Kellogg's Painting|Painter|House Painting Contractor

Tips for hiring a pressure washing contractor

02/23/2013 11:08:00

Spring is almost here and it is a good time to do exterior maintenance of your home, including washing your house siding, gutters, overhangs and windows.

This may sound like an easy task to tackle on your own, but in fact can be dangerous. Most home owners do not have the proper equipment and detergents to power wash there home safely, efficiently and correctly. Even if you own a pressure washer chances are you are using high pressure and holding the wand to close to the surface to clean which can damage the surface and create water intrusion. A property owner will use ladders to reach high areas that become slippery and unstable. Most detergents sold in the stores are not effective against removing all pollutants and contaminants from your siding and will not whiten your gutters, because they will not remove the electrostatic bonding from them.

A professional experienced, knowledgeable and safe pressure washing company will wash the exterior of your home from the ground using low pressure and the proper cleaners that will not only clean your exterior, but will also kill the spores that create mold and mildew. Professional house washing contractors know that it is not high pressure that cleans the surface, but it is using the proper house cleaners in the right quantities.

What to ask a N.Y pressure washing contractor to qualify them as a LEGAL professional power washing company to wash the exterior of your home?

1) Do you have insurance? A N.Y contractor is required to carry liability insurance and workers compensation insurance.

2) do you have a N.Y State Sales Tax I.D Number? New York state requires that sales tax be collected on all repairs and maintenance. Power washing is considered maintenance .

3) Is your business registered?

4) Do you have references, names and phone numbers?

5) Dose the contractor provide a clearly written outlined proposal?

6) Does the proposal include all materials and labor?

7) Is the contractor going to use low pressure? How many psi will be hitting the house? It should not exceed 1,000 psi, as that would be considered using high pressure.

8) Is the contractor punctual for the initial estimate?

9) is the contractor business like?

These are a few tips to help you to have a positive house washing experience when hiring a Albany, Catskills or Hudson Valley pressure washing contractor to power wash your home.

The Kellogg's Painting House Washing Experience:

Low pressureis all that is needed to remove surface dirt, pollutants, mold, mildew and algae when combined with the correct cleaners and experience. A professional pressure washing company will use low pressure, as to not damage your property and to prevent water intrusion. A professional contractor knows that it is not the pressure being used, but the correct cleaners and application methods. Beware of contractors that use high pressure washing and/or get the wand real close to the surface.

Our Cleaneris safe and specially formulated to remove environmental pollution, dirt and grime from vinyl, aluminum siding, masonry and painted wood.

Gutter Whiteningscrubs away the black stains and streaks caused by electrostatic bonding. These streaks are difficult to remove without the correct detergent and equipment. Kellogg’s Painting has developed the proper technique and uses the right cleaners to whiten your gutters.

Window Cleaningby hand leaving your windows spotless, providing beautiful view for all seasons.

Waxwill prolong contaminants from appearing on your home, keeping it cleanerlonger and protecting the siding from the elements

Quick Tips For Planning Your Next House Painting Project

11/19/2011 14:44:00

Written by Adam Coholan, an active blogger, remodeling, renovation, and interior design based on his experience working with luxury Fire Island real estate around the New York area. You can follow him on Twitter @Coho22.

A remodel project or new furniture will certainly transform your space but can be very costly, but you can still transform your living space without spending a small fortune. The fastest and easiest way to freshen up a room and make it feel updated is to give it a fresh coat of paint. There’s no need to buy expensive tools or invest a great deal of time into the project. With a little bit of planning and the help of a professional painter, you can turn any boring room in your home into something marvelous.

The first step is deciding how you want the room to feel. Some colors, like blues and greens, are more relaxing and will encourage people to sit down,relax and kick their feet up. Other colors, like vibrant yellows and bright shades will create an upbeat feel. There is no right or wrong decision. The only thing that matters is that you find a color that feels great and makes you want to spend time in the room.

When choosing the right color, keep in mind that it will look different in your room at home than it does on the paint chip in the store. Your home has different lighting, ant the surroundings and accents are also different. What looks like the perfect match under bright fluorescent lights could be garish in your softer lighting at home. Pick up a few bottles of sample paint and have them tinted to the colors you are considering. You can then paint an area on the wall at home. This way you can see how the paint will look in different lightings and decide whether it really is the perfect fit.

The final decision is to choose the type of paint you will use. This is based on more than simply personal preference. You should also take into account the room it’s going in, how dirty it will get and how well it should handle being cleaned. As a general rule of thumb, you can simply remember that as paint takes on a more reflective surface it becomes more durable and better able to withstand the effects of moisture and cleaning.

Flat paint has no reflective quality and will provide a muted finish. It will also wipe off relatively easily when you try to clean it, so it’s not a good choice for kitchens, bathrooms or high traffic areas. Gloss paint has a high shine to it and can be scrubbed thoroughly. This makes it the perfect choice for trim work, doors and other areas that will be prone to fingerprints or dust. When painting the bedrooms, living rooms and other areas, a good compromise would be satin or semi-gloss paint. They can both be scrubbed butaren’t as shiny as a regular gloss paint.

There is no limit to the transformation you can create with a new coat of paint.You can easily change the look and feel of your space, create visual borders or add drama and dimension. Choose your paint color carefully and give some thought to the type of paint for a finished product that you will be thrilled with and proud of.

Deck Staining & Wood Care

05/15/2011 10:34:00

Deck refinishing and staining is a very popular service, but it is not done properly in most situations. The most important factor in deck staining is surface preparation. Great surface preparation is the KEY to outstanding results. Prep right, and the deck will turn out great. Rush through prep, skip a step (or two) and the deck won’t look nearly as good.

A major source of problems and complaints for all wood finishes is over-application of the coating. Many do-it-your self believe that when it comes to coating, more is better. This is simply not the case and is particularly a problem for decks. Most deck finishes are designed to penetrate the surface of the wood. Putting too much of these coatings on the wood leads to a buildup of material, forming a film which can ultimately peel or crack. For water repellent products, over-application can result in a surface which is overly waxy, sticky, or slick. Over-applied stains will often result in sticky surfaces, since the coating buildup interferes with their ability to dry properly.

Fact: All exterior wood needs protection from the elements.

Why? The damaging effects of the weather on exposed, sun-protected wood begins immediately and last forever.

The day that you finish installing a deck or other exterior wood structure is the day trouble can start. Morning dew, rainwater, and melting snow are quickly absorbed by unprotected wood, causing it to soften and swell.
Direct exposure to the sun's heat causes drying, causing the wood to shrink.
Continuous cycles of wet and dry, swelling and shrinking cause wood to warp, split, crack and check-all of which leads to premature wood degradation.
Surface graying is caused by exposure to the sun's UV rays on unprotected wood.
Consistent moisture creates conditions for the growth of mildew, algae, mold, and other fungal organisms that feed on wood. spreading across and staining the surface.
Termites and other wood boring insects also use wood for a food source, causing rot and decay.

Weathered Wood:

If the wood on your deck is uncoated, it needs to be cleaned thorouly with a product specifically formulated to remove the aged top layer, which will rid the surface of its grayed appearance, ground in dirt, stains from food, fungus growth, including mildew, mold, and algae. I recommended using a per carbonated cleaner instead of a deck cleaner that contains bleach. Bleach has long term effects on wood and the glues that hold it together, just as bleach eats your jeans. After cleaning well follow up using a deck brightener. A brightener will remove tannin, stains, rust from nails, and will bring the decks appearance back to when it was new. I use a pressure washer to aid with my cleaning, but use low pressure 500-800psi.

If you have a previous failed coating on your deck you will have to strip it first using a stain stripper.

New Wood:

Just as in restoration of old wood, it is necessary to prepare the surface of the new wood before coating. Preparing the surface involves cleaning the new wood, in order to remove invisible surface barriers, such as excess wax, or mill glaze, a burnished surface often found on new cedar limber.

Preserve your woods beauty and structural integrity by following through with a regular maintenance program.Once your deck is installed and protected it should be cleaned once a year, inspected, and re-stained as needed. Daily exposure to UV rays willwear away the coatings surface layer, thus making it necessary to to re-apply periodically.

Splash water on your deck and notice if it is absorbed or beads up. If it is absorbed rapidly your deck is ready to stain. If it beads up you still have stain or contaminants on the surface.

Types of Deck Stain:

Transparent Deck Stainsare the lightest pigmented. These are also called wood toners and will enhance the woods natural beauty. They typically offer the least amount of UV protection from graying as the trans oxides are usually low. They offer the most natural look.

Semi-Transparent Deck Stains are higher in pigment and trans oxides. They still penetrate into the wood but have a higher ability to stop UV discoloration. Typically are "richer" in color then the Transparent Stains and accent the wood grain.

Solid "Opaque" Wood and Deck Stains are not transparent at all. They will mask or cover the wood similar to a paint but are thinner in consistency so they will penetrate into the wood cells. They offer the best UV protection from graying.

Spring Preventative Maintenance

02/19/2011 09:27:00

Spring will soon be here and it will be time for home maintenance after a winter of neglect. Your home is probably the largest investment you will ever make. You should be doing seasonal preventative maintenance on your home. Routine, preventive maintenance will keep
your property looking good, functioning well, will save you time and money in the long haul and keeps the value of your property. The following are tips to extend the life and value of your property.

Inspect your roof for damaged and/or loose shingles.
Inspect flashing around chimneys and vents, don’t forget to check your drip edge for any damage.
Clean your gutters, downspouts and inspect them for any damage. After cleaning your gutters run some water in them to make sure they are flowing properly and that they are directing water away from your foundation.
Inspect your fascia and soffit. Replace any soft or rotted boards, as they will allow water intrusion into your home.
Inspect your exterior painted surfaces for loose, flaking and/or peeling paint. Failing paint on exterior wood surfaces will lead to wood rot, as there is nothing to protect your wood surfaces from the elements.
Inspect the caulk around your exterior doors, windows, corners and any place there is a joint. Caulking your exterior surfaces properly will also prevent water intrusion, AC/Heat loss, drafts and insects from entering your house.
Trim branches and shrubs away from your home. Branches and shrubs can provide a pathway for insects, cause excess moisture to rot your exterior surfaces and/or enter your home and also cause mold/mildew to develop which is not healthy to you and your family.
Pickup any branches that may have fallen during the winter and remove dead branches from trees to prevent them from falling and causing damage to your home, car or bodily injury.
Inspect asphalt and exterior masonry surfaces for cracks that can cause further damage, water intrusion and cost you more money in the end by not repairing and/or waterproofing these surfaces now.
The spring time is perfect for pressure washing your homes exterior and decks, removing dirt, dust, debris, mold and mildew.

Now that you have a list of some preventative maintenance for the exterior of your home, let’s move inside to the interior and do some maintenance.

Check around tubs, showers, sinks, countertops and water faucets to ensure proper caulking. Improper caulk in these areas will lead to water intrusion, damaging drywall, cabinets, floors, etc. This is also a good time to inspect any areas that are tiled for damaged, cracked tile or bad grout.
Inspect and clean your HVAC filter monthly, replace as needed.
Check and clean your clothes dryer vent and stove hood.
If you have a coiled back refrigerator, vacuum the coils.
Give your home a good spring cleaning from top to bottom, this will promote better air quality.
Check you’re A/C before the real hot weather comes.
Check smoke and/or carbon monoxide detector batteries.

The above tips are just a few things to check to keep your home running and looking great. Make your self a check list and you can add to it, as not everything is mentioned here.

Painters, N.Y Sales Tax

02/08/2011 11:03:00

When is a painting contractor in NYS suppose to charge sales and use tax? A legitimate painting company working in New York will be licensed, have a tax i.d number, have a federal employee i.d number, and have insurance. Ask your potential house painter if he can show you valid proof of all of these. If the painting company can not show you documentation that they are a legal company to work in NY, then do not hire them, as there can be problems down the road.

If you are a non profit organization then you will be tax exempt and not have to pay NYS Sales and Use Tax on your painting project. You will have to show proof to the painting contractor that you are tax exempt and he probably will want to make a copy for his records.

New York State does require that a house painter charges sales and use tax on all materials and labor that is going to be used in a painting/staining/coatings project that is not a capital improvement. Painting the interior-exterior of your N.Y home or business is considered repair, maintenance, and installation services, and these are considered taxable. Any surfaces that are pre-existing and have been coated, painted before are taxable according to NYS Tax guidelines.

A capital improvement project is not taxable. This is usually a new construction building or addition that will be painted and has never been painted before. If you have a capital improvement project you are responsible to provide the painting contractor with proper documentation. Once providing the painter with proper documentation you are not subjected to paying taxes on any interior or exterior painting/staining/coatings that will be applied to that project. If you do not provide the contractor documents the painting company will probably charge you NYS Sales and Use Tax to protect themselves. They will want to also copy your documentation for there records.

When you construct a capital improvement, you don't pay sales tax, but if a job is considered a repair, maintenance, or installation service, you pay sales tax on the total amount for materials, supplies, and labor (unless you furnish a valid exemption certificate).

New York law defines a "capital improvement" as an addition or alteration to real property that:
1. Substantially adds to the property's value or appreciably prolongs its useful life
2. Becomes part of the real property or is permanently affixed to the real property so that removal would cause material damage to the property or the article itself
3. Is intended to become a permanent installation.

Repairs and maintenance involve keeping property in a condition of fitness, efficiency, readiness and/or safety or restoring it to that condition. Installation means setting up tangible personal property or putting it in place for use.

Always check your painting contractors documents. Make sure they are working legally and charging NYS Sales and Use Tax accordingly.

Every county in New York state has a different sales and use tax rate. Albany County, Columbia County, Green County, and Ulster County are 8%.

Sales and Use Tax, Classifications of Capital Improvements and Repairs to Real Property

Certificate of Capital Improvement

Kellogg's Painting Company provides house painters, custom staining, pressure washing services, and deck restoration contractor to homes and business in the Hudson Valley and Catskills, New York areas.

House Painting Color Tips

02/04/2011 09:38:00

When choosing paint colors to paint your house or office it can be a daunting task. There are 3 general groups of paint schemes:

Monochromatic schemes are based on one hue, which varies in value (lightness and darkness), and saturation (the amount of color). An example of this is a pale blue with a pure blue and dark blue.
Analogous schemes combine no more than three similar colors. An example of this is red, yellow red (orange), and yellow.
Complementary schemes are based on opposing colors. This scheme offers more contrast and can introduce both warm and cool colors into the area. An example would be the burgundy complementing the three shades of green in your front door

Find an existing dominant color that you like or wish to keep, in the room or on the house. On an exterior, this could be the color of the brick or stone, pre-finished windows, or roof. For an interior, it could be the color of your sofa, flooring, art work, or window coverings.

Determine what kind of feeling you wish to have in the room or on the home. Warm colors such as red, orange, yellow, or beige, can create an invigorating mood or add cozy intimacy to large spaces. They can help to warm up a room that has northern or eastern exposure. Blues, greens, violets, or grays, the cool colors, give a serene feeling and can add spaciousness to small spaces. The balance between light colors and deep colors should be considered.

Exterior house painting color selection tips:

Look for interesting architectural details, that can be accented color.
Drive through various neighborhoods to see color in action. Make note of appealing color schemes.
Define the entry way and window trim
A charcoal gray shingle may have flecks of gray-green or gray-blue that can be incorporated into the color scheme.

Interior house painting color selection tips:

Black lends itself to sophistication and excitement in any decor. use it on the trim in an entry way.
Make a small room look large with a medium shade on the ceiling.
Pastel shades are not just for walls and trim.
Neutral colors like grays, create a classic look with a modern feel.
Paint just one wall, accent it

Hire A Professional Painter For Your Interior Painting

12/22/2010 10:48:00

The least expensive house painter that you can find or DIY may not be the best value and safest way to have the interior of your house painted. when making the decision to paint your homes interior going with the local handyman or hiring a professional house painting contractor there are a few things that you should keep in mind.

1) Safety comes to my mind first and that should be the most important factor for you and your family. Painting can be hazardous work, whether it’s working on a ladder or dealing with solvents and dust. Hiring a professional contractor means that you can have piece of mind. If your home or business was built before 1978, chances are it contains lead-based paint, which can cause serious health effects when it is scraped or sanded in preparation for repainting. Painters and anyone whom will be disturbing the paint are required by federal law to be an EPA Certified Firm and have a certified renovator. A lead certified painting company will take the appropriate steps to protect you, your family, and their painters from the dangers of lead.

2) Proper preparation and quality paint will give you a long lasting paint job. Preparing the surfaces properly makes all the difference. A Professional Painting Contractor knows the value of preparation and will do it right.The choices today are more complicated than just oil or latex base coatings and professional house painters know what works, how to use it, and will have the right tools for the job.

3) Hiring a professional painting company means you don’t have to worry about dealing with paint residues and other leftovers. Professionals will know how to handle any hazardous wastes and any other materials that are left over. They will clean up your home at the end of the project and leave your house looking as if they where never there.

4) Always verify the contractor is licensed and insured. Quality contracting firms will be only too happy to provide you with copies of their certificates of insurance. Not all states and municipalities require licensing however business registration with your state and municipality is generally a minimum requirement.

5) A reputable painting contractor will encourage the use of a written contract. This contract should clearly explain the scope of the work to be performed. It should also cover such items as surfaces to be painted, methods and extent of surface preparation, time schedules for the project, and payment procedures. Knowing the total scope of the work enables you to carefully evaluate the different bids you may receive with the proper information and keep them on a level playing field. The contract serves to protect both you and the contractor.

6) Obtain a list of references from the prospective contractor. This list should include the contact person, address, and telephone number of the previous client. Follow up on this list with a phone call. Be sure to ask whether the contractor and employees treated you professionally and with respect. If possible, try to see the work that was done.

7) Discuss any guarantee or warranty programs the contractor may offer. Ask about the manufacturer's warranty on the products to be used on your project. Remember you are looking for long-term durability from the paint job. The use of high quality products is as important as the selection and performance of the contractor. Verifying references will provide a return on your project investment.

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Kellogg's Painting Company

Interior house painting contractor - Kellogg's Painting Company serves the Hudson Valley and Catskill, New York areas.

Kellogg's Painting Company has more tips when selecting a professional house painter for your New York homes interior painting needs.

House Painting Forum

10/20/2010 18:57:00

One of the newest House Painting Forum -s is now available to all homeowners, painters, painting contractors, builders, Insurance professionals, SEO, software and computer experts, coming together in one place, collaborating, in the house painting industry, for a down to earth, homeowner friendly community. Some major differences with the Painting Forum and similar forums, the owner here has more in place, benefiting all who join. Brand new to the web, the Painting Forum has high hopes giving back to the net, current, and valid information for the house painting industry, and for all of those who seek answers to questions.

Larger Signature Area:

Most forums of many topics, have a limit of characters in the signature. This is where targeted keywords can be hyper linked, helping that website or blog ranking higher in the search engines for that particular keyword or phrase. As a result of normally keeping a character limit to a minimum of 200-250 characters, many forums consider more than 3 text links spam. I don’t agree with this low number, as most top web sites have close to 10 keywords in html meta content, allowing most search engines know what they wish to rank for. In the Painting Forum, a 600 character limit, with a maximum of 10 keywords is acceptable, helping all those who join.

Blog Thread:

The Painting Forum allows links to blogs, contrary to many other forums. On the same playing field as many bookmarking sites, the Painting Forum has a forum set aside, solely for others linking painting blog articles, giving articles a special place, thereby helping the ease of inbound links and comments. Having one place of house painting related blogs acts as a directory also.

Many Other Painting Related Fields:

Running a house painting business, includes a lot more than just painting the interior or exterior walls and ceilings. The Painting Forum has set aside a special thread for those associated with insurance, website builders, SEO experts, software, sales, marketing, advertising, safety equipment, and interior decorating experts. Hoping not leaving any area out, there’s more to painting a house than using a brush or roller. Adding other painting related forums as need be. If you can line up yourself with the house painting industry, we look forward seeing you there!

A Great Place Sharing Painting Ideas:

Helping those who have painting questions, the Painting Forum is the place to be, always sharing painting ideas.

Proudly having some of the most knowledgeable painting contractors and most famous painters of twitter, Tom with Kelloggs Painting Company of the Hudson Valley, Catskills & Albany New York areas. There are decades of combined painting experience, always there helping those with painting questions, we all look forward building a community related to one we enjoy the most.

A big thanks to my friend Cal Phillips, owner of Eco Paint specialist, Inc., a professional Denver house painting contractor. Cal is the creator of this new painting forum and brings years of interior-exterior painting experience. Cal and I collaborate our ideas and thoughts as often as we can and we look forward to sharing them with you.

House Painting Forum

Comparing House Painting Contractors

09/24/2010 17:18:00

You should always compare your estimates from one contractor to another. Not all estimates are going to include the same materials, coats of paint, prep work, caulk and labor, that's just a few examples. When comparing one proposal with the next you can have a better understanding as to what your actually going to be paying for. You want to hire the painting contractor that will provide you the best VALUE, warranties, quality workmanship, quality materials and whom is knowledgeable and professional. All house painters are
not equal, i have composed a checklist that can be used the next time that you would like to hire a Painting Company.
Does the painting contractor provide a written labor warranty?

Does the painting contractor provide more than 5 references with names and numbers of satisfied customers? Past surveys?

Does the painting contractor provide photos or videos of past projects?

Does the painting contractor have any prior reports against them with the Better Business Bureau?

Is the painting contractor insured?

Is the painting contractor going to use quality products? (Primer, paint, stain, caulk)

Does the painting contractor provide a free color consultation?

Does the painting contractor provide a clearly outlined proposal in writing? Including the number of coats you will be getting?

Does the proposal clearly include all labor, materials, warranty and equipment necessary to complete your project?

Does the proposal include the proper preparation for your project? Washing of surfaces to be painted or stained, scraping of surfaces, primer, caulking, filling holes, etc. Covering your assets with plastic and drop clothes?

Does the painting contractor perform moisture testing on exterior substrates, ensuring moisture levels are ok to apply paint or stain?

Does the painting contractor provide you with information about safety, warranty, their company, proper preparation and the materials they will be using?

Is the painting contractor knowledgeable and informative?

Is the painting contractor punctual for your estimate?

Is the painting contractor business like, professional and courteous?

Selling A N.Y House

09/24/2010 17:09:00

Think Paint. A good first impression helps sell your home

It can't be overstated—when it comes to buying a house, the first impression is everything. If you're selling or
getting ready to sell in the coming months, one of the easiest and most dramatic ways to enhance that first impression is through paint.

Fresh paint makes your house look clean, bright, and inviting.
"Painting your house's exterior before you put it on the market give the biggest bang for your fix-up buck—if you use colors that conform with your neighborhood's decorating norm," says Eric Tyson and Ray Brown in their book "House Selling for Dummies (Hungry Minds Inc., 1999).
Agents agree that sellers shouldn't take curb appeal lightly, especially when so many buyers are doing their homework and looking at the exterior of houses before they even contact an agent.

"Curb appeal is crucial," said Mary Sheridan, an agent in Silver Spring, Md. "Buyers get a lot of information from the web now and I find that often they have already driven around with a list of addresses and have decided which ones they want to see, giving curb appeal a lot of weight."

If nothing else, paint at least the door, door frame, and foyer or first room the would-be buyers will see.

Paint railings, window frames, trim, and other accents to freshen up the exterior.

Homeowners and buyers place a high value on the painted appearance of a home. Include the date the paint job was completed and the quality of paint that was used.

You can easily paint wood, brick, masonry, aluminum or vynal siding.

The fixed colors—roof color, wood, masonry, and stone.
The surroundings—houses and other buildings in the neighborhood.

And if you don't to paint the whole house, consider an eye-popper like the front door.

"It is very important to have a home looking its best and that starts as soon as a buyer drives up to the home," said Paul Thury, a Connecticut Realtor. "One important tip is to paint the front door if you cannot paint the whole house. This brings a good feeling as you enter the house."
Another important tip is to get all your painting done before potential buyers view the house.

"It is important to have all the repairs and paint done before going on the market," said Julie Nelson, a real estate consultant in Austin, Texas. "You need that bam experience on day one on the market. Anything less than bam and you're just helping the other homes in the neighborhood sell first."