Zen and the Art of “House Painting.”

     We are each blessed with a "house" to paint.

     Most of us have no clue how to go about it.

     We are not even aware that how the paint job “ends up” has more to do with the "preparation" for painting, and the "process" of painting, than it does about the colors we choose or how it looks when we think we are finished.

     We are rarely aware, that if we do not prepare properly, the paint will fail prematurely, not stick at all or just plain look like crap.

     We are rarely aware of how important every brush stroke is.  The brush not only does the job of “painting,” it is more importantly the means of getting the paint onto the house. 

     Just waving the brush at your house will not achieve the desired result----and your friends will think you are crazy.

     We can spread it too thin. 

     We can spread it too thick. 

     Sometimes we run out.

     We also may be attempting to do the job with bad advice.

     Sometimes the old colors show through the new ones.

     Experience is essential to get it correct.  No one does a great job the first time----or the second time for that matter.

     We must be very careful to not get paint on other people’s houses----as they very likely have different color preferences than we do.  The colors that go well together on my house may not be desirable on someone else’s.  Splatters are sometimes unavoidable----and some might even say OK----but it is best to be very careful in that regard.  Of course if you are asked to help paint someone else's house----go ahead and paint away.  Sometimes people need our help.

     When we look at a well painted house we do not see the effort that went into it unless we have painted the house ourselves. 

     We then know that every brush stroke matters. 

     However----

----ALL houses show some amount of inadequate preparation due to laziness, carelessness or oversight-----plus we always have to deal with the effects of those that have helped us.

     The successfully painted house is a masterful collection of carefully assembled individual strokes, that all work together to create the illusion we call: “a painted house.”  Perfection, in the strict sense of the word, is not relevant.

     Every house-----if we look close enough-----shows the path taken, the methods employed, and the quality of materials used to make it look the way it does.

     When your house is older, it often shows layer upon layer of “history.”  Sometimes we can see signs of previous poor color choices and insufficient preparation that have been painted over.  All these things give the house what we call, “character.”  Usually this is not an issue unless serious underlying problems have been recklessly painted over (covered up).

     After we have painted our house a few times, we can sometimes recognize the process others have used to paint their houses. 

     We might even try those methods ourselves.

     Or we might choose to stick with the colors and methods we are accustomed to.

     For those of you that would like to think that you will someday “finish” painting your house----I have some bad news.  But that will become apparent in due course.

     We are each blessed with a house to paint-----how is yours coming along?

Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector