Trim Painting in Somerville, MA

How this plays out in Somerville

Most of what we paint in Somerville is three-deckers packed shoulder to shoulder. Three-deckers and two-families from the 1890s through the 1920s, packed tight with minimal side yards, plus Victorian single-families on Spring Hill and Prospect Hill. Somerville buildings sit within a few feet of each other. Ladder and staging placement on a three-storey exterior is planned, not assumed, and often negotiated with a neighbour.

How we do it

Brushwork with clean cut lines where trim meets wall. Semi-gloss enamel so it wipes down and holds up.

Trim gets filled, caulked at the wall line, sanded, then brushed with an enamel that levels out rather than holding brush marks. Waterborne alkyds flow better than straight latex on casing and give you a harder surface on a windowsill that actually gets used.

The mistake we get called to fix

Caulk applied after paint rather than before is the tell of a rushed job. It yellows, it cracks along the top edge, and it can't be fixed without redoing the line.

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: Benjamin Moore