Exterior Painting in Beacon Hill, Boston MA

What this looks like in Beacon Hill

Most of what we paint in Beacon Hill is Federal brick rowhouses. Federal and Greek Revival brick rowhouses from the early 1800s, with original wood sash, shutters, panelled doors and interior plaster throughout. Boston's first historic district. Exterior changes visible from a public way require approval, and the level of detail reviewed here goes further than anywhere else in the city.

What actually happens on site

Full pressure wash, scrape back anything loose, feather the edges, replace rotted wood, caulk every gap, prime bare surfaces, then two coats.

Wash, then let it dry — 48 hours minimum, longer on north elevations that never see sun. Then scrape everything lifting, feather the edges with 80 grit so the transition doesn't telegraph through the finish, spot prime bare wood the same day it's exposed, and caulk after priming rather than before so the caulk bonds to primer instead of raw grain.

Where these jobs go wrong

Nearly every failed exterior we're called to repaint failed for the same reason: someone coated over chalky, damp or mildewed siding. Paint doesn't stick to dirt, and no product on the shelf fixes bad prep.

What the quote covers

• Line-by-line scope — prep, materials and labour costed separately
• A real start date and duration, held to
• Licence #193121 and certificate of insurance in writing
• Two-year workmanship warranty

Products are Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams. Worth reading before you hire anyone: EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule National Weather Service Boston forecast