FAQ’S

There are several key things to look for when choosing a painting contractor. At the very least, check to see if they are licensed, insured, experienced and capable of completing work. Look for reputable companies like Gold Standard Painting with local references.

Yes, fully insured!

Yes! Please visit our photo gallery to see examples of our completed Interior and exterior painting projects. or visit the before and after page.

We typically use professional high quality paints from Sherwin Williams, unless the customer requests a different brand.

Yes, all of our work comes with a warranty. (Please see our warranty policy)

Thank you for choosing Gold Standard Painting, We are sure you will not be disappointed. To schedule your painting project, please contact us at 651-336-7876 Someone will get in touch with you shortly to talk about colors, schedule, and more.

One of our main goals is to complete your project with as little disruption to your life as possible. Before your project starts we will provide you with a list of things that you can do to help us to complete your project as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Maintaining an open line of communication with you is of paramount importance to us at Gold Standard Painting. A team leader will be able to answer most questions but please feel free to contact the owner at 651-336-7876. At any time to address concerns or answer any questions you may have whatsoever.

We never charge a fee to provide an estimate for your painting project.

There are many things to consider, including type and size of the painted area; type of windows and other trim work; number and intensity of paint colors; amount of protection needed for plants and furniture; quality of paint used and the extent of preparation needed for your painting project. All of these aspects will need to be considered in order to provide you with an accurate cost estimate.

Each customer has a different vision for their project, and that means the level of preparation will be tailored to meet the needs of each customer and their unique project. Below is a description of the various types of preparation we usually perform. Gold Standard Painting will discuss with you what you hope to achieve with your project, tailor the proposal to capture that vision, and price the project accordingly.

• Wash: new paint requires a clean, dry, and firm base to adhere correctly.
• Scrape: all loose and peeling paint should be removed by scrapers, knives, and/or steel brushes. All areas should be scraped back to a firm edge.
• Sand: sanding is a beautification process and does not add longevity to the paint job. As such, this is one point where you must discuss your desires with the estimator. Often, sanding is focused on high visibility areas.
• Wooden Windows: windows with putty holding the glass in place will have old, dry, and crumbling putty removed, the edge cleaned, and fresh putty applied.
• Divots: dents and dings in wood trim items (doors, windows, molding, etc.) are filled with putty or an auto body filler and sanded smooth. The extent of this work is dependent upon what you discuss with the estimator and what is included in the proposal.
• Caulking & Sealing: gaps, cracks, and crevices in siding, and around doors and windows will be sealed and caulked. Different substrates require different caulks and sealers, and we will use the correct product for each specific circumstance. Please note that horizontal and vertical seams in most siding substrates are not designed to be caulked, and should remain open to allow the house to breathe.

The process can take as little as 2 days from the time we connect with you, or as long as 2 weeks to a month for huge or multifaceted commercial projects . 

However, the actual timing will depend on the condition of your paint surfaces, the type of work required, our schedule and weather conditions if the project involves exterior work, especially considering Minnesota’s weather. We include a precise paint project schedule and timeline in our proposals and contracts and we make these determinations on a case by case basis.

During our consultation with you, we evaluate your painting project and determine how long we project the completion schedule to be.

No, but it is important to have any loose, peeling, cracking, or degraded paint removed before painting.

If you want specific areas of the building stripped of old paint (such as entryways or front doors), please discuss this with your estimator. Keep in mind that this type of “restoration” can be rather expensive.

Safely. All of our workers have been trained on the safe and proper use of extension ladders. If it is called for, we are also expert in the use of scaffolding, lifts, and booms.

Yes. We schedule each job to be completed in consecutive days (M-F.)

On interiors, after delicate items have been removed, all areas will be prepped and remaining items will be covered with clean drop cloths or plastic sheeting. On exteriors, shrubs and surrounding areas will be protected so that no evidence of paint splatter or paint peelings remain after our project is complete. We keep our work areas clean, safe and tidy, and we make sure to be courteous and respectful of all our work areas.

Please move all small items and breakables. Unless agreed otherwise, we will move and protect all of the furniture and fixtures.

We regularly perform basic carpentry repairs that are commonly found as part of exterior painting projects, such as removing and replacing rotten window trim, door casing/trim, siding boards, etc.

However, we refer repairs that require advanced skill, such as hanging doors, replacing wood that involves touching roofing/plumbing/electricity, etc. For example, we do not replace wood that requires the removal of window flashing or messing with an exterior hose bib.

Typically, carpentry repairs are not part of our initial proposal for painting, because we usually cannot tell the full extent of the required repairs until we have performed the prep work and poked around a bit.

Sheen refers to the light reflectivity of painted or varnished surfaces. There are varying degrees of sheen, from no sheen to high gloss. Though some paint manufacturers may refer to their paint sheens by different names, generally, from lowest to highest, paint sheens correspond to these reflective degrees:

• Flat finish
• Eggshell finish
• Satin finish
• Semi gloss finish
• High gloss finish

Please see our sheen chart here: Sheen Chart

Primers are coatings designed to prepare different substrates for top coats of paint. They solve specific painting challenges, like sealing out moisture, resisting stain and chemical bleeds from inside the substrate, and locking down chalky surfaces.

Substrates with paint in good condition usually do not need a full prime coat, but if an extreme color change is planned, a tinted prime coat will help the finish coats cover better.

Water intrusion can occur for many reasons: poor draining from gutters, rusted or damaged window and roof flashing, rotted siding or trim work, or damaged roofing, to name a few.

It can be difficult to determine the exact point of water entry because water often “runs” once it enters the structure, meaning that it may come in at one point, travel along an interior joist or support beam, and come through drywall or plaster in an area far from the point of entry.

The caulking and sealing that are part of the normal preparation process of painting often solve leaking problems. However, if the root of the leaking problem is from another source (for example, a damaged roof or gutters) the painting process probably will not solve the problem

Flat and lower sheen paints provide even light reflection and give the surface a softer, more uniform look.

They don’t highlight surface imperfections as do higher sheen paints, and they usually don’t require as much surface preparation such as patching, texturing or sanding prior to painting.

Flat and lower sheen paints are much less likely to show “lap marks”, so they are generally easier to apply and touch up than higher sheen paints. (When one painted section dries before the next section is painted, the two sections won’t flow together into a uniform film, resulting in a “lap mark.”)

They don’t need to be sanded or de-glossed before repainting, unlike higher sheen paints.

They are less stain and scuff resistant than higher sheen paints, so they should not be used on surfaces that will be handled, washed or scrubbed frequently.

They are less moisture resistant than higher sheen finishes, so they are not the best choice for areas exposed to high humidity levels, like in bathrooms, or on any surfaces that will be washed frequently.

Latex paints are more environmentally friendly than oil based paints. With oil based paints there are paint fumes to contend with that can be particularly bothersome on interior painting jobs. There is also a by product of dirty paint thinner that requires a trip to your local toxic waste site. (We always get rid of this waste as part of our work.)

There are other factors as well: Latex primers and finishes have been improving tremendously over the years and are very durable. A latex finish on an exterior painting job will stay elastic for years, where oil based paint dries to form a hard and more brittle film. Surfaces expand and contract with weather. While the latex paint will move with the surface, the oil will tend to crack sooner with this movement.

The advantage of using oil paints is that it will give a smoother look as it tends to layout better on the surface and so not show brush marks as much as latex. Also, as was already mentioned, oil dries hard so it tends to be more washable than latex.

If your house was built prior to 1978, chances are it has lead paint on it. A lab test can be done if you want to make sure.

VOC stands for “volatile organic compound” and refers to the chemicals that are off-gassed into the environment as part of the drying process.

Many VOCs can be toxic and have a bad odor, so the government has limited the types and amounts that can be used in paints. Some examples are paint thinner, mineral spirits, alcohol, gasoline, ethylene glycol, acetone and xylol. Most architectural paints contain some VOCs.

Please let our office know about it or feel free to contact your estimator directly. Most of the time it is more cost-effective for us to make a change or do additional during the course of the project than to have us come back after the project is complete.

The cost of a job is usually determined by the level of thoroughness, attention to detail, and quality desired. It costs more to properly prepare a surface for painting than to just pressure clean and scrape the surface. The majority of the cost of painting is in the surface preparation and the labor involved in the application of the paint and not the actual cost of the paint itself. As with most other industries, generally you get what you pay for.

Acrylic (latex) paint dries much faster than Alkyd (oil). Usually a couple of hours is plenty of time. Oil paint though should dry overnight. Flat paint may dry faster than semi gloss.

A payment schedule is outlined in our contact. We will invoice you accordingly and will expect to be paid at that time.

Generally an exterior painting job will need to be redone every 5-10 years. Stucco tends to last longer, wood on the other hand expands and contracts more with changing temperatures which loosens the paint sooner.
It is best not to put off your exterior painting until the house is badly peeling. When it gets to that condition, it will end up costing you more in preparation time and possibly dry rot repair work.
If however the property is in a bad condition when you get to it, do yourself a favor – go the extra length and ensure that thorough surface preparation is done. The idea is to create a sound surface for the new coats to adhere to. This requires more time but is necessary for the paint job to last.

Spraying and brushing are both acceptable application methods, so long as the paint is put on at the proper spread rate (square feet/gallon) and performed by a skilled applicator.

Spraying will provide a smoother appearance and less chance for mildew to get into brush marks and grow. As long as the surface has been properly prepared, sprayed paint will adhere as well as if brushed.

The durability and longevity of a paint job is affected more by the quality of the preparation than the number of coats of paint. New, raw surfaces usually receive a full prime coat before a finish is applied. Very dramatic color changes often require a full prime coat prior to finish coats being applied.

If you are not changing color and the existing paint is in relatively good condition, a single coat of matching color and sheen may suffice. You can discuss the pros and cons of such a paint system with your estimator.

On exterior projects, there are a number of tasks that can be performed in light rain or fog, such as power washing and scraping. However, we cannot apply sealants, primer or paint in wet weather. In these instances we must wait for the home to dry out.

As a rule of thumb, if the streets are dry, the house is dry enough to paint. In many instances the building will take a little longer to fully dry. Rest assured that we will wait the proper amount of time to ensure the coatings we apply leave you with a quality finish – that is our primary goal.

The longevity of the paint job depends on the quality of the preparation. Some customers ask us to skimp on the prep to save a few dollars (i.e., they just want to clean the house up for sale), while other customers want a level of preparation that will last ten years or more.

Other aspects that will affect the longevity include the types, age, and condition of the substrates, their exposure to the elements, and how protected a building is by other near-by buildings.

Bottom coats often fail before top coats, because they are the oldest coats on the house and their resins degrade. When this happens, the top coats don’t have anything solid to adhere to, and thus begin to peel and crack.

Not likely. In fact, we get better discounts than the employees of most of the major paint manufacturers. If you want the best materials for the lowest price, Gold Standard Painting will get them for you.