Brush up your home’s exterior with a fresh coat of paint

Selling your property? It’s time to break out the paintbrush, as decorating the outside of your home will not only improve its viewing appeal and make it look more attractive in photos, it’s likely to add value too. 

Find out if there are any restrictions

Knowing where to start will ensure that a job as involved as painting your exterior is a success. Before you rush to your local DIY store, you’ll need to establish whether you can actually undertake the work. There may be restrictions on the colour you can apply and the type of paint you can use if your house is listed, or lies within a conservation area or in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Keep your neighbours onside

Even if there are no formal restrictions, your choice of colour – or even pattern – can have serious ramifications. You may have read about a £15 million London property that was painted red and white. Although the owner was served with a planning order requiring her to repaint the exterior white, a High Court ruled that the candy stripes could stay. Sadly, the owner fell out with her neighbours over the bold paint choice, and she regretted the sum of money spent on the legal fight to keep her stripes. 

Add as much as 25% to your home’s value

As well as causing neighbourly disputes (which must be disclosed when selling a property) an ill thought-out or neglected property exterior can harm your home’s value. A freshly painted exterior can increase a home’s perceived value by as much as 25%, claim Dulux Weathershield, while 93% of buyers are more likely to attend a viewing if the house’s exterior is well maintained.

Even your choice of front door colour can impact how much your home might sell for. A brown front door isn’t favoured and may decrease your home’s value by as much as £700, while painting your front door blue, green, white, red or black can add up to £4,000 in value. 

Be careful with your choice of colour

When choosing a colour to paint your exterior, take your inspiration from the most attractive homes in your neighbourhood. You may choose to fall in line with pretty pastel hues if they characterise your street scene, while matching with your immediate neighbours will keep things uniform and neat. Although white paint will make your exterior feel crisp and clean, it can look dirty very quickly – especially if your home is on a high-traffic road. Classic cream is a good option and it will stay fresher for longer but be cautious when using grey as it can cast a prison-like gloom over your exterior.  

Perfection starts with preparation 

Painting your home’s exterior isn’t as simple as applying a new coat on top of what’s already there, so prepare in advance if you want your new paint job to last. The mantra at Dulux is ‘clean, fix and prime’ and its Decorating Centre guide to getting the perfect exterior paint finish is a must read before you pick up a paintbrush. 

Lessen the impact of outdated exteriors

If you have inherited an exterior treatment that’s fallen out of fashion, there is good news. You can paint over 1970s stone cladding and 1980s pebble dashing but you may have to opt for professional spray paint coverage in order to get the best finish due to the texture. Although pro-decorators will always recommend stripping off any exterior treatments and re-rendering for a flawless outcome, it’s an expensive process and a coat of paint can be effective ahead of a property sale.

Don’t forget, always opt for specific exterior masonry paint that’s designed to withstand UK weather, choose a window of fine, dry weather to complete your painting project and inform neighbours of your plans, especially if you have to put ladders or protective coverings on their property.

If you’re wondering whether that lovely shade of lilac would look good on your exterior, or you’re pondering whether to paint over any original brickwork, call us for our professional opinion.