Exterior decorating.

Outside work is decided by the preparation, not the paint. Render, masonry, timber and metal each fail differently, and each needs a different answer before a brush comes near them.

We wash down, cut out anything that has blown or delaminated, treat bare timber and spot-prime exposed metal. Loose or flaking coatings come off rather than get painted over — covering a failing surface only hides how long it has left.

Weather and timing

Weather sets the timetable. There are days in Northern Ireland when the right decision is not to paint, and we would rather tell you that than put a coat on a damp wall and watch it lift by spring.

Most houses take between three days and two weeks depending on the size and what the preparation turns up.