1. Better aesthetics

When you first moved into your house, you may have had different tastes—or may have hated the color of your home from the beginning! Even if you loved the color (and still love it), after several years of the same thing, you might be ready for a change. Don’t neglect the aesthetic value that house painting can bring; you’ll see something newer and livelier every time you pull in the driveway, and that goes beyond a simple color choice. A fresh coat of paint can make your siding seem newer, putting your whole house in a different light.

2. Objectively increased home value

When the appraiser comes to evaluate your house, a recent house painting job can have a major effect on the final value. Some major renovations only offer a partial return on investment; for example, kitchen remodels average only an 80 percent return on investment. This means a $10,000 kitchen makeover would only increase the value of your home by an average of $8,000. Exterior paint, on the other hand, offers a much more attractive return of 141 percent. If you end up spending $1,000 on house painting, you can expect a home value increase of roughly $1,400—which is like earning $400 of extra value on top of the job paying for itself.

3. Better curb appeal

The aesthetic value of your house isn’t just for you; if you’re interested in selling your home, exterior paint can greatly increase your potential curb appeal. Curb appeal is independent of both home value and personal appeal (though it’s related to those factors); instead, curb appeal is all about setting the right tone when a prospective buyer sees your home for the first time. Think of it as getting your “foot in the door” for a potential sale—if they like the appeal of the exterior, they’ll be far more likely to venture in for more details and stand a better chance of actually buying.

4. Increased protection against the elements

Nature can be harsh on your home. Rain, wind, sleet, snow, insects, and fire are just a handful of the natural elements that could potentially damage your home—and the right paint can resist nearly all of these (to a degree). Think of paint as a protective, shield-like outer coating for the siding of your house. It can prevent moisture from seeping into your home, preventing the outlandish costs of mold and mildew damage. It gives an extra layer of protection against direct precipitation damage. It can even stop insects from infesting your exterior.

5. Proactive identification of insect damage

Speaking of insects, termite damage is a major killer for wood-based homes; being able to identify this problem (and address it) proactively is crucial if you want to save yourself some extremely expensive foundational repairs. Evaluating your home’s siding before adding a fresh coat a paint can help you identify any possible insect damage early, and adding the paint itself can help stop an infestation in its tracks.

6. Increased lifespan of siding

No matter what type of siding you have for your home, a new coat of exterior paint can help increase its lifespan. Most traditional forms of siding, such as wood or vinyl, need replaced periodically to keep your home protected—if new paint can add even a few years onto the lifespan of that siding, you could end up saving hundreds to thousands of dollars in eventual expenses. In addition, new paint can help you cover up or temporarily repair damage that your old siding has sustained; for example, you may be able to cover up some previous blemishes, or provide additional protection to areas that have worn down (do note that house painting is not a suitable substitute for siding replacement if it’s in poor condition all-around).

7. Practical costs

To top it all off, house painting is one of the cheapest renovations you can make—in fact, painting the entire exterior of a home can cost less than $1,000 (if you choose the right contractor)! This isn’t meant to argue that the best renovations are always the cheapest ones, but if you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to improve the value, appeal, and function of your house, there are few improvements as practical as house painting. Be sure to choose a high-quality paint and an experienced contractor to maximize the value of your investment.

Final Considerations

When you decide to paint your home’s exterior, it’s not a simple matter of choosing a color and slapping it on the side; there are a number of considerations you’ll need to bear in mind to make sure the job is done right. Hiring a contractor doesn’t cost much more than the price of paint, and can help you ensure the consistency and longevity of your work; just make sure you choose someone who’s been in the business long enough to have a reliable reputation. If you’re interested in learning more