Only a Rich Man Can Afford Cheap Paint

Only a Rich Man Can Afford Cheap Paint

Being a landlord is about watching your pennies and working those extra hours to take care of your property, so that someday your property can take care of you. With so many of our expenses out of our control, a seeming great deal on paint at your local hardware stores sidewalk sale is hard to resist. But you must resist. In any painting project, the labor is the most expensive portion of the job. So with time being the our most valuable commodity, do not waste a minute putting cheap paint on your rental. Good paint will apply with ease, cover in one coat, and last for years. However, cheap paint is sticky or runny, takes multiple coats to cover, and will start to fade or peel soon after. There are many brands to choose from - Rodda, Sherman Williams, Forrest (my favorite), Benjamin Moore, and many others. Try to stay away from the companies that sell the different quality grades and stick with the best. Those companies sell only one grade of paint, as they do not want to put their name on anything less. Also spend time on the prep, and if you are going to paint your pre-1978 rental home, become lead based paint certified or hire a certified contractor to test the home for you. Being busted for this infraction will take all the profits out of your project for a long time, if not forever. Remember: everyone is trying to take your money or cost you money, so a little paranoia is healthy. I see a lot of folks whip out the sprayer fifteen minutes after they arrive on the job and run around like the world is on fire. Slow down, think the job through, and set some time aside to do the job right. We want this paint to last years - not months. A quality prep job using quality caulking and paint will last for years. So work hard, save your pennies, take care of your rental, eat your vegetables and someday maybe you will afford cheap paint. Until then, continue to resist the temptation. Happy landlording!