Paint scraping and exterior prep in South Orange, NJ.

Most painters quote prep as "light scuff and prime" — which works on previously-clean surfaces and fails on the ones that needed actual prep. Hiring us to do the heavy scrape and sand means your painter shows up to a true-to-substrate surface, paints once, and the coat lasts the full warranty. The two-trade approach is cheaper than a re-do.

We do the surface prep, and we coordinate the EPA RRP-certified piece for any work on a pre-1978 house. The lead-safe work practices — containment, HEPA cleanup, lab swab testing — are handled by a partnered certified contractor. We do not freelance on lead-paint regulations.

After is the right order. Pressure-wash first to remove the loose chalk and mildew, let the surface dry 48 hours, then scrape and sand to bare or solid substrate. We can bundle the pressure-wash into the same multi-day visit if you book both services.

HEPA dust extraction on the orbital sanders means about 95 percent of the sanding dust gets captured at the tool. The remaining 5 percent is what catches on drop cloths and plant beds. We tape off, pull drop cloths, and do a HEPA-vac walkthrough at the end of every day. For pre-1978 houses, we follow the EPA RRP cleanup checklist verbatim.