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If a picture paints a thousand words, then you could say faux finishing a room of your home paints more than a million. And that is because the word ‘faux,’ which originates from French means fake. Thankfully, there’s nothing fake about this type of home makeover. Instead of creating elaborate murals or costly wooden cabinets, you can use faux finishes for wall, floor, and ceiling to give your décor an expensive touch without the extreme price tag of original materials such as marble, suede, or buying antiques.

Project done by Level Five Painting, LLC.

• Strié: a technique that gives walls the appearance of being covered with fine fabric. The technique utilizes brushes and paint glaze to create a soft, subtle striped appearance on walls without the hassle of applying wallpaper.

• Sfumato: a technique that overlays translucent layers of color to create perceptions of depth, volume, and form. It refers to the subtly blending of colors or tones making it impossible to notice transition between them. The word sfumato comes from Italian and evokes an impressionist technique used by such masters as Leonardo da Vinci.

• Stripes: a technique that adds patterns to a surface. It’s the perfect painting that stands out and draws attention. The idea of painting stripes on walls has been around for a while as it used to be a more common way to spruce up one’s room. Some new homeowners choose this option for their first time renovating a room because it’s not as expensive as wallpapers and gives more freedom over the design for your painting since you can have vertical or horizontal stripes.

• Antiquing: a technique applied to an item to give it the appearance of being an aged antique when it is not – it replicates the look of authenticity and history to surfaces like ceilings, furniture, or floors. It provides a unique way to accentuate any interior design project.

• Whitewashing or Lime Washing: a technique that replicates aged look to a surface. It adds rustic yet bright charm to furniture or even walls.

If you are interested in having any part of your residence painted using faux finish, keep in mind that the only consistency you can expect is in terms of quality. Don’t expect patterns. Faux finishes are unique pieces of art done by human beings. Similar to a painting you have from your favorite artist framed in your house, having a wall treated with a faux finish will provide you with a singular look and experience. No faux finish is like the other even though the technique applied could be the same.

Need a Painting Contractor?

Level Five Painting, LLC. is ready to answer any questions you have on painting projects as well as plan your next one. If you are interested in getting an estimate from us, fill out this form or reach out by phone or email.

Email us: contact@levelfivepaintingllc.com
Call us: (617) 869-9446

Exterior painting project season is always busy for any painting contractor. One of the main services provided during the hottest days of the year is deck painting/staining and renovation. Decks are an amazing way to add value to your property. According to the “Remodeling Calculator” website, compared to an attic, building a deck costs a lot less, but provides one of the top ROIs of all remodeling projects.

If you are thinking about selling your house we strongly recommend you pay more attention to the quality and attractiveness of the decks. According to the same source (cost vs. value report), “A homeowner can recoup an average of 80% of the cost of building a new wood deck, during resale. […] Compare this with 78% recouped for a bathroom remodel and 69% recouped for a family room addition.”

Even though decks are amazing options to attract buyers, not all decks have the same value. It’s very important to make sure you will trust your deck in only professional hands. Our team has an extensive deck portfolio. That’s the main reason why the CEO of our company, Jorge Aurichi, came up with some tips to help you when you are investing in a deck.

Project done by Level Five Painting, LLC.

• Inspection & Repair: the first step is to make sure you will hire a professional capable of properly inspecting your existing deck in order to access rotted woods and repair it. We from Level Five Painting, during the first day of the meeting, access the deck and verify if it has any damage that can affect the whole deck – from its structure to the final product. In our wood inspection, we identify what type of wood the deck is made of (it can be Mahogany, Oak, Ipe, etc.). This part is extremely important because different woods have distinct tones and colors. If a professional doesn’t precisely know what type of wood is dealing with it, is not possible to know exactly what product to use on it. It will result in a job that will cost more and takes more time to repair the mistakes.
• Cleaning & Power Washing: one of the most important steps during this process in order to have amazing results is to provide great quality deck cleaning. A great professional knows exactly the types of cleaning products that go with existing decks wood and its finishes. Our company always makes sure we only work with eco-friendly products. All our products don’t offer damage to plants, animals, sole, pets, and people – especially babies/kids.
  • It’s very important to provide proper power washing. The pressure of the machine should be adapted accordingly to the type of wood. If there’s more pressure than the wood supports you will end up with damages and flaws in the substrate that didn’t even have in there before this procedure.

• Prep Work + Staining + Sealing + Painting: the prep work includes scraping, sanding, cleaning, and priming (if the deck was previously painted). The prep work should always be done with the correct and great quality materials because one mistake can cause delays and a lot of loss.

The correct products are important tools during the entire process, especially after the prep work is done. One common mistake done by non-professionals is using products that are not suitable for exterior areas. Decks should always be painted by using exterior premium products. We know those products cost more but it also protects the deck for a longer time if compared to other brands.

Lastly, keep in mind – when hiring a contractor – that only real professionals have vast knowledge and experience with decks. The wrong person can’t do exactly what and with the excellence a professional does. The wrong contractor can cost you more than if you start your project with the correct person taking care of it.

Need a Painting Contractor?

Level Five Painting, LLC. is ready to answer any questions you have on painting projects as well as plan your next one. If you are interested in getting an estimate from us, fill out this form or reach out by phone or email.

Email us: contact@levelfivepaintingllc.com
Call us: (617) 869-9446

Many homeowners wait until the weather is warmer to start their painting project. This makes all sense once it’s the perfect condition for painters to deal with exterior parts of houses. Because of the high volume of people looking for painters during the warmest seasons of the year our team created a list of everything you must know before hiring a painting contractor.

Project done by Level Five Painting, LLC.

What you must consider:

• Open Communication: if you are planning on starting a painting project you must keep your communication open with your prospective contractor. You must tell the professional what quality you are expecting the project to be done and what it is your real budget. Those are important things to tell anyone that you are getting quotes from. This is the only way to get an ethical estimate.
• Great Recommendations: when you are searching for companies to provide an estimate you must identify companies with good online reviews and companies with references upon request – from real clients and home improvement professionals.
• License and Insurance: verify if the contractor has insurance and license to work either with exterior or interior projects. Reliable contractors must have a Home Improvement license and Asbestos/Lead-safe certifications as well as trained professionals to work in those areas.
• Knowledge and Network: what differentiates a great painting contractor from a regular one is knowledge. A reliable painting contractor must know not only about painting products and services but other areas of home improvement as well as know great professional references. Level Five Painting, LLC. keeps great relationships with clients and other contractors. Proudly, we are a source of contacts and recommendations for clients and collaborators. Our vast network has not only home improvement contractors but other types of professionals, such as financial ones.
• Ask for Detailed Estimates: ask for detailed estimates with everything you need from a painting contractor. Ask for material details and if the painting crew starting your project will be the same one finishing it. Level Five Painting, LLC.  maintains the same crew from the beginning to the end of each project. We keep open lines of communication during the entire painting process. On the first day of work, we introduce our painting crew to the clients and ask if they are comfortable working with them on their projects. For us, this is the best way to produce an ethical work and control its quality of it.
• Cleaning: only hire companies that keep cleaning as a priority. Level Five Painting, LLC. is proud to be rigorous about this subject.
• High Standards: hire painter contractors that offer support from beginning to end of any painting process. Contractors should always ask for their clients’ feedback – not only at the end of the project. Your opinion is essential in every step of the painting project. Contractors do a great job when the client gets satisfied with all results done in the project. If a company crew doesn’t promptly pay attention to their clients’ concerns it’s a great sign that they should not trust them. Level Five Painting, LLC. doesn’t finish a job without our clients’ approval. If a client tells us the project needs touch-ups or any additional services we will do it.
• Trained & Qualified Professionals: hire a company that has trained professionals in different areas. Level Five Painting,  LLC. is specialized in lacquer; wallpaper; upholstery; exterior paint; glaze finish; cabinetry; stains; restoring furniture; high gloss finishes; industrial coating (epoxy, textures); Venetian plaster; faux finishes, and murals.

Need a Painting Contractor?

Level Five Painting, LLC. is ready to answer any questions you have on painting projects as well as plan your next one. If you are interested in getting an estimate from us, fill out this form or reach out by phone or email.

Email us: contact@levelfivepaintingllc.com
Call us: (617) 869-9446

Vinyl siding is plastic exterior siding for houses and small apartment buildings, used for decoration and weatherproofing. Although this engineered product, manufactured primarily from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin, is commonly installed in residential construction in the United States until a few years ago it was not recommended to paint it with color-changing vinyl siding.

Fortunately, nowadays painting contractors can work with premium products specially designed to transform houses. Without re-siding necessary, with the right products, and painting techniques, painters can now provide exceptional work changing the color of houses and buildings with vinyl siding while locking in optimal performance.

Benjamin Moore Regal Select Exterior REVIVE for Vinyl Siding

Debunking the misconception that you can’t paint your vinyl siding, our team strongly recommend using the product “Revive”, from Benjamin Moore. This product is offered in a large color palette and was exclusively created to rapidly give a new face to your vinyl siding. Although “Revive” can be found in many colors, you can’t find it in any “black” shade or any colors that contain black in the formula because it retains more heat than the other colors and can bend any vinyl siding.

Another product option is a paint called “Duration” from Sherwin Williams which is a very good product, but whoever is painting the house has to disclose that the chosen color is going to be applied on vinyl siding and it cannot contains any type of black tint to the formula.

Now that you know that is possible to find the right product to color-change your vinyl siding, you can also find the perfect painting contractor to provide you with this type of service. Level Five Painting, LLC. can change the color of your vinyl siding without overcharging you and taking longer than necessary to complete your project.

According to the owner of our company, Jorge Aurichi, the secret to completing a perfect job involving any vinyl siding is to certify that your team will follow all steps of this procedure with knowledge and attention to detail. “The first thing you have to do in a vinyl siding project is power washing the house – maybe 2 or 3 times if necessary – to completely remove all chalk. Then you tape all the windows and isolate all areas you don’t want to paint. After that, you apply the Revive product either with a brush, rollers, or spray, but the idea is to apply it using a spray machine”.

It is extremely important to proceed with this type of project only during convenient weather – it’s not recommended to be done on extremely hot and sunny days nor during rainy days. According to Aurichi, perfect temperatures are between 53°F and 70°F, that’s why the end of spring and the beginning of summer are the perfect days to hire someone to change the color of your vinyl siding.

Once the weather allows your contractor to get the job done, your project can be finished within a short time. “If you have time you can get those 2 or 3 power washing done on the same day. Once vinyl sidings don’t absorb the water, you can paint the house the next day. It takes around 4 days to get the color-changing of the vinyl siding of a 2,500 square ft. house is done”.

Vinyl siding projects are less pricey than any wood painting project. Once a reliable painting contractor got the job done, your paint with last long. The “Revive” product costs around US$60/70 per gallon. It takes approximately 20 gallons to paint a 2,500 square ft. house”, said Aurichi. While any paint can fad naturally by time and weather, the only maintenance required is power washing your vinyl siding each spring in order to extend the life of your paint job.

Need a Painting Contractor?

Level Five Painting, LLC. is ready to answer any questions you have on painting projects as well as plan your next one. If you are interested in getting an estimate from us, fill out this form or reach out by phone or email.

Email us: contact@levelfivepaintingllc.com
Call us: (617) 869-9446

Very common in the 60s to mid-70s, when houses were made from horsehair plaster, contractors, developers, and homeowners used wallpaper to mainly cover wall imperfections. Over the years, wallpaper changed a lot – not only in terms of the materials those coverings are made from but also in its purpose.

Project done in Weston (MA) by Level Five Painting, LLC.

As trends come and go, wallpaper never went out of style. However, some people may have forgotten how valuable this type of covering can be. Nowadays, as technology allows, manufacturers can develop many styles of wallpapers from the most diverse materials. Today, wallpapers are not used to cover imperfection – but to decorate houses and add sophistication to any ambient.

• Pre-service: one of the main services offered by Level Five Painting, LLC. is wallpaper removal & hanging. If you are wondering how to get wallpaper installed at your project, here is how we handle the process of a wallpaper hanging project.

1. 1. • • • • When a client calls Level Five Painting, LLC. the first step to being taken care of is to schedule an in-person meeting at the project location.
            • The second step of the process is to question what type of wallpaper the client wants to be installed. This is a key question because the type of wallpaper will determine the pricing of installation as well as the quantity of wallpaper to be ordered and the duration the project will take.

• Types of Wallpaper: check them out below:
  • Pre-pasted Wallpaper: has the adhesive applied to its back.
  • Unpasted Wallpaper: requires adding adhesive to its back to being hung on walls.
  • Grasscloth: very commonly used nowadays, this type of material is texturized, with a random pattern and heavy height. It can be made from natural or synthetic fibers. Within this material, perfect seams are not possible. The client must be aware that every project done with grasscloth is different from others because of the uniqueness of this type of material.
  • Abstract: this type of wallpaper doesn’t display a repeated pattern. It can be done in a grasscloth or vinyl printed or linen (fabric).
  • Illustrated: this type of wallpaper displays repeated patterns. Some of these wallpapers display their repeats horizontally or vertically, within the most diverse distance.
  • Murals: murals are the most sophisticated wallpaper that can be handed printed, reproductions of art words, custom landscapes, etc. Those are sold by each panel.

• The third step of the process is to measure the dimensions by analyzing wall by wall that the wallpaper will be installed as well as if the room has doors and windows.
• The fourth key question is to determine if the wallpaper has any repeats in it. It’s extremely important to emphasize that more repeats within a wallpaper it means more waste.

Project done in Sudbury (MA) by Level Five Painting, LLC.

• Wallpaper Installation Process: once the project is approved it’s necessary to prepare walls. The preparation phase of any project is highly important. Nowadays, wallpapers are not created to cover imperfection, it means if your walls are not proper preparation you are wasting money. The preparation includes patching walls to fix any holes and uneven surfaces; sanding, cleaning, and priming walls (with vinyl primer) to finally install the wallpaper.

• Add Value to Your Project: it is important to emphasize that each type of wallpaper has different pricing. Level Five Painting, LLC. recommend to everyone that is thinking about having a wallpaper installed at home, to work with interior designers. Some wallpaper stores don’t sell wallpaper rolls direct to the client themselves, and when it does is commonly overpriced. Interior designers have access to where and how to buy the best wallpapers for you and your project without overcharging you for service and the material itself.

Wallpaper is an investment. That’s why is so important to work with professionals that won’t make you waste your time and money. Level Five Painting, LLC. works with the best interior designers of New England with years of experience.

Our team is ready to recommend a professional interior designer that will fit your needs, will not overcharge you, and will also help you select the best wallpaper to suit your style. From our side, we only charge our clients for the preparation of walls as well as the installation of the wallpaper.

Need a Painting Contractor?

Level Five Painting, LLC. is ready to answer any questions you have on painting projects as well as plan your next one. If you are interested in getting an estimate from us, fill out this form or reach out by phone or email.

Email us: contact@levelfivepaintingllc.com
Call us: (617) 869-9446

Cabinet painting is one of the most prestigious painting processes. It shows sophistication and care in any residency. Although it’s such a powerful service, capable of transforming an entire kitchen, it must be done properly. Level Five Painting, LLC. believes that no one deserves to waste time and money with miss information.

Our team prepared a guide that you must read if you are thinking about starting any cabinet painting project. Here you will find everything you can expect from a well-executed cabinet painting service as well as a list of criteria that will define a perfect painting contractor for you and your home.

Project done in Chestnut Hill (MA) by Level Five Painting, LLC.

1. 1. What to expect from a cabinet painting service executed by reliable professionals:

Communication is the Key:

1. 1. the first thing Level Five Painting, LLC. does when we meet clients is talking to them to understand their needs and what results they expect. The contractor-client relationship should be based on communication and trust. From the painting contractor perspective, it’s extremely important to inform the client how the painting process will work based on what the client is looking for.

Requests & Services:

1. 1. • • not just because you want to transform your cabinets that it means you only have one option to choose from the range of services. Here are some of the most common requests our team has received over the past years:

1. 1. • • • • Request I: some clients ask to change the color of its cabinets’ stain – to darker or lighter – but keep the same finish. In this case, our team must start the process by stripping the entire cabinetry to be able to see and touch the bare wood which those cabinets were made of. To prep the cabinets to stain we have to the following procedures; first cleaning, chemical stripping, and light sanding the cabinets; in the detailed parts such as molding, after all, display the exact stain color selected by the client. After that, we apply 2 coats of stain – lacquer clear or polyurethane clear.

1. 1. • • • • Request II: another common scenario is when the client wants to change the stain to a solid color. It can be done with any paint color or hard coating finish (lacquer). In both cases, the following procedure consists of first cleaning and light sanding the cabinets; in the detailed parts such as molding, then applying the sanding sealer; applying 2 coats of primer followed by 2 coats of solid lacquer (hard coating with any color), or paint color (latex or oil paint).

1. • • • • Note: it’s also necessary to know if the client wants the painting contractor to change the puller and doorknobs – in this case, it’s required to patch all holes and then re-drill the hardware.

Project done in Boston (MA) by Level Five Painting, LLC.

Process and Deadlines:

1. 1. Level Five Painting, LLC.’s process includes our team explaining to clients that:

1. 1. If the job will be done in existing cabinets, our painting team will paint the cabinets box in the own client’s house. The front door of drawers and cabinet doors will be painted in our warehouse in the spray booth. This way, the client has access to its kitchen right after we finish painting the cabinets boxes.

1. 1. • • This process takes – depending on the size of the cabinets – 7 days, which is broken down into 3 parts:

1. 1. • • • • 1 part (3-4 days): work at the own client’s house

1. 1. • • • • 2 part (3-4 days): working in the warehouse

1. • • • • 3 part: return to the client’s house to install the cabinets

Project done in Wellesley (MA) by Level Five Painting, LLC.

Product Selection:

1. 1. it’s extremely important to hire professionals that can work with the most different types of products. Here are the most used products in cabinet painting projects:

Original/Solvent-base Lacquer:

1. 1. It’s very important to emphasize that although the original lacquer has a hard finish, offers strong protection against stains, long durability, and smooth results, it is made from a solvent base and it has a strong smell.

Water-based Lacquer:

1. 1. • • allergic individuals don’t have to worry about suffering during a cabinet painting process. Our team is also able to work with water-based lacquer. It offers a great finish with a weaker smell. It’s important to note that this type of lacquer is not as durable as solvent-based lacquer.

Paint:

1. 1. • • • • paint products range from oil to latex base. Oil-base products are more durable, but lighter colors tend to yellow when the time goes by. Latex-based products are more sensitive to stains and it’s not so durable as the oil-base. It requires a way more detailed and time-consuming surface preparation.

Color Selection:

1. 1. • • • • • • receiving the most complete information about available colors and its processes is a basic right of any client. Some products, such as lacquer itself and lacquer-based products, require more time to be prepared, some products can be found in stores ready to be used.

Example:

1. 1. • • • • • • • • if the client wants to paint its cabinets with a lacquer that matches a specific color from Benjamin Moore, it requires us 3-4 days to prepare and achieve that perfect match. Level Five Painting, LLC. believes the client should be aware of any deadlines

Project done in Westwood (MA) by Level Five Painting, LLC.

Why choose Level Five Painting, LLC. as your cabinet painting contractor:

Level Five Painting, LLC. always communicate with clients that cabinets are the most expensive part of their houses, so its painting process must be done with detail and attention. It requires time and expertise. Because of the quality of our work, our respect put in every wood project, Level Five won the first place in the M.L Campbell “We Respect Wood” contest.

Level Five Painting, LLC. assures rigid quality control of the entire painting process to make sure every detail will be taken care of. Level 5 means the highest quality that your painting project deserves. By hiring Level Five Painting, LLC. clients can expect the best result and quality of cabinets.

Our team works to satisfy our clients and our own quality control. “Many times, we started jobs that we were hired to fix mistakes that other painting contractor did to cabinets. If the client had hired our team in the first place it would have cost less them they ended up paying to fix horrendous mistakes by non-professional painters”, said Jorge Aurichi, founder of Level Five Painting, LLC.

Need a Painting Contractor?

Level Five Painting, LLC. is ready to answer any questions you have on painting projects as well as plan your next one. If you are interested in getting an estimate from us, fill out this form or reach out by phone or email.

Email us: contact@levelfivepaintingllc.com
Call us: (617) 869-9446

You have selected every single paint color you want to use to renovate your home. However, have you started thinking about what finish is the most prudent to match up with each color? A single paint color can look completely different based on the finish you choose. We know it can be an intimidating process to select the right finish, especially when there are so many options available and each of them produces a very unique effect.

Project done in Needham (MA) by Level Five Painting, LLC.

That is why we created this guide. This article is for you. From the basics to the peculiar aspects, we describe here the major differences among the most commonly used finishes. From the durability to what project each finish type is perfect for, learn not only what glossiness paint finishes have but also how hard it is to work with each of them, which will impact directly on the cost of your project. Currently, among the best paint brands, we have seven types of finishes.

The most common are: flat, matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, gloss, and high-gloss.

Project done in Boston (MA) by Level Five Painting, LLC.

• Matte: similar to flat finish, has low-sheen and offers protection.
  • Commonly used in interior projects, similar to “flat finish”, in the past, matte finishes didn’t offer any protection. With the advance of technology, nowadays we can find matte finishes with protection. Mattes are very washable which makes it extremely popular among homeowners. This type of finish produces a “velour effect”, which is good to match with an inspiring decoration placed in social areas of the house, such as family rooms and kitchens.
• Eggshell: smooth, low-sheen, offers protection.
  • This finish is easy to be cleaned – it can be scrubbed – however, it is not recommended for retouches. It is recommended for high traffic areas, such as stairways, hallways. This finish was extremely popular at the beginning of the 2000s. The best benefit of this finish is protection.
• Satin: silky, multi-purpose, low-sheen, easy to be cleaned.
  • Extremely popular nowadays, in the past this finish was most used in areas with a lot of activity, such as hallways, play & kids’ rooms. However, nowadays satin finishes are most used in trims. Although it is very easy to be cleaned, it doesn’t work well with touch-ups. It matches really well when it is applied in trims of rooms that have walls painted with a matte finish.
• Semi-gloss: mid-sheen, durable, high stain and moist resistance
  • A very durable finish that 90% of the time is used in wood, such as trims, doors, and crown molding. Although it is very hard to be touched-up, it is very easy to be cleaned. It is rarely used in walls and ceilings – unless it is a requirement coming from the interior designer or homeowner.
• Gloss: bright sheen, stain-resistant, and washable.
  • The gloss finish stays in between the semi-gloss and the high-gloss finishes. Very easy to clean and almost impossible to accept touch-ups, it is much more stain-resistant than the satin and flat types. Gloss finishes are strictly used for trims, accent built-ins, cabinets, and doors.
• High-gloss: “lacquered effect”/”glass-like sheen”, hardest to apply out of all the paint finishes, super durable
  • Extremely popular nowadays, in the past this finish was most used in areas with a lot of activity, such as hallways, play & kids’ rooms. However, nowadays satin finishes are most used in trims. Although it is very easy to be cleaned, it doesn’t work well with touch-ups. It matches really well when it is applied in trims of rooms that have walls painted with a matte finish.

Need a Painting Contractor?

Level Five Painting, LLC. is ready to answer any questions you have on painting projects as well as plan your next one. If you are interested in getting an estimate from us, fill out this form or reach out by phone or email.

Email us: contact@levelfivepaintingllc.com
Call us: (617) 869-9446

There’s no place like our home, especially during the upcoming cold seasons. Our home is the place where we feel most comfortable, loved, and relaxed. However, many people wonder: how to transform a house into a home?

For those who are thinking about acquiring a house and are looking into tips on how to start improving it to reflect your style and taste. Level Five Painting, LLC. prepared this amazing article with tips to transform any place into a lovely home.

The Early the Better: contact your painting contractor as soon as possible. According to Level Five Painting, LLC. owner, Jorge Aurichi, because when contacting the contractor is such an important piece of this process, call your contractor before closing the property deal. The painting contractor will need to do a detailed inspection in the house to provide the buyer with an accurate estimate.

Reliable painting companies should be able to provide virtual “rough” estimates based on the listing details, the conversation with the buyer, photos shared, and how many details are provided. This way, buyers can decide on the contractor. When buyers feel comfortable giving the painting contractor access to the house, the same will be able to visit the site and provide an accurate estimate. Please note that 2k-4k square feet properties require approximately a 30-minute visit for the contractor to be able to provide an estimate. More than 6k square feet of houses require at least an hour – time may vary according to the details of each house.

Save the Date: two dates are extremely important when transforming any house into a home. When planning any project, the buyers need to inform the contractor of the closing and the moving date. Those dates determine the beginning of the project, except if any other modifications need to happen in the place before the painting project starts. Reliable painting contractors will start projects right after closing day and right before the moving day, as long as the buyers want.

Level Five Painting, LLC. offers a complimentary 2-3 hour color consultation with one of our partner interior designers to all buyers who decide to close a painting project with us.

Logistics: everything that a buyer wants when closing a deal is the tranquility of calling that property their own dream home. However, many times it looks and feels impossible. Having to transform any place into a home can be not only stressful but managing different contractors and dealing with different deadlines can be a nightmare. Reliable contractors should not only deliver what was agreed upon, but also facilitate the overall process of the moving day.

Level Five Painting, LLC. counts with the help of an extensive list of essential contractors that new homeowners need. From housebuilders, electricians, painting experts, going through interior designers, stagers, organizers, to amazing references, and years of experience.

Last but not least, the most crucial part of the process is to assure all your picked contractors can and will connect you with a dependable network of home improvement professionals. Strong connections will not only help you to transform your house into a home but also achieve it faster and with more quality.

Front doors are considered the business card of any house. It sells it, it impresses your guests, and it inspires you and your family! Being the main focal point of the majority of exteriors, front door renovation is a great way to cause a big impact with just one project.

With a variety of colors, styles, and finishes that can be used to make your front door stand out, we organized the best trends at the moment. As a bonus, we compiled a list of the top 3 front door products that are being used right now and some inspirational pictures from some of our front door projects.

Dutch Paint: one of the most superior coatings to paint your front door that’s trending at the moment is produced by Fine Paints of Europe. This brand offers luxurious lasting materials that will make your front door cause an impact on your neighborhood. However, this brand’s products require the most attention to detail of any painter who decides to renovate their front doors with it.

Here’s a guide from Fine Paints of Europe with basic instructions that apply to most wood, metal, or fiberglass surfaces. From our team’s experience, you need to prepare the door with care and attention to get great results with these pure high-glosses from Fine Paints. It’s necessary to patch all imperfections on the surface. The sanding needs to be done perfectly with extreme-fine sandpaper – sheets-fine grit (1k to 3k).

If you are looking to make your life easier when renovating your front door, Fine Paints of Europe sells a “Dutch Door Kit” – they promise it includes everything you need to properly prepare, prime, and paint one door, inside and out.

Stain: if you are looking for a complete change of the look and feel of your door, applying a stain to it might be your best choice.

The staining process starts with completely stripping the door. You need to reach the raw wood to work on it. This stripping process is done with chemical strippers along with a medium sanding process of sheets-fine/sheets-medium grit (320 to 600). Sanding the door is essential after each step of the preparation process. After the door is in raw wood you need to apply a wood conditioner. Only after it, you can stain your wood. After that, we recommend 3 coats of marine varnish sealer. Old Masters produce great sealers.

Accent Colors: if you live in New England you might have already realized the presence of many colonial homes. Easy to spot by its symmetrical windows, neutral color schemes, and the most impactful element that it’s not a requirement, but it’s popular: vivid and evident front doors.

Our team has been noticing a trend among colonial homeowners: front doors renovated with rich and vibrant colors. We have been painting many doors in black, green, and orange. Get inspired!

If you type in “painting contractor” on Google you will, almost instantly, find an extensive list of painters that can provide you with a painting estimate. However, how to come to the conclusion of which ones are worth your time filling out a form or contacting to request an estimate?

Among a paradise of offerings, we need to rely on the truth: positive customer reviews across different channels; real project pictures (before and after are always a plus), a great website with contact information within reach, etc.

Done! Now you narrowed down your options and can finally submit a painting estimate request to reliable contractors that stood up among the competition. However, when that’s done you realize that’s the easiest step of the whole process. When your requested painting estimates arrive, how to decide which one is the best? Of course, the pricing point takes a huge part in the decision-making process, but other factors can help you choose the best contractor.

Many factors need to be counted when deciding who’ll be taking care of your place, one of them is technology. Reliable painters are constantly learning from experts, attending networking events, and investing in the best gadgets to make not only the painting process more efficient but also the client experience more pleasant.

In this article, we will be sharing our best tools used on a daily basis that help both our team of talented painters and our clients.

Color Muse: an accurate color matching with a technology that allows our team to scan smooth or textured surfaces. Equipped with its own light source to ensure precise color scanning, this device pairs with an app. More information can be found here.

Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio Mobile App: this Benjamin Moore app allows painters to do multiple important steps in a painting project. Our team loves the Color Capture functionality as it allows them to take a picture using their camera phone, and instantly find equivalent Benjamin Moore paint colors. This app’s product library helps our team to search for the best products for each project specificity. More information can be found here.

Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap: with this Sherwin-Williams tool our team can explore and narrow down color choices on desktop, mobile device, or iPad. More information can be found here.

PCA Overdrive: the Painting Contractor Association (PCA) Overdrive is the premier streaming service for painting contractors. Since Level Five Painting, LLC. is a PCA accredited contractor our team can motivate, educate, enjoy trade education, podcasts, and industry entertainment on the go. More information can be found here.

Also, our team always attends the PCA Expo, which is the most anticipated event of the year for painting contractors who are serious about improving their business, craftsmanship, and network.

CompanyCam: an app that allows our company to build trust with our talented crews and amazing customers through photo documentation. This program allows our painters and managers to be on the same page as well as share details of any project progress with our clients.

• Owners/​Presidents gain visibility to the day-to-day happenings of their projects.
• Office/​Admin waste less time hunting down photos from foremen and crew members.
• Project Managers stay on top of job site progress for multiple projects running simultaneously.
• Sales Professionals capture the nitty-gritty details to effectively bid jobs.
• Crew Members spend less time uploading photos at the end of each day.

Estimate Rocket: this service streamlines service contracting business from lead to paid, which means, it doesn’t only help our internal team but also our clients. It offers a calendar for estimates and work, creates invoices, collects payments and referrals. This program allows contractors to have instant help, as it’s available on desktop and phone. More information can be found here.

SketchUp: a premier 3D design software that makes 3D modeling for everyone as it offers a robust toolset that empowers our team to collaborate with our customers. More information can be found here.

Hover: a measurement app that provides detailed exterior measurements to accurately quote any project. More information can be found here.