainting a door or trim in its current color rarely needs one.
Which paint do you use?
Premium interior and exterior paint in a sheen that photographs well. Ask for the product data sheet and we send it with the written price.
Do you do carpentry, cabinets or floors?
No. We paint, patch and caulk. If a rotten board or a loose rail turns up, we tell you so you can bring in a carpenter before we paint.
Who on the crew speaks Spanish?
Mikayla, Sophea and two of our painters speak Spanish. Tyrique and Chantal speak English. We write the price in English, Spanish or both.