Buy Now — Pay Later

As with anything, you get what you pay for, and the industry of paint and paint products is no different. Using a second-rate paint will achieve second-rate results. Consider that the exterior components are the first line of your homes defense against the elements. Would any homeowner honestly expect an inferior class of paint to give their home superior quality results for a third of the price?

Litmus Test: If you plan to remain in your current home for ten or more years; do not buy cheap paint.

The bottom-line for a paints composition sold by large scale Home Improvement Centers is the competition for your dollar. Make no mistake; their product pricing policies are an exact science. The range of paints they offer are engineered based with one single criterion in mind - price. What is the maximum retail price that the average homeowner is willing to bear? What is the greatest margin of profit possible while remaining competitive in the marketplace?

Unfortunately, this mentality drives manufacturing costs lower. Lower costs demand less expensive ingredients; cheaper pigments, binders, carriers and additives. Corners are cut and production values drop, producing ineffectual paint that targets a premium price-point, rather than a premium consumer value. This is why they stamp the word "value" all over their labels and tout it in their tv commercial and ad campaigns; hoping to conceal the fact that there is little to no real value inside their cans.

The authentic value of selecting a higher quality paint product is not in the price, it is in having a longer-lasting, more durable finish which will always outperform the home center's selection. To illustrate this point, let's say the cost difference for quality is approximately $20 more per gallon. And your painting project will require 30 gallons of paint to complete. This represents a $600 total increase in the cost of your paint.

Meanwhile, your neighbor purchases discount paint from a national DIY retailer and keeps a little extra money in his pocket. Product application and environmental exposure being equal, your neighbor's house will require repainting 7 to 10 years sooner than yours. Over a lifetime of ownership, the frequency in cost of repainting your neighbor's home will far exceed your initial investment you made per gallon.

McCauley Painting suggests that South Carolina homeowners request their paint contractors use better products, which are readily available. Quality results begin with a quality paint, stain, or sealing product. And while it is obvious that the cost of a premium product is going to be more expensive, in the end, contracting a professional painter to apply premium materials, will give you results that will amaze, protect and endure.