Property Manager’s Ultimate Painting Guide for 2022
Painting or re-painting a home or office, especially if it’s a rental property that has tenants in and out, shouldn’t be treated like a simple home makeover. At Infinite, we’ve helped many property managers know what they should look for in order to refresh, renew and repaint their properties and improve their overall value while future-proofing them for less frequent repaint jobs.
Hire a Great Contractor
Even though it might sound obvious, there’s no other way to phrase it, if you want a great paint job then you should hire a great painting contractor like Infinite.
Picking a rental property to live in and decorate can be tricky. One of the most cost-effective ways you can improve your space is by painting it. Keep in mind that while we applaud anyone who opts to do the job themselves, this isn’t an area where one should skimp on their budget. Unlike your own personalized home, this is a space that you want visitors or people living there for long periods of time to find satisfactory if not pleasing – which they won’t if it looks shabby at best! Read reviews about painters and work with qualified property management companies so that quality stays high across the board. As general basic steps this type of job will need to:
- Clean up any gunk
- Use rollers for priming walls
- Mask off rooms before starting to paint so as not to ruin other parts/rooms
- After trim dries put tape over it again then proceed with painting the wall from top-down (in ‘W’ shape)
- Roll some paint [with color] onto the surface adhering within the “W” pattern
Paint and Tools
You don’t want to go cheap on anything related to your property since you’ll wind up having to pay more to fix it in the long run. You don’t have to spend a fortune on paint, but you should do your research (or hire a pro) to choose long-lasting paint that can withstand some wear and strain.
The same principle applies to tools, especially if you’re the one painting. Make certain to purchase the following items:
- Paint extension pole
- Painter’s tape
- Edger
- Roller
- Paintbrush
- Paint tray
- Ladder
Paint Price
In general, one gallon of paint covers up to 400 square feet, so keep that in mind when shopping. Below is a pricing table to figure out how much paint you’ll need. To prepare the walls and primer, you’ll also need to acquire any cleaning supplies.
| Paint Type | Average Cost/Gallon |
|---|---|
| Flat | $27 – 40 |
| Matt | $25 – 50 |
| Eggshell | $24 – 40 |
| Satin | $29 – 42 |
| Semi-Gloss | $33 – 56 |
| High Gloss | $30 – 120 |
Paint Type and Finishes
Let’s look at the distinctions between various paint finishes and where they should be used in your property.
Mineral concentration is increased in flat paints with less gloss. This results in an even, rich coat that hides faults and surface blemishes, but the finish is less durable as a result.
The fewer minerals in a paint, the glossier it is. While this improves the finish’s durability and smoothness, its reflective nature makes any defects, grime, or stains on the walls stand out much more.
Linus Tech Tips recently did a couple of videos in regards to the importance of choosing the right product with the right type and finish. In his case, the contractor he hired to paint his home, had to repaint his whole house because they did not use the eggshell finish he required.
Oh and in case you wondered why eggshell was such an important requirement for him, Linus went on to correctly explain that eggshell is not a color, it is a type of finish.
Color Trends in 2022
Overall, the most popular paint colors this year have one thing in common: they are bright and have a big visual impact.
If you want to repaint the interior of your home in style, here are the most popular colors for each room:
Kitchen: Warm and luscious colors of burnt sienna, burnt orange, mustard, and shades of yellow fill this space (from bright lemon to pale butter hues).
Dining Room: Dark and gorgeous colors such as purple, teal, deep green, deep emerald, earthy shades of red, stone white are used in the dining room (especially great if there is not a lot of natural light)
Living room: Some really uncommon hues are popular, such as sage, olive-lilac, blush, white beige, and all shades of grey, grey-black, and green-grey.
Bedroom: All colors of blue, beige, and green, from light to dark, are popular in the bedroom.
Bathroom: last year’s trendy light colors and white tones are making way for rich blue hues (cobalt, aqua, navy, blue-grey, slate blue, etc). Shades like taupe, grey, and beige will calm you down and make you feel safer.
Even neutral or white bathrooms are seeing more color, even if it’s merely in the form of an accent wall, photos, or accessories.
Entryway: Taupe, beige tones, dark teal, navy, and dark violet for the entryway.
Accents: Violet, plum (one of the year’s biggest hits), rich tones of crimson, navy, turquoise, and olive green are also popular accent colors.
To Each Its Own?
As a property manager or property management business, you should consider using the same paint in multiple rooms and units (if you have multiple). There are two reasons for this.
One advantage is that you can save time and money if you keep to the same colors; leftover paint from one property can be utilized on another.
The second advantage is that maintaining consistency will help your brand grow.
Do your properties have a laid-back California feel to them? Or are they more minimalist and contemporary?
It’s essential to sell yourself to the people with whom you connect, thus keeping your properties in a similar design can help them connect with you.
What It All Comes Down To
Being a great property manager means keeping your residents happy while also optimizing resources and cost-effectiveness of every construction, maintenance, or repair job you have to hire.
Finding a contractor you can trust is key and essential so you both can thrive in a long-lasting relationship that will make every single person involved, confident, and well assured in their living environment which ultimately is the peace of mind we’re all looking for.