We handled this exterior trim repaint in Sea Palms on St. Simons Island while the homeowner was out of state, covering the soffits, fascia, windows, doors, shutters, garage door trim and front metal rails. She wanted painting to be the last trade on the house, so we scheduled it after her new gutters went in.
Project at a glance
- Location: Sea Palms, St. Simons Island, GA
- Project type: Residential exterior trim repaint
- Surfaces: Soffits, fascia boards, windows, painted doors, door and window trim, shutters and shutter trim, garage door trim, front metal rails
- Not part of this job: Rear deck rails and pickets, sliding doors, overhead garage door
- Colors: Matched to the existing colors
- Products: 100% acrylic latex semi-gloss on trim; rust-inhibiting metal primer and high-performance industrial enamel on the front rails
- Crew: Four painters
- Completed: October 2026
Why the homeowner called
She wanted all of the exterior trim repainted, the house washed, and the deck looked at because it was starting to look moldy. She was about to travel when she first called, so our estimator walked the property without her and sent the estimate by email.
Scheduling around new gutters, a custom door and a summer away
Before painting, she had two other projects going: new gutters and a custom-made wooden front door for an opening that is not a standard size. She asked for our input on the order of work and planned for painting to come last.
We stayed in touch through the summer while she was away. Once the gutters were finished, she gave the go-ahead to start after Labor Day without waiting for the door. Our office confirmed the start date with her before the crew arrived.
What we did
A crew of four handled the washing, prep and painting:
- Pressure washed the house, the rear deck, and the deck handrails and pickets with a chlorine solution to remove mildew
- Used low pressure on the house itself so the shells in the exterior finish stayed in place
- Scraped loose paint, sanded smooth and caulked cracks on the soffits, fascia, windows, doors, trim, shutters and garage door trim
- Spot primed bare wood and rusted nails
- Finished all of the trim in 100% acrylic latex semi-gloss matched to the existing colors
- Scraped and sanded the front metal rails, primed rusted spots with a rust-inhibiting metal primer and finished them in a high-performance industrial enamel
One exterior door had swollen from water and was hard to open. The crew built up and shaped the damaged area with body filler, adding a second coat where it needed it, before painting. See more about our door and shutter painting.
The rear deck was washed with the house so the stain it needed could be judged on clean wood; deck staining is priced separately as part of our deck and porch staining work. If you are wondering why washing comes first, read why we wash before we paint.
Colors and products for this exterior trim repaint
The homeowner kept her existing trim colors, and we matched them. The trim got 100% acrylic latex in semi-gloss, which wipes clean easily on doors and trim that get handled. The front metal rails needed a different system: a rust-inhibiting metal primer on the rusted spots, then a high-performance industrial enamel made for metal.
The result
The soffits, fascia, windows, doors, shutters and garage door trim are clean and repainted in their original colors, the swollen door is repaired and repainted, and the front rails are primed and enameled.
More projects nearby: whole-house interior repaint in Sea Palms West and wood siding repaint with rot repair on St. Simons Island.
Questions about a project like this
Can you paint my house while I am out of town?
Yes. This homeowner was out of state for the summer. We stayed in touch by phone and email, scheduled the work for after Labor Day, and confirmed the start date with her before the crew arrived.
Should painting come before or after new gutters?
On this house the homeowner scheduled painting after the new gutters were installed, so the crew painted the fascia and trim with the gutters already in place.
Do you paint metal railings?
Yes. These front rails were scraped, sanded, spot primed with a rust-inhibiting metal primer and finished in a high-performance industrial enamel.
Planning a similar project on St. Simons Island?
If your trim, shutters or railings need attention in Sea Palms or anywhere on the island, even if you are out of town, we can look at the house and send you a written estimate at no charge. Learn more about exterior painting on St. Simons Island and our exterior house painting process, or see more of our work across St. Simons Island.
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