Worked case: the exterior of a three-story HOA building, lift work, doors and a color proposal for the board — steps and cost

The scenario

Picture a three-story building with several dozen units around a courtyard, run by a homeowners' association. The board has set aside money for an exterior repaint, and the paint on the sun-facing walls is chalky, with trim that has opened at the corners and railings that show bare metal. Housing figures for the city show that a small share of its units sit in large buildings, so this is a recognizable job, though not the most common one.

The first document is not a bid. It is the association's governing paperwork. In a building like this one, the CC&Rs decide who approves colors, which surfaces belong to the association and how much notice residents must get. The painter reads them with the manager before proposing anything.

The board will look at a color scheme, so a proposal comes first: two or three combinations, each shown on sample boards on a side wall, so members can see them in daylight. That proposal is a separate line in the calculator. After a vote, the paint list is fixed.

The surface to paint is about 9,000 square feet. Because the building is three stories, much of it can be reached only from a lift or scaffolding, and the lift line adds to the per-square-foot rate. Lift work needs a flat, clear base, so the manager arranges parking and a staging area.

Residents live in the building, so the work is phased. One elevation is done at a time, residents get a written notice with the dates and the doors and windows they should keep closed, and balconies are cleared on the day. Each phase closes with a walk of the base of the wall, where drops and tape are collected.

The building's twenty-four entry doors are painted on the hall side as part of the job. Doors on the courtyard side belong to the residents in some associations, and in others to the board; again, the CC&Rs decide.

If the building is a pre-1978 build, the lead-safe practices in the lead-safe page apply to scraping and sanding the old paint, and the firm must be certified for that work. In this example the building is newer, so that line stays off.

Sprayed paint near cars and neighbors' property is masked and shielded, and wind stops the spray work at once.

The courtyard and the walkways get their own protection. Plants at the base of the walls are covered with breathable cloth, not sealed in plastic for days, and bicycles, grills and furniture on balconies are moved by their owners before each phase. A weekly update goes to the manager with photographs of the finished elevation, what is planned next and any surprises, such as a patch of rotted trim or a bare spot where an earlier repair failed, so that the board is never asked to approve a change it has not heard about.

What the job involves

1. The manager and the painter read the CC&Rs together, walk the building and list surfaces, doors and rails.
2. A color proposal with sample boards goes to the board for a vote.
3. Notices go to residents with dates, parking and window instructions for each elevation.
4. Each elevation is washed, scraped, patched, caulked and primed where bare.
5. Two finish coats go on from the lift, then trim, rails and doors.
6. At the end of each phase the base of the wall is cleaned and the manager signs off the elevation.

Materials and tools

• Scissor lift or scaffolding, with a flat staging area
• Pressure washer and scrapers
• Airless sprayer with masking and shielding
• Sample boards for the color proposal

Add-ons often paired with this job

• Color scheme proposal for board review — +$250–$800. The color proposal is a flat line. It covers sample boards, a short written summary for the board and one revision.
• Doors — +$80–$200. Twenty-four doors are priced at the business rate; metal doors and wood doors are prepared differently, and the painter notes which is which.

Why it is done this way

A building exterior is the one case where the calculator's business path and its lift flag do most of the work. The base rate covers washing, prep and two coats, and the lift line adds the cost of reaching the upper floors.

The proposal and the doors are separate lines because an association may want one without the other. A board can approve colors in one meeting and release the job in the next.

The unit price per square foot is lower than a home's, since large flat walls go faster, and phasing is a scheduling matter, not a price line.

What would change the price

• The surface is larger or smaller than 9,000 square feet.
• The building is two stories, so a lift is not needed.
• The paint is found to be from a pre-1978 build, which adds the lead-safe line.
• The board asks for a different color, which adds a coat.
• Balcony railings or metal stairs are included.
• Work is limited to certain hours, which lengthens the schedule.