What maintenance must be performed?

You should notify your managing agent if you believe there is a maintenance problem with regard to the paintwork. Your managing agent should keep a log of inspections and complaints as well as a history of maintenance work completed. Maintenance and re-painting concerns should be acted on promptly due to the potential damage of underlying materials if neglected.

The exterior finish of the building should be checked annually by a qualified painter for blisters, loose paint, thin or worn paint coatings, scratches or punctures that permit water to be absorbed into the plasterwork and structural concrete that lead to damage.

If there are any unusual maintenance issues or you have any doubts as to the proper approach to specific requirements for your building, you should obtain proper professional advice from a reputable contractor.

How often is re-painting necessary?

The plastered exterior on most residential buildings should be re-painted every five to seven years, for the average building with average weather exposure, or even sooner if problems become apparent.

Some areas of the building may require painting more frequently than others. For example, on the Atlantic seaboard in Cape Town it is common for the predominant wind-driven rainstorms to attack buildings from the north-west. Sun exposure also has the greatest effect on these sides, so it is likely that they will require re-painting more often than the southern or perhaps eastern sides. Hence, 'one-size-fits-all' advice on how often to re-paint may not be appropriate for your building.

Who should be called for service?

Sadly, the value of adequate painting experience is often under-estimated. If your building?s exterior needs repainting, it is in a vulnerable state and perhaps already deteriorating. It is worth getting the best advice and service available to give it the protection it needs. An experienced painting contractor has the knowledge and expertise to determine:

  • If painting is required now, or when it will be required.

  • What sort of preparation is required.

  • What sort of paint is used and how it is applied.

  • How much the project will cost.

  • Which surfaces should be painted and which require cleaning only.

In my next article we will have a look at the process involved in repainting the building.

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