House painters in Huntington, Indiana
Huntington, Indiana, has the oldest houses of any town around Fort Wayne. Its median home was built in 1954 and 39% went up before 1940, so painters in Huntington mostly deal with wood siding, many layers of old paint and lead-safe scraping.
Old paint is the job
Nearly three out of four Huntington homes, 73%, were built before 1980. More than half predate 1960. On a house that age the old paint almost surely includes lead, and the federal lead-safe rule applies once a painter scrapes more than 20 square feet outside. For an exterior with peeling clapboards, that is the first hour of work.
What that changes for you:
- Ask for the firm's EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm certificate before you sign
- Expect plastic on the ground, wet scraping and a HEPA vacuum clean-up, with no torches or open power sanding
- Expect prep to be the biggest part of the price. Thick, cracked paint on old wood takes hours to scrape back to a sound layer.
The lead paint guide has the full checklist, and exterior house painting covers the steps after the scraping.
Historic review in Huntington
Huntington has eight districts on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Drover Town, Old Plat, North Jefferson and Hawley Heights. A National Register listing by itself doesn't limit what an owner paints.
Local designation does. The city's Historic Review Board issues Certificates of Appropriateness for one local district, in Drover Town along Henry Street and South Jefferson Street, and for 15 individually designated sites. Under the city code, "maintenance involving exterior color changes" on those properties needs a certificate before work starts. The board's guidelines for single sites ask for colors that were in use when the building was built, forbid sandblasting, and say not to paint brick or stone. The board offers to help owners choose a scheme.
If you are not sure whether your house is one of the designated properties, call the Department of Community Development and Redevelopment at 260-356-5146 before you buy paint.
Victorian trim and what it costs
Houses from Huntington's oldest neighborhoods often carry three or four colors: body, trim, sash and an accent on the brackets or porch spindles. Each added color means more cutting-in by brush and more set-up. If a quote for a house like that looks high next to one for a plain two-color house the same size, the trim is usually why. Ask for the price with and without the accent colors.
Huntington painting questions
Does paint cost more on an older Huntington house?
Usually, yes. The paint costs the same. The scraping, the lead-safe containment and the repairs to old wood are what add to the bill. National guides put a full exterior repaint at about $6,200 to $11,600, and old, peeling houses sit toward the top.
Can I repaint my house in Drover Town any color?
If the property is in the local district, a color change needs the Historic Review Board's certificate first. Repainting in the existing colors is ordinary maintenance. Call 260-356-5146 to confirm your address.
Is there a trip charge from Fort Wayne?
Some painters add a trip charge for small jobs in Huntington, about 29 miles by road from downtown Fort Wayne. Ask when the painter calls and have it written into the quote.
Huntington on the map
Huntington is the seat of Huntington County, southwest of Fort Wayne by US 24 and Interstate 69. About 17,000 people live there.
Get a written painting quote
Three questions and no email address. Then:
- A local painter calls youMonday to Saturday, to ask about the house and the job.
- Photos or a walk-aroundSmall interior jobs can often be priced from pictures. Exteriors get walked.
- The price in writingWith the prep, the paint and the dates. You decide from there.
Get a Huntington painting quote
Outdoor painting weather in Fort Wayne runs from about mid-May to late September. Ask for a price over the winter and you can pick your dates.