1/2026 - Homeowner Experience
WARNING: Houses are not cheap these days. Before buying a home, a house usually is very well presented by the realtor. That is designed to capture the eye of the purchaser and to guide the thought that what they are buying is “NEW” and that the investment they are about to embark on will last them for years. No one wants to buy a freshly repainted house at an estimated of $800,000 and then have to spend $10k - $30k on refinishing their kitchen cabinets.
The Reality: A beautiful home cosmetically designed to capture the eye of the buyer or a contractor who was hired to paint this house was dishonest or lacked the skillset.
The Story: This couple bought this home a few years ago. The house was painted prior to their moving in. I’m not sure if the homeowner used someone to find a painter to paint their house or if this was the realtor involved. Whatever the case, whoever painted the house or whoever arranged the painter to paint the house, did not work under the interest of the homeowner.
The Experience: When the couple arrived, the house looked beautiful and was ready to move in. This home was a custom home overlooking the valley of Exeter on a hilltop of Badger Hill. I come to find out that the house originally had stain grade cabinets and door trim. One of the trouble spots that I was called in for was by the kitchen sink and window. There were multiple areas of chipping that would look like “water damage”. This was not the case. There were also multiple areas throughout the kitchen cabinets with chipping. As I looked closer, I didn’t see any signs of sanding on the exposed lacquered wood, which doesn’t mean that someone didn’t “scuff” the lacquered surface. However, there was no signs that a primer was used over this. When I was shown the finish paint touch-up can, the paint does seem to be a cabinet grade paint from Home Depot. However, this paint is not designed to overlay on a lacquered surface without primer. Even if the paint stated “primer/finish” paint, normally this would not be a product designed for cabinets, door trim and doors. I would not recommend using this type of product over such finishes. There has to be a “bonder” in between the lacquer and the finish paint. There are three options for this homeowner….
OPTION 1 (extreme): Remove all kitchen cabinets, replace countertops, and keep all existing appliances.
OPTION 2 (the right way): Strip all the cabinets in the kitchen to bare wood. Sand, primer and provide 3 coats of finish on all finish area surfaces.
OPTION 3 (economically but still a right way): Clean all cabinets with a mild degreaser. Harsh chemicals, such as TSP, may affect the initial surface paint if the previous painter used an inferior paint. Allow to dry. Sand all cabinets. Dust all cabinets and apply a good bonding primer. Allow 24-hours to dry. Sand and dust all cabinets. Apply 3-coats of cabinet grade finish on all finish area surfaces. Allow to dry in between coats according to the manufacture’s recommendations.
NOTE: 2-coats of finish is the standard according to all paint data sheets. However, I have found the 3rd coat of paint looks more finished than the 2nd coat due to the mil build-up. Everything is already covered and masked, there is not much more labor or paint costs to add this extra coat of paint.
If a painter is not willing to do at least Option 3 or if a painter says that Option 3 is extreme, these are all signs that the painter that you are about to hire or the painter you are considering to hiring, is not qualified to perform this type of painting for you. I recommend hiring Blair Painting or a painter contractor that will at least follow option three.
What did we learn?
Paint could be used to hide things. Initially, the surface looks great but, underneath, the coating will fail.
RESULTS: $1000’s of dollars being spent in the near future for something that could’ve been done right the first time. Don’t be fooled by cheaper pricing. Paint is not just a “cosmetic” investment. It is a protection to your investment when done correctly.
Before buying a house, always find out what type of knowledge the Realtor has on the products used in the house and who was used to paint the house. Were the cabinets painted prior to showing the house? Was the painter used licensed? Did the seller paint the house prior to releasing it to the Realtor? Who did the seller use to paint the house? What was painted? What was not painted? What paint was used?
RESULTS: You may be able to purchase your house with low to no added cost. This will avoid unnecessary near future expenses on your investment that can lead to $1000’s. And this will ensure that your house finishes will hold up for a long time. Unfortunately, there are Realtors who hire painters and abuse what paint is meant to do. Instead, they use it cosmetically hide things just for a sale.
Before using a painting contractor, always find out if he is licensed, bonded and has workers compensation if he has employees working for him. Also, find out what process he will use, what type of paint he will use, can the contractor provide you with data sheets and show you that the paint being used is the correct grade of paint or the correct primer to use and will he use option 3 when painting cabinets, doors and trim.
RESULTS: An expense worth the investment that will last you a long time.
CONCLUSION: It seems to be a lot to think of prior to buying a home. Blair Painting can help! If you are interested in buying a house, let Blair Painting assist you by calling 1-559-359-2183. We can help by evaluating the home of purchase. This service is free of charge if Blair Painting is used for your painting project.