Spring is just around the corner, and you could not be more ready. You know that the day is approaching (if it hasn’t already come) when you will walk out your door and be greeted by the sight of little purple crocuses peeking up from under the frost. When that day comes, it is time to contemplate opening your doors and getting ready for the great cleaning and airing out that always comes with the warming of the seasons. It is also the time to start thinking seriously about redecorating, since with the onset of the warm weather the procedures of redecorating will become more convenient. It is good to plan your projects early, since you won’t be alone in bringing your focus toward home improvement – as an experienced painting and refinishing contractor in the Washington, DC area, take it from us that spring is a popular season for redecorating. Here are five tips for how you can get ready for the great spring rush on redecorating.
1. Plan your project early. Late February is the perfect time to get a contract, because you get your project in just before the Spring rush. If you start early in picking your colors and deciding what kind of paint you want, then you can make the execution of your project maximally efficient.
2. Get rid of clutter in the areas that you want to improve. If you have been putting off a trip to the dump or recycling facility, now is the time to make that happen. A cluttered home is hard to work with, both in terms of visioning what you might want for the space, and in terms of actually executing any work you might want to get done. This goes for exterior projects as well; while it may be too cold to paint for another few weeks, if you get rid of your unwanted junk now, you can focus on the next steps of the project the second the weather allows.
3. Do a self-inspection. Go through your home, interior and exterior, and search for signs of any paint or other coating failure. Cracked and peeling paint, mold and mildew, water damage, chalking or impurity leaching, damage to the substrate; make a full list of all the blows your home has taken over the course of the difficult winter, so that you have a comprehensive picture of the work you want done when it come stime to engage a contractor.
4. Envision a Creative Exterior. Spring is an inspiring time for decoration, since the natural world is becoming more full of light and colors. Especially for exterior projects, it can be fun to plan landscaping and exterior redecorating projects so that they will come together to create an enchanting outdoor environment right around late April/early May, when you start to really start yearning for an outdoor cookout. Just keep in mind that your outdoor landscaping will be more vulnerable while your exterior is being worked on, so you might want to consider planting after painting.
5. Watch the weather. While Spring is a warmer time of year than winter, it can also be a wetter time of year. Water damage can affect both interiors and exteriors, as well as hampering the progress of exterior projects. Scheduling your remodeling project early, before the rains set in in earnest, can be a good way to stop potential damage in its tracks – and it can also ensure that your work gets done during what can be an extremely volatile season.