House Painting Services: What a Professional Exterior Job Includes (and What It Doesn't)
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Professional house painting services on the exterior usually include washing, scraping loose paint, minor surface repair, caulking, priming bare spots, finish coats on siding and trim, and daily cleanup. Carpentry, rot replacement, decks, fences, and moving your patio furniture often fall outside the base price unless the written scope says otherwise.
That gap between what homeowners assume and what the contract says causes most of the frustration we hear about, from Webster Groves to St. Peters. So here's a plain list of what's typically in, what's typically out, and who handles the in-between stuff.
What's included in a standard exterior house painting service?
The core of any exterior job is surface prep plus finish coats on the main body of the house and its trim. Everything else depends on the contractor and the contract.
A typical scope covers:
- Washing the siding to remove dirt, chalk, and mildew
- Scraping loose or peeling paint and sanding rough edges
- Filling small holes and cracks
- Caulking gaps around windows, doors, and trim
- Spot-priming bare wood and repaired areas
- Covering plants, walkways, and fixtures before spraying
- Finish coats on siding, trim, fascia, and soffits
- Daily cleanup and a final walkthrough
Front doors, garage doors, shutters, and gutters sometimes make the list and sometimes don't. Window sashes on older houses are another gray area. If an item matters to you, make sure it's named in writing.
What do exterior painting contractors usually leave out?
Anything that turns painting into carpentry, and anything that isn't part of the house's walls. These items come up again and again:
| Item | Usually included? | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Wash and scrape | Yes | Pressure wash, soft wash, or hand wash? How long before priming? |
| Caulking | Yes, often partial | Every joint, or just visible gaps? |
| Rotted wood replacement | Often extra | Is there an allowance, or a per-board price? |
| Front and garage doors | Varies | Both sides? Which doors? |
| Gutters and downspouts | Varies | Painted, or just cleaned around? |
| Decks, fences, sheds | Usually extra | Separate line item and product? |
| Roof work and flashing | No | Will they flag problems they see? |
| Lead-safe work practices | Required on pre-1978 homes | Can I see the firm's RRP certification? |
Rot is the big one. Plenty of bids exclude it, and the crew finds it halfway through. A good contract says ahead of time how hidden damage gets handled and priced, so nobody's negotiating with a ladder against your house.
What does a Rhino Shield exterior coating job include?
A Rhino Shield of Missouri job is a coating system, so the prep steps aren't optional add-ons. The house gets cleaned and power washed, repairs are made, joints are caulked and sealed, a primer goes on, and then multiple coats of ceramic elastomeric topcoat are applied. You can see each stage on our step-by-step application process page.
Why bundle it all? Because a coating backed for decades can't sit on top of failed caulk or soft wood. The repairs protect the warranty as much as the house. Our exterior painters and coating specialists would rather find the bad trim board at the estimate than at year five.
Customers notice when a crew takes repairs seriously. Here's one review:
"The service was awesome. The crew that worked on my house found some areas of repair and just did an excellent job. I had rhino shield put on my house 4 years ago and it still looks like new."
— John G.
Finding those areas and fixing them before the coating went on is exactly why it still looks right.
Who moves the patio furniture, grills, and plants?
In most cases, you do. Contractors generally expect a clear work zone around the house when the crew arrives, and many won't move grills or heavy furniture for liability reasons.
Plan on clearing about three feet along every wall. That includes patio sets, grills, planters, hose reels, garden decor, and anything hanging on the siding like flags, hanging baskets, or wall-mounted lights you can remove. Take down window AC units if they're in the way. Move cars out of the driveway on spray days. Keep pets inside.
Shrubs and trees are a shared job. The crew will tie back or cover plantings, but branches pressed against the siding should be trimmed before the work starts. Ask who's doing that, because it's often left to you.
Do you need a permit to paint a house exterior?
Usually not for repainting in the St. Louis area, but there are exceptions worth checking. Painting is generally treated as maintenance, not construction.
The exceptions are where people get caught. Homes in a local historic district or with a landmark designation may need review before exterior changes. Subdivision indentures and HOA rules in many St. Louis County neighborhoods restrict colors, and some require written approval first. If a lift or scaffolding has to sit in the street or on a sidewalk, your municipality may want a permit for that. And on pre-1978 homes the contractor needs federal lead-safe certification, which is a credential rather than a permit. Call your city hall and your HOA before you schedule.
What does cleanup and the warranty look like?
Cleanup should happen every day, and the warranty should be in writing with its length and transfer terms spelled out.
Daily cleanup means picking up paint chips, rolling up drop cloths, and leaving doors and walkways usable overnight. On lead-safe jobs the final cleanup follows specific procedures, which is another reason to hire a certified firm. The last step is a walkthrough with you, punch list in hand, before final payment. The Painting Contractors Association publishes industry standards on workmanship that can help you judge what a reasonable finish looks like.
Warranty terms vary widely. Many paint jobs come with about a year on workmanship. Rhino Shield carries a 25-year transferable warranty, and you can read the details of our 25-year warranty before you ever sign. Whoever you hire, keep the paperwork with your house records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a house painting service include trim and doors?
Trim is almost always included on an exterior job. Doors vary. Front doors and garage doors are sometimes extra, and some contractors only paint the outside face. Check that every door you care about is named in the written scope.
Is wood rot repair included in an exterior paint job?
Often it isn't, or only a small amount is. Many bids price rot repair separately or exclude it entirely. Ask how hidden damage will be handled and priced before you sign, so the crew doesn't have to stop work to negotiate.
Do exterior painters power wash the house first?
Most do, though the method varies. Some use pressure washing, some use a soft wash with cleaning solution, and some hand wash delicate surfaces. Whatever the method, the siding needs time to dry before primer goes on.
Are gutters and downspouts painted as part of the job?
Sometimes. Some contractors include them, some charge extra, and some only paint around them. If you want them painted to match or contrast with the trim, make sure they're listed in the scope with the product and color.
Get a written scope for your house
Want to see exactly what's included before you commit? Request a free estimate or call 314-239-7947, and we'll put every item in writing.
