Resources to Help You Sell Your Home During thehttps://unsplash.com/photos/GDWmu0bFfS4

Resources to Help You Sell Your Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Home sellers have quickly had to come up with solutions to the obstacles posed by COVID-19. Even though we can all see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, showing homes to prospective buyers in person can still be risky, so sellers and agents alike are wise to continue to adjust their tactics.

If your home is currently on the market in Alexandria, you may be wondering how you can give potential buyers a look inside while taking the right precautions. These resources from Patrick’s Painting & Home Improvement will help you prepare your home for marketing photos, boost your virtual presence with advertising techniques, and effectively clean your home if you do allow buyers to visit for a showing.

Preparing Your Home

Getting your home prepped for your online listing, virtual tours, and in-person showings is worth the effort. By making it look its best, you’ll make your home stand out among the competition and draw in more potential buyers.

Improve Your Virtual Presence

Sellers are relying on online listings more than ever. Make yours stand out with these helpful resources.

Host Safe Showings

Virtual tours, whether live or pre-recorded, are great options for showcasing your home if you’re not ready to host people in person. If you do invite others into your home for an open house or private showing, be sure to make safety a priority.

Cleaning After Showings

Even if you use strict safety protocols for in-person tours, it’s a good idea to clean after your visitors leave. Don’t forget to wash your hands!

This is a difficult time to sell your home, and you may not be able to find a buyer as quickly as you would have liked. But plenty of people are still on the lookout for a new property, and you can either go the extra mile to hold safe open houses or go digital and give virtual tours. If you think outside the box, you’ll still be able to connect with the right buyers!

Whether you want to paint your home or make other improvements to make it stand out to buyers, Patrick’s Painting and Home Improvement is here to help! Contact us for your free quote by completing
this form or calling (703) 253-9268.

Curtis Fisher

tradesbright.org

Convenience and Aesthetic Appeal: Preparing Your Home as a Vacation Rentalhttps://pixabay.com/photos/architecture-render-external-design-1477099/

Convenience and Aesthetic Appeal: Preparing Your Home as a Vacation Rental

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Renting out your house as a vacation property isn’t for everyone, especially if you’re not comfortable with the idea of turning your home over to people who’ll use it as a convenience while they’re having a good time on vacation. To be sure, it can take a little getting used to, but if you live near an area that has a lot to offer people looking for a fun get-away, you can generate a healthy secondary income without a lot of hard work. However, be aware that you’ll be competing with area hotels and B&Bs when it comes to comfort. Here are a few essential points to consider if you’re serious about prepping your home as a vacation rental.

For exterior and interior painting, pressure washing, staining, and home improvement projects, reach out to the pros at Patrick’s Painting. To set up an in-home consultation, call 703.253.9268.

Starting Your Rental Business

Your first rental property is a business – and you’ve got to treat it that way. First, you need to create a legal business entity such as an LLC that will “own” your asset (the rental property). With your business entity established, you can officially apply for your business bank account. This account will help you – and your accountant – separate your business and personal finances. Lastly, you’ll need some investment funding in that business account for purchasing your first property! Your dream is closer than you might think.

A Deep Cleaning

If you intend to compete with full-time hospitality businesses, you’ll have to maintain a high level of cleanliness and convenience. Some renters hire professional cleaning services while others prefer to handle it themselves — though it’s important to make room in your budget for this. Whichever you choose, make sure the job is done as thoroughly as possible because discriminating guests who are spending their hard-earned money on you will certainly notice if any corners have been cut. Be vigilant: As the owner, it can be easy to overlook little details that a guest would not miss. All carpeting should be shampooed and free of stains and stale odors. Make sure there’s no grime or mold showing in the bathroom, and take the time and effort to clean under appliances in the kitchen. The fridge should also be well-scrubbed with no lingering smells.

Of course, keeping your vacation rental properly maintained might prove troublesome if you live a good distance away from it. If taking care of the property between guests is simply too much of a logistical hassle, or you simply want to hire someone to take care of this process for you, look into working closely with a vacation rental company. Bringing in a rental company can take the stress out of maintaining your home, as the company will make sure the home is ready for each guest before arrival. Some rental companies will even equip the property with digital locks and use fraud-prevention strategies during the booking process, so you can rest assured that your home is well taken care of.

Appealing Upgrades

You’ll want your vacation rental to be in an appealing location, but there’s more to attracting visitors than being in a desirable locale. The house itself should also appeal to guests, which means you may need to make some upgrades. Gas fireplaces are popular features for guests who enjoy relaxing in comfort, as are jet tubs, which can be added easily and inexpensively by upgrading an existing standard bathtub. Hiring Patrick’s Painting to add a fresh coat of paint on your home’s interior or exterior can also add to its appeal. You should also consider leaving a few good books and board games in the home for guests to enjoy.

Home Security

Your guests should always expect to feel safe and secure. A rental home with plenty of security features will help put them at ease, so include motion-activated security cameras that can be accessed by smartphone, a valuable feature if you need to keep an eye on things from a distant location. A video doorbell not only lets you monitor comings and goings but gives you the opportunity to communicate with would-be intruders and keeps your investment secure. A home security system with external monitoring is regarded as the best means for ensuring protection.

Convenience

Depending on the number of guests you’re expecting, it may be necessary to move pieces of furniture and other items out of the way. If you lack on-site storage, consider using an affordable rental space temporarily. Remember, you’re trying to give each guest a memorable experience that leaves them considering you for a return trip. That means making them feel at home and well provided for so they don’t waste time running around picking up necessary items.

Your rental home should have a fully equipped first aid kit with numbers for nearby physicians and hospitals clearly posted. Safety should always be your primary concern, so be sure you’ve provided a functional fire extinguisher, fire detectors (with fresh batteries), and potholders in the kitchen. You never know what your guests’ staple beverages might be, so keep a coffee maker and teapot on hand so they can brew whatever they please.

Provide To-Do List Recommendations

You know your area well; your guests can use that knowledge to make the most of their time. Brainstorm a list of top attractions, activities, and restaurants that are a bit different and offer a diverse range of ideas. One guest may plan on spending plenty of time enjoying the sun and surf, so provide a list of the best beaches. Another guest might like to do lots of shopping while on vacation, so make sure they know where the best shopping can be found.

Maximizing your vacation rental home’s marketability depends on paying close attention to details. Your guests should feel cozy and safe staying in a house that offers aesthetic appeal as well as simple conveniences. It should be the kind of place you would want to vacation in.

Curtis Fisher

tradesbright.org

Boost the Health of Your Householdhttps://unsplash.com/photos/JIUjvqe2ZHg

Boost the Health of Your Household with These Home Upgrades

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Home improvement projects are often judged by how much they enhance the function and cosmetic appeal of a home. However, there are many improvements you can make to your home that can help promote the health of your household. Taking steps to keep out pests and reduce indoor pollution can significantly benefit your family’s physical and mental health. Don’t stop at the thought of beautifying your home; consider these upgrades for a healthier home!

Putting on a Fresh Coat

Painting your home can come with plenty of health benefits. The practice itself can be therapeutic. However, changing the colors of your walls, siding, and other aspects of your home can elicit feelings of calm, energy, and/or warmth, among other moods and emotions. Even applying a fresh coat of your current colors can improve the look and feel of your home.

Moreover, if you use non-toxic paint (one with no VOCs), you don’t have to worry about compromising the air quality in your home. Depending on the type of paint, materials, and labor involved, expect to pay anywhere from $2,500 to $19,000 to have your home painted professionally. If you don’t have the time to paint your home yourself, or you would rather it be done professionally, Patrick’s Painting can provide you with top-notch workmanship. We would love to help revive the interior and/or exterior of your home!

Caulking Holes and Gaps

Keeping pests out of your home is another important part of maintaining your household’s health and well-being. One of the most common ways for rodents and other pests to enter a home is through holes and gaps that can be fixed. Do a walkthrough of your home to see anywhere that needs holes and gaps filled. You will also want to look for areas inside the home that need caulking, such as the kitchen, pantry, and bathrooms.

Upgrading The Central A/C

There are several health benefits of updating your central air conditioning. Not only are newer units better at keeping germs at bay, but fresher air can also help everyone in the home sleep better. And since a more efficient A/C is better at keeping humidity levels down, the possibility of mold is reduced. While a new unit can make for a healthier home, it can come at a steep price, which depends on factors like:

  • The brand and size of the new unit you choose
  • Labor costs for removing the old unit
  • The work involved in the project
  • Materials

Most homeowners spend $3,757 to $7,278. Once you have your new system installed, be sure to change out your filters regularly to optimize your home’s air quality.

Installing Whole-House Water Filtration

It’s not hard to see how having clean, high-quality water in your home can benefit the health of your household. Consider having a whole-house water filtration system installed, which typically can be done for $300 to $1,000. That way, you can rest assured knowing that anytime you turn on the faucet or shower, you’re getting the highest quality water.

Choosing a Good Contractor

For any project you undertake that requires the services of a professional, it’s important to pick the right contractor; otherwise, you run the risk of shoddy work and wasted money. Ask around for references and read through online reviews of contractors in your area. Once you find at least three candidates, interview and get estimates from each of them. This will help you determine which candidate is best for your project and budget.

Nothing is more important than taking steps to create a healthy home for you and your loved ones. Installing central air conditioning, painting and caulking your home, and putting in a whole-house water filtration system are all ways to do just that. And if you make sure that you hire a qualified professional, you’re well on your way to a healthier home!

Curtis Fisher

tradesbright.org

Fixer Upper- Image via Pexelshttps://www.pexels.com/photo/abandoned-architecture-broken-building-804394/

What to Consider When Buying a Fixer-Upper as Your First Home

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A fixer-upper is a house that needs significant work in order to become an enjoyable place to live. This can involve extensive renovations or simple updates that make a home more modern. What most fixer-uppers have in common is that they’re more affordable upfront, which makes them a good option for first-time homeowners and property investors. If you’re thinking about buying a fixer-upper as your first property, learn what you should know about the process below.

Finding a Fixer-Upper

When you start your search for a home, you’ll come across fixer-uppers on the same websites that you would use to find any home for sale. Evaluating pictures and the description in each listing is one of the best ways to determine if a home is considered a fixer-upper. You’ll likely see homes that need cosmetic changes, such as fresh paint or new flooring. Your search results may also reveal homes that have serious problems, such as water damage or a bad roof.

Keep in mind that some repairs may look daunting but are actually easy to fix if you want to invest the effort. But at the same time, repairs that seem straightforward may actually involve more work than you want to take on.

Because most homebuyers aren’t experts at assessing the true condition of a home, you’ll want to hire an inspector. A home inspection report will help you determine just how extensive the repairs would actually be on a home.

Financing Your Purchase

Most experts say it’s a good idea to get preapproved for a mortgage before you get too serious with your search. Having preapproval shows sellers that you are able to follow through if you agree to purchase a home. It also ensures that you can make a realistic offer based on your financial situation.

When applying for preapproval, it helps to know there are many federally-backed loan options geared toward first-time homeowners. However, you can also choose conventional financing, which is offered by private lenders. Conventional loans are often more flexible than other types of financing backed by the government, and you can get a fixed-rate or an adjustable-rate. In any case, you’ll still want to compare interest rates and terms to choose the best type of financing for your situation.

Making an Offer

Most sellers know when their home needs improvement, and they will price it accordingly. With that in mind, the first thing about a fixer-upper that catches your eye might be the asking price. However, according to House Logic, it’s a good idea to price out the cost of renovations before making an offer. Doing the math will help you craft a competitive offer that still allows you to cover the cost of repairs.

As with any home purchase, you will also need to consider whether it’s a buyer’s or seller’s market when making your offer. Knowing how many days the house has been on the market can help your offer stand out as well.

Starting Your Renovations

A lot of DIY jobs are completely doable if you’re handy. For example, if you have the right power tools, you can do minor jobs such as changing out fixtures or patching holes in drywall.

However, other projects are better left to the pros. For example, it’s deceptively difficult to repair flooring, fix dry rot, or work on carpentry in your home. Painting a room might also seem easy, but it’s hard to do a perfect job yourself. Hiring professional painters can make your home look it’s absolute best.

Once the work is complete, you’ll also need to decide whether to stay in the home yourself or treat it as an investment property. You can earn income by flipping a house and immediately reselling it, but you can also choose to rent out a property for passive income.

Buying a fixer-upper has a lot of benefits, but you’ll also want to weigh all of the costs involved before diving in. Fixing up an outdated or rundown house can be a rewarding experience whether you turn the place into your home or choose to use the property as an investment.

Curtis Fisher

tradesbright.org

Boost the Health of Your Household

Boost the Health of Your Household with These Home Upgrades

/in /by

Home improvement projects are often judged by how much they enhance the function and cosmetic appeal of a home. However, there are many improvements you can make to your home that can help promote the health of your household. Taking steps to keep out pests and reduce indoor pollution can significantly benefit your family’s physical and mental health. Don’t stop at the thought of beautifying your home; consider these upgrades for a healthier home!

Putting on a Fresh Coat

Painting your home can come with plenty of health benefits. The practice itself can be therapeutic. However, changing the colors of your walls, siding, and other aspects of your home can elicit feelings of calm, energy, and/or warmth, among other moods and emotions. Even applying a fresh coat of your current colors can improve the look and feel of your home.

Moreover, if you use non-toxic paint (one with no VOCs), you don’t have to worry about compromising the air quality in your home. Depending on the type of paint, materials, and labor involved, expect to pay anywhere from $2,500 to $19,000 to have your home painted professionally. If you don’t have the time to paint your home yourself, or you would rather it be done professionally, Patrick’s Painting can provide you with top-notch workmanship. We would love to help revive the interior and/or exterior of your home!

Caulking Holes and Gaps

Keeping pests out of your home is another important part of maintaining your household’s health and well-being. One of the most common ways for rodents and other pests to enter a home is through holes and gaps that can be fixed. Do a walkthrough of your home to see anywhere that needs holes and gaps filled. You will also want to look for areas inside the home that need caulking, such as the kitchen, pantry, and bathrooms.

Upgrading The Central A/C

There are several health benefits to updating your central air conditioning. Not only are newer units better at keeping germs at bay, but fresher air can also help everyone in the home sleep better. And since a more efficient A/C is better at keeping humidity levels down, the possibility of mold is reduced. While a new unit can make for a healthier home, it can come at a steep price, which depends on factors like:

  • The brand and size of the new unit you choose
  • Labor costs for removing the old unit
  • The work involved in the project
  • Materials

Most homeowners spend $3,757 to $7,278. Once you have your new system installed, be sure to change out your filters regularly to optimize your home’s air quality.

Installing Whole-House Water Filtration

It’s not hard to see how having clean, high-quality water in your home can benefit the health of your household. Consider having a whole-house water filtration system installed, which typically can be done for $300 to $1,000. That way, you can rest assured knowing that anytime you turn on the faucet or shower, you’re getting the highest quality water.

Choosing a Good Contractor

For any project you undertake that requires the services of a professional, it’s important to pick the right contractor; otherwise, you run the risk of shoddy work and wasted money. Ask around for references and read through online reviews of contractors in your area. Once you find at least three candidates, interview and get estimates from each of them. This will help you determine which candidate is best for your project and budget.

Nothing is more important than taking steps to create a healthy home for you and your loved ones. Installing central air conditioning, painting and caulking your home, and putting in a whole-house water filtration system are all ways to do just that. And if you make sure that you hire a qualified professional, you’re well on your way to a healthier home!

Curtis Fisher

tradesbright.org

Painting White Kopiren

9 Ways to Attract Millennial Homebuyers

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Millennials are currently the largest group of homebuyers in the U.S. and will continue to revolutionize the housing market for years to come. As more millennials pursue homeownership, it is important to revitalize your home in order to attract multiple offers from this surging demographic. Luckily, there are plenty of affordable upgrades and simple ways to spruce up your home to appeal to millennial homebuyers and sell your home quickly.

1. Updating Your Kitchen and Bathroom

The majority of younger buyers looking to see if they can afford to purchase their first home. They most likely won’t have the money or time to redo a kitchen and bathroom. Millennial homebuyers will be looking for an updated kitchen. A kitchen that includes new countertops, fresh cabinets, and hardwood floors. Updating your cabinets and countertops is a great way to spruce up your kitchen, or even give it a whole new look. Additionally, hardwood floors are becoming increasing popular among homebuyers and can improve the look of your kitchen dramatically. Younger buyers are also looking for a bathroom with new tiling and modern fixtures. By hiring a team of professionals, and putting some money toward a kitchen and bathroom remodel, you can attract more millennial homebuyers to your property. Not only that, but you’ll probably recoup a lot of your costs in the selling price of your home.

New Kitchen

2. Creating an Open Floor Plan

Millennials are attracted to large, open spaces. Larger spaces that can be used to entertain guests or as multi-functional rooms are favorable with millennials. Essentially, they don’t want to feel like their family or friends have to be sectioned off in different parts of the home. If you are already planning on remodeling your kitchen, you may consider tearing down a wall or two to create a more open look.

3. Choosing Low-Maintenance Materials

Millennial homebuyers are interested in low-maintenance homes. They are not looking for a fixer-upper the way Gen Zers and other past generations were. Millennial homebuyers don’t want to spend their time on significant repairs, home-maintenance or even cleaning their homes. They prefer things that will last and are easy to maintain. Consider choosing low maintenance materials. These materials include quartz countertops, full-sheet materials like back painted glass, and quartz backsplashes to eliminate grout lines for easy cleaning. As well as installing vinyl, sealed concrete or hardwood floors in your kitchen and bathroom to provide the new homeowners with durable, easy to clean surfaces.

4. Adding Smart Home Technology

Adding technology to the home will excite millennial buyers into purchasing your home. Many millennial homebuyers are interested in looking at homes that can manage all their home devices from one place. A smart home ecosystem has many benefits. Including, remote control functions, increased home security, and increased energy efficiency. These functions will allow homeowners to conveniently control their home from anywhere as well as reduce their energy bills.

IOT Devices

5. Installing Energy Efficient Appliances

Millennials care about the environment and will even pay extra to protect it. Younger homebuyers want appliances designed to help reduce power consumption, reduce environmental impact, and contribute to a healthier planet. 75 percent of millennial homebuyers want energy Star-rated appliances in their homes. They also want these appliances to save them money and have the latest features and technology to make everyday tasks easier.

6. Adding a Home Office

Creating a space that can double as a home office is intriguing to many millennial homebuyers. Many do commute to work, especially if you work in a big city like New York. But there is also an increasing number of millennials working from home at least a couple days a week. Creating this space allows these millennial homebuyers to have a designated area where they will be able to work from home easily and comfortably.

7. Painting your Home

If you need to freshen up your paint, and want to appeal to millennial homebuyers, opt for neutral colors on walls, trim, and baseboards. Colors such as light grey, cream, and other soft neutrals are preferred. If you have children and their rooms are all shades of bright green, blue, and pink consider painting those to match the rest of your home. Having this neutral base will make your home easy to stage and design. It also will bring a more simple, sophisticated look that millennial homebuyers find alluring.

Painting White Kopiren

8. Purchasing a Home Warranty

You may also want to consider purchasing a home warranty for your buyer. Many home warranty companies offer “listing coverage” that you can easily turn into a year-long plan for a homebuyer to repair or replace worn down systems and appliances. Many millennial homebuyers find it enticing to have a company do the groundwork of calling a contractor and scheduling repairs for them.

9. Highlighting Proximity and Walkability to Market Your Home

A “walkable community” means a home is near public transportation, grocery stores, restaurants, local businesses, and public services. Homes receive a Walk Score based on how many errands can be accomplished on foot. Millennial homebuyers are very interested in homes that have a great location. 56 percent of millennials and 46 percent of baby boomers prefer walkable communities with a range of housing amidst local businesses and public services. If your home is considered walkable, you’ll want to market it that way. By doing so you will attract more buyer interest, and you’ll potentially be able to price your home higher.

As time moves forward, millennials are beginning to make up a bigger population of homebuyers than ever before. As the playing field of buyers changes, it isn’t a bad idea to update your home to cater to the larger homebuying demographic. Following these tips can help provide you with more bids from potential buyers, and possibly sell your home quickly and for more money.

Lexi Klinkenberg

Lexi is part of the Redfin content marketing team and enjoys writing about real estate and design trends. Her dream home would be a contemporary home with an open floor plan, lots of windows, and a waterfront view.

Original Article: https://www.redfin.com/blog/ways-to-attract-millennial-homebuyers

Patricks Painting Best of Houzz Service

Patrick’s Painting – Best Of Houzz 2020

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The Best Of Houzz badge is awarded annually, in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography. Design awards honor professionals whose work was the most popular among the Houzz community. Customer Service honors are based on several factors, including a pro’s overall rating on Houzz and client reviews submitted in 2019. Architecture and interior design photographers whose images were most popular are recognized with the Photography award.

A “Best Of Houzz 2020” badge will appear on winners’ profiles as a sign of their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz.

“This year’s Best Of Houzz awards go to an incredibly talented and service-oriented group of home remodeling and design professionals, and we’re proud to highlight the winners on the Houzz website and app,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of Industry Marketing for Houzz. “This award is particularly meaningful as it reflects the sentiment of the millions of homeowners in the Houzz community who are hiring home professionals for their projects across the U.S. and around the world.”

About Houzz:
Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device. From decorating a small room to building a custom home and everything in between, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community empowered by technology, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin, Sydney, Moscow, Tel Aviv and Tokyo. Houzz is a registered trademark of Houzz Inc. worldwide. For more information, visit houzz.com.

Best Painting Tools

The Best Tools to Keep on Yourself While Painting.

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So you’re planning on painting your bedroom yourself, Great! What are the Best Painting Tools to keep on yourself while doing the work? You’ve got paint, rollers, brushes and the room is prepped with drop clothes on your flooring and plastic on your furniture.

Some essential tools you should keep on yourself while painting is a 5-1 (funny looking scraper tool that has a big curve in it), utility knife, rag, duster, and sandpaper.

5-1 Multi-ToolA 5-1 is the ultimate painter’s tool, it’s like Mohammed Ali and his boxing gloves. You can scrape areas, open paint cans, hammer nail pops (nails coming through the wall) back in, pull out the paint left in your roller, and cut out old caulking with the sharp tip.

Utility KnifeYour utility knife should always have a fresh blade and can help you with the removal of old caulking, being precise with cutting out damaged wall areas, and scraping old paint off windows (when you take the blade off the base of the knife).

Paint RagYour rag should be damp and used for drips or splatters. It doesn’t matter if you’re the Michael Jordan of painting you’re going to have a drip or splatter every once in a while.

Duster BrushA duster is usually an old paint brush this will help you remove dust/debris from base trim, windows, drywall patches, etc. We like to cut our handle down so it doesn’t bulge out.

SandpaperLast but not least is the sandpaper. This allows you to sand smooth any rough areas that might have been missed or overlooked. My team and I always keep these items on ourselves. Why? If you have the proper tools on you when you run into a trouble area, you are more than likely to repair it right there instead of neglecting it.

I know this may seem like a lot to carry but if you wear painter’s pants or cargo shorts it will be easily manageable. Best of Luck!

Patricks Painting Drywall Repair

Drywall Repair

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Got holes in the wall? Well, let me teach you how to fix them with Patrick’s Painting expert drywall repair system.

A lot of people have had drywall holes in their ceilings or walls made by kids, dogs, themselves, other contractors, and angry men after Cowboys’ playoff games.

It’s a big eyesore but quite easy to fix. I’ll explain how to do this yourself through the Patrick’s Painting drywall repair process.

Before getting started, you need to make sure you have all the right tools to make this drywall repair as easy as possible for yourself (listed below are the tools you will need).

  1. Cover all the furniture in the area where working with plastic and lay down drop clothes, it’s going to get a little messy.
  2. Using a measuring tape and drywall knife, make the hole into a square. Each side opposite of itself should measure the exact same length.
  3. Measure your hole and cut a piece of drywall to that exact measurement; watch your fingers. You will need to make sure you have the correct thickness of drywall before installing, the most common are 3/8 and ½ inch drywall.
  4. Before installing the drywall, install two pieces of wood on the opposite sides of each other behind the drywall. Using 1-inch drywall screws, secure the wood to the existing drywall. We like to use standard 2×4’s for our wood but almost any scrap wood will work.
  5. Once you have installed the wood, install the piece of drywall to the wood using drywall screws.
  6. Apply mesh tape where the new piece of drywall meets the existing drywall on all four sides.
  7. Apply drywall compound to this area; this is where it gets messy for rookies. You will need to apply two to three coats of the compound before you have completely blended the new drywall with the old drywall. Let the compound dry before you add another coat
  8. When finishing the drywall compound, leave it as smooth as possible as this will eliminate additional time sanding/scraping in between drywall coats. After this area is dry, sand smooth, and use your hand to feel for any imperfections.
  9. Wipe any drywall dust off with a rag and prime the area with an oil or latex primer. After the primer is dry, put the finish coat on and start the best part- clean up.

If you need more help with your project, please don’t hesitate to contact me – we’d love to help.

Tips

  • After installing the mesh tape, spray oil primer over the mesh tape for better adhesion of tape.
  • To cut down on dust, try wet sanding, you can do this by wetting a rag, sanding sponge, or grandpa’s old sock.
  • Use fans and a heat gun/hair dryer to speed up the drying process.
  • Use a spray can primer once the drywall has been sanded smooth. This will eliminate setting up/cleaning a brush, roller, and bucket. Just don’t use the spray can and heat gun together or you’ll have bigger problems.
  • You can use any drywall compound or spackle to finish this area but we prefer to use EZ sand 20 because it dries within 20 minutes, sometimes… (LOL!)
  • Make sure you measure twice and cut once, you want the new piece of drywall as tight in there as possible to make smoothing out the compound easier for you.

Tools needed – Mud knifes, Mud pan, EZ 20, Heat gun, Mesh tape, Tape measure, T-square, Square, Straight edge, Utility Knife with a fresh blade, Drywall, Drywall saw, Wood, Sandpaper, Drop cloth, Plastic, Tape, Screw gun, Drywall screws, Pencil, Ladder, Oil primer, Trash bags, Sanding pole, Fans, Vacuum, Rags.

Patricks Painting Drywall Repair-Before

Before

After painting, paint is still wet

After – painting, paint is still wet

After 3rd coat of compound

After – 3rd coat of compound